=A View Through the Window=

one year ago ...today.::over the moon::.

The day began like all the recent others. The sun rose and I drank a cup of tea. But the day would have a fork in the road that would lead two souls to a new adventure together ... And that is the part I will begin with.

A beautiful Sunday in July cannot be wasted so as soon as I rinsed my tea mug, and dressed, I got onto my bike and headed out for the park. There I spread my faithful old flower strewn tablecloth I use as a blanket. Out came a new book & with my feet atop the thick grass, there I spent the next six hours under my favorite tree. Little did I know at home my phone was ringing over and over, with someone trying desparately to reach me.

When the heat of the day became too much to handle even under a huge oak by the water, I gathered my belongings and headed home. At my door I was greeted by one very hungry cat claiming to be nearly starved to death having not eaten since five am, and next to him a folded stack of papers tucked under the mat. Talking to the cat, probably telling him I was going as fast as I could, I opened the door leaning over to grab the papers at the same time. As the door swung open I was caught by the scribbled writing on top of the first page. I stopped in my tracks.

Across the top of the printed page was hand written:

I have a dog for you!!!
We are picking her up Tuesday... Kate.

I stepped into the cottage and set my armload of Sunday daydreaming things down, and stood reading the rest of the pages to try and gain understanding of what was in my hands. The several printed pages on which the handwritten note was scrawled, were emails. The many emails sent back and forth all that very day, beginning early and ending before noon. A corgi had been orphaned that was in need of a home. A very special girl that once the word was out, would be scooped up with lightening speed so time was of the imperative. Someone knew how desperately I was wishing for a puppers to call my own and I was nowhere to be found. So my friend, Kate, started calling people creating a chain of help until she found, and talked the person (Joyce) into giving one little corgi ::my::wish::come::true:: to me. Sight unseen.

I was dumbfounded. Just like that. A corgi in my life again was too much to hope for so I had stopped believing. If you only knew how hard I had tried to adopt another faerie pony and what I had been put through trying, you would be startled. But I must have still way down deep, never given up ::wishing:: because here was the proof.

A friend had counciled me after another adoption falling through in April, that I was having to try too hard to find a dog. That it shouldn't be like this, that I should let a dog find me. By July, I had listened.

...And one found me.

Come Tuesday I had heard the details of how it all had happened on that fateful Sunday morning, and I had read the emails so many times I could recite them from memory. At the appointed time, Kate and I got into the car to drive to where my ... yes my corgi and I would meet. The person that had taken in this corgi just happened to be planning to visit her sister not an hour away from where I lived and would bring the dog to met me there.

It was blazing hot. We were having a typical July heatwave so both Kate and I were delighted to be driving upward into the mountains thinking we would find relief. After getting lost twice, we pulled into the long dirt drive lined with scrub oak trees and watched the plumes of dust raise behind us. Even in the mountains it was a typical July, dry and way too hot. As we got closer to the house, my heart began to pound loudly in my chest. In view there was a pen under the trees filled with puppies. Corgi puppers! Three of them watching us as our car pulled up and stopped. Ahead of us was a woman coming to greet us. But all I remember is her waving her hand towards the little fenced-in yard at the house filled with barking dacshies and one perfectly perfect, honey and white ... Corgi Princess.

"That's her", Joyce said. I headed straight for the gate and and the rest is a blurr. Kate talked with Joyce (the incredible person that gifted me with Caila), asked questions, took in the information including the file of papers (that later I would read to find that I had indeed, in the Corgi world of breeding at least, scored big time. BIG time) ... but all I saw was one perfectly perfect corgi pupper I had been dreaming of ... that was being intrusted to me. ME. No strings.

I remember Joyce saying, "Do you want to try her?" and assuring me, "If it doesn't work out, I'll meet you half way to pick her back up."

And both Kate and I, nearly if not exactly the very same time, saying YES! That I wanted to take this dog without reservation!

I remember being afraid that I would get to the appointed meeting at 11:30 and the person (I had never met) would change their mind, or not like me and I would have to go home with my heart broken again. There had never once been any question in my mind from the moment I knew of her existence, that I was taking this corgi home if offered. Not a doubt. So to hear the words: "Do you want to try her?" I probably gasped. (are you kidding?!)

Later in the car, with this amazing little creature half on my lap and staring up at me, I finally was able to exhale. I had been holding my breath for two and a half days not sure if to believe this could really happen. But the bond between Caila and I was instantaneous and tighter than super glue. Had Joyce changed her mind I would have taken, Caila and moved to Australia. (I can not to this day believe anyone could have EVER given up this particular creature, she is so special--but Joyce had five corgyn she belonged to already ... And I think she knew she was but the conduit to help this particular little corgi find her forever person.)

No one could pry Caila from my arms now. Even after only a day I would have fought with everything I had to keep her. And as it worked out, Caila Fae and I were two souls meant to find each other and care for one another. So every time I am tempted to stop believing in my dreams, when I begin to falter and want to give up reaching for happiness, I look at Caila. I would lay down my life for her. She has mended my shattered heart & made it grow bigger.

Never never ever give up on your dreams. Have paitence and believe that the universe is working on making your wishes come true. Seal it with a prayer in moonlight. You only need to ask ... let go, and have faith.

After all, isn't faith believing in things that can't be seen?

.:: click here to meet Caila ::.

=^..^= love, zU

the dolls tea

The day was announced with the faerie windchimes in the trees ringing out their deep ::dong::dooong::dong::dimmm:: and the dolls awoke in an instant rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Sitting up in bed they each realized the day they await for each spring was here!
Today was extra special.
Today they would be seen by not just human children as they really are, but by anyone that believes in the power of real will on this day, see dolls as children see them.
And in celebration there was a faerie's invitation sent out across the world to join the dolls together with hearts of children everywhere.

Charity could hear the children of the household in the kitchen already and quickly reached for her apron. Yes, there it was sitting where she could find ... where her child had placed it. As she put it on, William threw open the curtains to see the day and gasped.
It was snowing! April snow? This could not be ... No.
"Not today" ::sighed:: William.

Charity came over to the window to see what was the matter. When William said, "snow" she too gasped and immediately opened the window sash. Snow today would change all of the plans! She reached her tiny hand outside to feel the snow, but something wasn't right. The air was warm. There was a slight breeze and something was floating down from the sky onto her hand. Startled by it's touch she pulled her hand inside and felt one of the flakes that had landed there. It was soft and velvety. Not cold at all and did not melt. By this time several of the others in the nursery had gathered at the window and were giggling.

Charity, tilting her head to the side listened carefully and heard William laughing. He leaned over to her and taking her hand, placed more of the snowflakes there. Charity closed her fingers around them and then she too began to laugh. Bringing her fist to her nose, she opened her palm and breathed in deeply and smiled. Appleblossoms! The wind was carrying the petals in the air like snowflakes. She could now feel them under her toes where the wind was tossing them through the open window onto the nursery floor. Today was indeed meant to be magical.

And that is how Tuesday began.

**The characters in this story are from a series called, A Dolls Letters Home. It was a series of short stories (letters) I began to write quite a number of years ago when a doll was left on my doorstep in need of repair. Wanting to thank the person without embarassing her by letting her know I knew who she was, but at the same time let her know how much her thoughfulness meant to me ... The doll began to write her letters telling her of her new life in an enchanted cottage where she was left at the door. A regular following of readers at the gift givers place of work began (where the letters written in script like those of days gone by, seemed to anonymously arrive on her desk) and consequently were watched for with anticipation by growing numbers. Someone once made copies of the letters for their daughter to read and then someone else did too ... eventually arriving in the hands of many children in the community. And the rest as they say is ... Well, lets just say one little dolls life became a faery-tale. I hope to someday publish the letters together bound in a small book.

An introduction of some of the characters:

Charity is blind. A 1937 Mme Alexander Princess Elizabeth doll, her tin eyes having turned cloudy many years ago ... Sweet William is a 1930s Knickerbocker teddybear with curly woolen hair and a heart big enough to cover the earth. His best friend is, Sir Loved-a-Lot a 1950 Steiff bear with golden hair like sunshine and who wears his heart on his sleeve. Faith and Hope live in Charity's pockets and go everywhere with her. The twins belonged to my mother and sleep in a real heartshaped basket in which they arrived in 1925 to a then 5 year old birthday girl that passed along the belief to her daughter--this author, that all dolls become real ... if you believe they can.

And Jennabelle? Did you by chance to meet? Jennabelle is the mistress of a little cottage where tattered toys go to stay while they await for the love of a child to make them whole again. All are welcome. None are turned away. Even a family of mice that sleep on pillows in the window have made the cottage home. And considering that the mistress is a tabby cat ... this itself is enchanting.

I believe in the power of a child's imagination being bigger than us all.

The website for, A Doll's Letters Home is in the process of being built. I hope when it is finished, you will each and every one come to visit. Have a cup of tea with us in a chair by the window and meet all of the occupants of the enchanted cottage. Consider yourself invited.

=^..^= love, zU

Remember me when you are happy, Keep for me one little spot, In the depth of thine affection Plant a sweet forget-me-not.

.:: SECOND CHANCES ::.

.. :: click for the story :: ..

Dedicated to all the beautiful butterflies that have passed through this realm. They are missed more than could be imagined.

old moon::new moon

The journey to the Polar Festival has begun.
From near and far under a snow moon
travelers from all points of the earth will gather to witness
the exchange of winter and the gifts to be shared ...

As the snowflakes dance on the 9th of February ... Follow.
They will bring you to an enchanted moment.
And I will tell the story ...
Of how a simple act, changed Bloglandia. Forever.