Believe, and be happy!

If you’re in my sun-dappled woodland garden and a large, black butterfly with iridescent blue splashes flies by, most probably it is a Spicebush Swallowtail.  You'll also see the tiny yellow-white butterflies dancing among the spicebush and sassafras, and if you're lucky enough, a Tiger Swallowtail would flutter all over you, as if skipping on stepping stones... 

Ah yes, the butterflies have arrived.  Side by side with the hummingbirds they've arrived.  And now they will dwell in my garden for another magical summer. 

The air carries the magical scent of the wild honeysuckles—sweet, and poignant, and altogether as enchanting as it can be...

The other day while I was trying to steal a whiff of their perfume, I caught a glimpse of a blue dress trailing behind a figure with blonde hair among the trees in the wood. For a moment I stood fixed on the girl in the sky-blue dress, then with one arm stretched out towards her I heard my voice shouting:  "Alice!"  But Alice would not turn to face me...  Was I dreaming?  Oh yes I must had been dreaming!

And who wouldn't!  It is a fairytale sorts of a place around here these days.  Small cotton-like fairies float the atmosphere all over my little world.  The air is filled with fluffy white clouds—and not just the kind you see in the sky.  I'm referring to the airborne fluff of the cottonwood trees which, as the weather gets warmer, let their seeds fly, filling the air with what it looks like tiny white clouds... or fairies.

It almost look like it's snowing.  This is certainly a strange thing to see this time of the year, but luckily, the seeds have nothing to do with snow.  These trees are not actually related to cotton plants; instead, they are poplars, and they grow very tall and have very large leaves, and are all over my woods.   This kind of a 'snow', along with the return of the butterflies can only mean one thing here in the south:  Summer is approaching!

I have got my hummingbird nectar ready, and have filled both of the hummingbird feeders with their life's elixir... I am happy to see my little feathered friends returned, and as I walk my little Paradise-garden in the footsteps of Eve I feel blessed, and right at home. 

I have divided hostas and moved some others to specific spots, and some more suitable places.  Then, I bought an entire flat of white Impatients and have planted them all in the hosta garden.  I can already envisioned the gloriousness of green lush lovely hosta leaves and the purity and delicateness of white Impatients mingling together. 

The irises are in bloom—the first one in a white wedding dress, and more to be opening soon.  

I love irises and although they are a little slow in multiplying, they are finally doing their job after the third year of being planted.   

The privets are putting out their flowers, and the trees are filled with tiny purple globules that soon will be opening up in small clusters of white exquisiteness and a lovely, distinctive sweet scent.  The garden will again be filled with scent... another scent, a new whiff of a different perfume, and all the Elephant Ears have started to come out too.  Some are breaking the ground while still others are already unfurling small green heads that are but the promise of massive leaves and dazzling tropical beauty to come.  This year I have filled every emptied spot in the garden with them, including many of the flowerpots.  I can hardly wait to see them in all their beautiful glory!

The pond is looking marvelous with all and every one of its residents.  All the fishes are doing well, including the two kois, which are growing faster than fast before our very eyes, so it seems.  This is yet another wish of the heart come true.  The gurgling sound of water.  A little frog and fish pond... My soul soars with gratitude.  

We’re constantly communicating with the universe. I believe the external world is a direct reflection of our internal landscape. So in a sense we're creating a world of our own, our own wonderland.

Believe...

Create...

Be happy!