February 2012
February started off bitterly cold. The fairies snuggled deep into their homes away from the frost and icy cold winds. But there were clear nights when the stars shone so clear and bright, followed by cloudless blue skies, with a winter sun lighting up the frost making everything look clean and sparkling. In the water meadows the brook had frozen over leaving swirling patterns and bubbles under the ice.
Several of the fairies fluttered out to explore the new landscape. Looking down from the uppermost branches around Cow Parsley Corner every branch and twig was white over with the most spectacular hoar frost. It was really quite unusual to have such thick frost covering the trees from head to toe, as thought dressed in their finest sparkling outfits.
From deep within their homes, more fairies emerged, as word spread that the Fairy Queen was so delighted with the beauty of the day that she was gliding joyfully across Hill Top Pond, twirling over the frozen surface to a clear melody, calling out in her song for the fairies to join her in her ice dance.
It would be a wonderful sight to stumble upon - the stark winter grasses and bare branches at the side of the pond glistening white and decorated with strands of red and purple berries, gathered earlier in the year and kept carefully stored for such occasions. Little walnut tables, laden with acorn cups of steaming rosehip cordial and wooden platters of hot, buttery crumpets smothered with blackberry jam, all brought from the Queen's pantries. And to see the purples, pinks and blues of the tiny fairies dancing in celebration of the beauty of the day - what a sight that would be!
Further round the woodland path the Crocodile Tree was being used as an extra-slippery slide. Always good fun on the dullest of days, with an all over coating of ice it was fantastic.
And down in the Water Meadows, Flopsy, the Long Lost Rabbit was willing to allow them into the soft fur of her tummy, acting like a giant furry hot water bottle when their toes tingled painfully with the cold and their wings became brittle with frostiness.
