Whimsy and Fairy Friends

Whimsy is a funny word, and a fun idea. In his book  Love Does, Bob Goff encourages more whimsy in everyday life. Whimsy needn't be expensive or extravagant, it's just a fanciful, playful take on life. I want our kids to experience some whimsy, so last summer when we had to cut down a small maple tree that had died, I asked my husband to leave the stump. Then I told the kids that I had heard that garden fairies love to make their homes in stumps like this one, and I hoped that a little fairy family would find ours. Wouldn't it be fun to have fairies living in the backyard?

We let a couple of weeks go by and then one night, a fairy family moved in!

It looks like they used a small potpie tin for the roof, with one side cut so they could wrap it around the stump snuggly.  They tapped small finishing nails around the bottom to attach it. The door is a small piece of wood with a tiny screw for the handle, and from another small nail hangs a little porch lantern. They may have purchased the fence from Hobby Lobby and painted it red to match ours behind. : )

As they got settled in more of their stuff appeared, some tiny pots with flowers or greens for their porch,  and a bench in their "garden". The boys loved discovering everything, and would always look for changes, and clue as to what the fairies had been up to. We are look forward to seeing what they are up to this summer as well. If your kids want to set up a fairy house themselves you might be interested in this past post.

I hope your week has some whimsy in it, or at least that you can put some in someone else's! I think butterflies, and northern lights, and so many vibrant flowers are proof that God too likes whimsy. You are loved!

-Haley