This year, my home town of Falmouth, Mass. will be celebrating Katherine Lee Bates’ 150th birthday. She was born in Falmouth and was best known for writing the words to “America the Beautiful”. There’s a street named after her, our health food store is called Amber Waves and the bike path is named the Shining Sea Bikeway. On a beautiful spring morning, I stopped by and took some pictures of her statue in front of the library, along with some very blossomy cherry trees.
During my visit, I spotted many places to photograph in and around Ojai, California. Here are some houses, front yards and trees that I found especially appealing.
People really have fun coming up with personas and costumes to wear at the May Day Fairie Festival. This character, “mud man”, obviously took a lot of time figuring out his outfit and makeup a few years ago. This year’s fair will be from April 30th to May 2nd at Spoutwood Farm in Pennsylvania.
It must have taken patience to add the feathers to his beard and the horns look so natural.
He came in my tent and surprised me! He’s wearing one of those great Utilikilts made of work clothes canvas.
What a face! Nice teeth, though.
Last week I was in Ojai, California, staying at the wonderful Oaks at Ojai Spa. After a long hard winter spent mending my broken wrist and concussion, it was wonderful to eat healthy food and excercise in a beautiful place. I’m feeling rejuvenated and like myself again. It’s as if I went away for “the cure”. One morning, we went for an early brisk walk around Ojai and saw this most adorable house with a live oak in front. After we returned to the spa, I grabbed my camera and rushed back to take pictures in the early morning light.
People work all winter on their costumes to wear at the May Day Fairie Festival. Not just women and girls wear wings, but dogs and manly looking guys have them, too. These photos show a sampling of characters from around the fair and in my tent in years past. The Festival will be held from April 30- May 2 this year at Spoutwood Farm in Pennsylvania. You can see more photos and find out about the festival here.
Wee Folk Studio went to the May Day Fairie Festival for a few years when we were still making fairy kits. We set up a tent and displayed many fairy related items. There were Blossom fairy kits, Ltd. edition dolls, note cards and books for sale. We don’t sell at fairs anymore, so we won’t be there this year, but I highly recommend going if you are at all interested in fairies and fantasy. The fair will be held April 30 – May 2nd this year at Spoutwood Farm in Pennsylvania.
Along with the 12 x 15 canvas tent, we transported a trailer full of trees, branches and vines to make an arched entryway. For me, decorating the tent , inside and out was as much an art project as making miniature dolls and illustrations.
Inside our tent, we set up tables and hung ivy and flower garlands. Here I am, early in the display phase, with the tree stump base.
We brought boxes of moss to use around the tree stump display, which I sprayed with water all weekend.
Some customers came in wearing these wonderful bark back packs. They said that they made them at a workshop.
Fairies and other fanciful creatures come to Spoutwood Farm in Pennsylvania every spring. The 19th annual May Day Fairie Festival will be from April 30 to May 2nd this year. Wee Folk Studio was a vendor at the festival for a few years, when we sold fairy kits. One of the highlights of the weekend is seeing the costumes that people have made to wear at the event. If you live anywhere within driving distance of southern Pennsylvania, go to this fair! You will feel out-of-place unless you wear a costume or at least something celebratory. We have a lot of pictures, so in the future, I’ll be posting more photos from past festivals. These masks are made by Mythical Designs.
Here are some gorgeous green men who came by our tent in 2005. Their incredible leather masks are made by Fantasy Guild Studios, which will have a booth at the Fairie Festival this year.
A few weeks ago, some friends, my husband and I visited Block Island for the first time.
The ferry we took from Point Judith, Rhode Island was practically empty this time of year. We were struck by the pastoral beauty and quiet calmness of the island, especially now, in the off-season. In the busy summer season, the island population grows from 1,000 to 15,000. We are thinking of going again next summer, but will travel in our own boat from Woods Hole across Buzzard’s Bay. This selection of photos were taken by our friend, Keith von der Heydt.
This fall, I traveled in France, on a barge in the canals of Burgundy. What a beautiful area, with lots of appealing doorways, ivy covered walls and even morning mist off of the canal. I’m drawn to doorways and entrances. Here are some photos I took of the sights and places I saw.
Cuisery, France
garden gate, Pont-de-Vaux, France
Cuisery, France
dirt road in the morning
Morning mist on the canal, Cuisery, France
SALLEY MAVOR 