Thanks Craig
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, a series of what is known as ‘fairy doors’, began popping up around the area in 2005, built into buildings, shops and restaurants and quickly acquired a cult following. Father and children’s book author, Jonathan B. Wright, believed to be behind the installation of the whimsical tiny portals, is kind of like the Banksy of fairy doors.
One of the fairy doors in Ann Arbor, outside the Peaceable Kingdom store. There’s a miniature replica of the shop behind the door built under the window display, which can also be seen from tiny windows inside the store…
It all began in 1993 when Jonathan was renovating his home and decided to install some fairy doors for his daughters (one in the fireplace and two in the kitchen). You can see the doors he built for them here. Over a decade later, he decided to go public. On April 7, 2005, the first public fairy door appeared outside Sweetwater's Coffee and Tea. Ten days later, the Peaceable Kingdom one appeared.The door at Red Shoes is a near-exact replica of the actual entrance, and inside the store is a small green door similar to the doors found inside the building. Written on the red door outside is Ours 123-4:5683?, which is a take on the real entrance that lists the store hours.
You can buy your own Fairy door but mine was special made for me and can only be seen from the window of the room in which I write. Today I found a fairy sized rake and shovel for 'them' and put down walking stones so they can keep the insides tidy!
Thistledown's Crown
Thistledown wus his name and sometimes he stung, well actually his stem stung. The stinkers gave him a bad name, they did! Handsome wus he. Aye, the ladies loved him. Coming near to his full bushy head of royal purple pomp, thought he smelled good too, they did, bees to his honey.
Summer time was his time, the time to bloom. His thorns served as fairy swords. An', on mass, he an' his guarded the fey's mound. Thistledown kept the cows from trampin' the wee ones. An' the cow plops from offendin' the Royal's wee noses. No hoof falls made treacherous the field's lay.
Suren, he wus sharp this fine boyo. He did 'ave a soft side, a sure sweetness. When fall's goddess Mordron* brought the chill down, he softened. Queen Mab* sent fey to catch his whitened crownin' glory, as each strand, a silken treasure, soft fell and so, Ole Thistle lost his head, for from his crown, and its down, wur made sheets of silken softness for the Tuatha De Danaan's* beds.
*Goddess Mordron/Welsh mythology, Modron ("divine mother")
* Queen Mab of the Fairy
* Tuatha De Danaan pre-Christian gods represented as heroes or fairies.
[Tribes of the goddess Dana]
I am putting out cream for Thistledown I heard he's taken a wife and the fairy mound is near! Hopefully they will like their new home!
Do you believe in fairies????