Current Dispatch

Drip, drip, drip...That's the sound of snow melting here in Dragonwood. It's warm, comparatively, at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit this afternoon. Squirrelboy had fun jumping in puddles. Although it is hard midwinter, I am always amazed by the amount of green just hiding under the snow. It seems flax rather likes the cool weather, as it appears to be thriving. Many of the "weedy" broadleafed plants in the yard also turn green at the slightest provocation. The insects are still sleeping, though, and I miss them. I hope the bees are all right. Faerygirl has been fighting a fever, but is slowly recuperating. The Lord of Dragonwood is working on the roof, clambering about and finishing the last tasks needed to enclose the Manor.

The Dragon

She is Real, you know. Nearly everyone we have invited to our land has seen her.

I first became aware of the Dragon through intuition. Since the Lord and I previously dwelt where copious amounts of rainfall could cause problems, I took a drive out to Dragonwood after a large rain. Our current backyard was a river, and it was of utmost concern to check how our new land fared. Fortunately, although it parts of our property are wetland woods, the area where we planned to build our home was dry. I drove on by, relieved and ready to keep moving on to visit my nephew on his birthday.

Suddenly, unbidden, an image flashed into my mind's eye. It was a red animal, a salamander or lizardlike creature. Such a brilliant red! I let myself picture the beast with pleasure as I drove along. How shocked I was, when I stopped to pick up a ball for my nephew, to find a huge red lizard/salamander stuffed toy in this small drugstore. It was exactly like the creature of my imagination! Of course I picked it up, and it haunts the back of my couch to this day.

However, the real manifestation of the Dragon was still to be discovered.


One day, fully exploring the land we had purchased, all of us stood still in wonder. Faerygirl, the Lady, and the Lord each saw Her. She stood, mighty and tall at the edge of the wetlands. Her great mouth gaped wide enough to engulf a man's arm, her large eye seemed to stare right at us, and her nostril flared. Smoke streamed upwards, and her thick horns stuck out behind. I loved her immediately and went right up to her. She was definitely the Guardian of our land, whose presence I had felt from the beginning. Who could now deny that ours was an Enchanted Forest?

Over the years, many have come to visit the Dragon. Some bring her gifts, some speak to her or embrace her, some merely laugh in wonder. Sadly, the tree in which she manifested did decay last winter, and the Dragon lay on the ground. But never fear! My heroic Knight, the Lord of Dragonwood, rescued her with his White Avalanche. Now she waits her magnificent return, drying and dreaming in the garage, until the Manor is built and she may grace its entry.


When she is in residence once again, feel free to bring her a gift! And remember to respect the woods, and all that dwell within it, for this place is the home of a True Dragon.

A Fateful Meeting

The Lord and the Lady of Dragonwood were not always so. Once, they had been a young couple living on a hill in a country that experienced occasional flooding. They had a small daughter and dreams of building their own house. The perfect location, according to the future Lord, would have woods and a stream and a south-facing open spot. As they pursued their dream, the couple journeyed many miles. One day, they came to Dragonwood. At that time, Dragonwood had been parcelled into three lots, and one of them had been sold. Walking the wild land blessed the future Lady's heart. There was no stream, but the Lord-to-be found the layout quite enticing. However, the price of the land seemed too dear. They walked away from the opportunity. But Dragonwood stirred, and she found a way into their dreams.

Of course, you know the end of this story. Dragonwood was still waiting for us a year later. I had been working and adding to the family coffers, and my husband learned how to negotiate a good deal. We bought Dragonwood for a price we were willing to pay. Thus our stewardship of Dragonwood began.

Current Dispatch - Greyness

Grey settles over Dragonwood today. The leaves have coated the ground, leaving most of the trees bare and ominous. Your narrator feels the dullness of grey, the urge to leave for warmer climes, the desire to huddle in warmth and semi-consciousness. Not to mention fighting a wearisome cold. I shall continue the story of Dragonwood in future posts, but my writing also falls flat as well on a day like this.

Squirrelboy had discovered the joy of writing, and festoons all the scrap paper and cardboard boxes he can find with his "letters". Far be it from him to be conquered by such a day!

Once Upon a Time...

There languished a small bit of woodland in the middle of the cornfields. Once, it had been part of a wild marshy forest that stretched as far as the eye could see. It was home to deer, wolves, wild cats, hawks, owls, herons, ichneumons, tiger beetles, and mosquitoes. Some of these creatures still haunted the forest, but some had been killed off. Over time, Abraham Lincoln surveyed the land, and gypsies camped among the great trees. Lovers carved their initials into a beech tree. Many generations of men came to hunt game and harvest from the abundant sugar maples. As the years passed, the forest was logged, and trimmed back until it only covered a few acres. It became surlier as habitat disappeared and humans left their rubbish all over. Grumpy gnomes brooded in the stumps along the roadsides. The Pookahs perched in the trees, gleefully terrorizing anyone who dared to overnight in the forest. The pixies and Faeries misled wanderers with their barely-heard music. And the Dragon slumbered and dreamed of another world...