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Thanksgiving at Elderberry Cottage

© Virginia Marin

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Nestled in a supposed fairy wood and surrounded in spring and summer by a lush garden of bearded iris, azalea, camelia, morning glories and climbing roses and in the fall by gigantic yellow, orange and white chrysanthemums, pumpkins and goards is a quaint little play-house size cottage called Elderberry. It is the play house I never had as a child. For years, it has served as my retreat from daily cares. It sits undisturbed in this place of tranquility where flowers seem to bloom in perpetuality and zyphers disturb them not. It is an outlet for creativity and imagination, while for Thanksgiving dinner, it is traditionally laden with after dinner desserts, coffee and punch...

In autumn as the air begins to chill and the leaves show their brilliant colors Elderberry, too, changes. Elderberry is also a favorite of the snow fairies who arrive early from the cold north countries for a Thanksgiving visit--and I hasten to add that some of the unexplained happenings here could only be attributed to them. It is often obvious that the fae, themselves, enjoy Elderberry because there are, oh, little things which I find that are not quite as I left them. This is a beautiful spot--a fairy garden which nourishes body and spirit.

As Thanksgiving approaches, the trees are dressed in magnificant shades of gold, orange, brown, yellow and red as they drop their colors to earth to further share a touching with humanity.

Amongst the fallen leaves, if one looks closely, may be seen a toadstool house, its red roof sporting white dots and a stove-pipe hat from which issues small puffs of warm gray smoke signifying habitation. Ah, yes. There sleeping against its fat succulent stem sleeps the tiniest of elves.

A shady path leads up to the pale yellow door of this small pink hide-a-way where a cast-iron fairy stands sentry. Four spiderweb windows are tucked into the eaves while Victorian gingerbread, in lovely old designs and colors, is everywhere in evidence. The cottage is decorated with stencils of tiny running rabbits and hearts and flowers which add to its allure and mystique.

Colorful fantasy birdhouses with exaggerated tilts and angles can be seen nestled among fall foliage. A lovely old silver gazing ball reflects the charm of an autumn garden. Children love to come here in every season, I think, because I keep the child in me very much alive.

Inside, one is greeted by a sun-dappled room. The diminutive furniture was chosen to bring the outside in and in its entirity suggests a fairy garden: painted roses and leaves clamber up a book case; tables and chests are in muted hues and show happily painted twigs and flowers where song birds and dragonflies perch. The walls are painted with roses all over in soft pinks, greens and earthy tones. The plank floor is stenciled with pretty flower vines.

elf house

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