Nova has always had a strange fascination with fairies, ghosts, and anything supernatural. I, myself, totally believe in allowing a child's imagination to run wild. I'm not sure if my parents are aware of my alternate existence where I kept close fellowship with those of the fairy realm, but I recall it vividly. These fairy friends of mine were very real. Of course I have had no contact with Fae of any sort since my early adolescence, but these visions still color my adult existence. I found comfort, fun, and escape in this other world and so I completely encourage it in my children.

When Nova was 5 we read all of the Spiderwick Chronicles. They were a great introduction to the world of fairies outside of Grimm's and Hans Christian Andersen. They were a tad spooky and had an underlying moral message. Following these books, Nova would sit in the garden for hours waiting to see fairies and repeating rhymes and verses that were meant to attract them. I know that most people think of fairies with gossamer wings, tinkling and twinkling around in a serene hedgerow or botanical gardens. Nova, however, has a more expansive view of fairies. He now owns all of my old books on Fairy folklore and has a comprehensive knowledge of the many different varieties of fairy including trolls, elves, giants, sea folk, and more. He knows that not all are benevolent creatures. He sees in them the dualism that we as humans also must face. When we found out that the movie would be released we were ecstatic! Yesterday we headed out to see this...

WOW! It was intense. I thought they did a good job considering they squeezed five books into one movie. However I was a bit disappointed. Nova made me leave halfway through the movie:( It was just too scary for him. For all of the maturity and strength this little boy holds he is still just that...a little boy. He understands some deeply philosophical concepts and he's unbelievably perceptive. Despite these things, though, dualism is always a scary concept. The idea that humans or, in the case of Spiderwick, fairies, can do such horrific things is downright terrifying. The idea that anger, unchecked, can have unfathomable consequences is alarming. But also a necessary lesson in life. I'm proud that he was brave enough to realize that he needed to leave the movie in order to sleep that night. Yes, he was dissapointed with himself but I assured him that the unseen world is all around and we will seek to see in other ways.

Today he, Ember, and I went out in search of fairies. We went to a beautiful grave yard near our home. I feel such peace in this place. I felt that if we were to see fairies, if indeed they are all around us, that this place would be one of great joy and beauty for them. Nova gathered all the items necessary to hunt for fairies and protect oneself. He put salt, a jar of milk, a notebook for documentation, pencils, a flashlight, a magnifying glass, and, of course, a digital camera in a backpack and off we went! Ember hid behind graves ducking in and out of sight from any "souls" that may be near.

Nova spent a great deal of time drawing in his composition book and encircling himself with salt to keep away bad entities. He put down a jar of milk near what he perceived to be a hamadryad and sat quietly nearby waiting for anything to show itself. After much quiet contemplation he and Ember followed tracks in the snow that could have only been those of the Fair Folk.

After careful documentation and much speculation we headed home detouring to drive by the Quabbin Resevoir. Here we caught glimpses of many deer running and grazing amongst the pines. As we approached the crest of the Quabbin, where you can see the many towns flooded to bring this resevoir into existence, we saw several deer in the road. I snapped a picture and just so happened to capture something more than we had expected... Notice in the upper left-hand corner the bright sphere? Nova believes it to be highly suspect and thinks it may be one of these:

These manifest as mysterious lights that often lead people astray. They are "spotted in deep forests, swamps, and other desolate places and appear as glowing orbs that move slowly over the landscape."
Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black , Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You, 2008.

This day reminded me of why I SO love New England! There is so much magic and beauty here.

We had a wonderful day exploring the world around us and have documented proof that, indeed, their world is closer than you think!!!