Practical Magic Blog Party

Wouldn't you know it would take a little "Practical Magic" to get me blogging again?!

After an enchanting evening with Jilly and Sally, I was compelled to share every bit of magic I experienced that night.  At least all that I can recall.

It began with an invitation from Jilly and Sally to have tea in their garden under the new moon.  I had always been curious about their garden.  Were the rumors true?  Why did they keep their garden gate locked?  Seriously, how many people actually use a key to enter their garden?



When I arrived Jilly was laughing hysterically, while Sally dashed around scooping up apples and dropping them in a box she carried under her left arm. Sally could barely keep up with the fruit that was flying from the family apple tree.  "You're going to break something!", Sally yelled at the tree, as she caught an apple just before it fell on her partially set table.  Jilly, still laughing, reminded Sally what a silly idea it was to have tea that close to the temperamental tree anyhow.

When I began to laugh myself at the comical scene, Sally turned and welcomed me to the garden.  Then quickly asked Jilly to take me inside so she could finish setting the table and attempt to manage the pesky tree.

Jilly

After some racket in the kitchen, Sally finally joined us in the parlor with some hors d'oeuvres.  I raised my hand to refuse them, but Jilly insisted.  She explained that I would miss the most beautiful moon of the year if I didn't get enough nourishment to keep me awake until it made its grand appearance.  She also hinted at some ingredients in Sally's deviled eggs being "...somewhat eye-opening."

Sally

We sat and chatted for a bit, but Sally couldn't sit still any longer and returned to her tasks.  Jilly told me all about her new hat.  I believe I saw it from every angle possible.  Then Sally hollered, "READY?"  Jilly shouted back, "We've been ready!  But first you must show Daydreamer your new hat."  You could hear Sally grumble, "Alright, but this better be quick.  Behave while I'm gone you dumb tree!"

After showing off their beautiful Autumn hats, Sally asked me if I'd like a tour of the garden.  I said, "Sure."  Jilly said she'd catch up in a bit.

I followed Sally along the garden path as she told me about each and every flower we passed.  The moon was already lighting up all the white flowers in the garden. The Moon Vine was especially impressive with saucer-size blossoms glowing under the moonlight.  I told Sally her family's garden was absolutely breathtaking.   Sally looked back and said, "Wait until the moon is overhead."  Then she winked.  

Jilly caught up to us just in time to tell us we better hurry back because the show would begin soon.  Sally and I walked back to the table beside the apple tree and sat down.  The tree dropped two apples into the empty dish in front of me and Sally let out a growl.  Don't eat those!, she said.  Plucked them from my plate and tossed them in the box on the ground beside her.  Jilly came out with the tea.  "The moon will be overhead soon.", she said.

Sally served up her delicious lavender tea cookies with lilac jelly, while Jilly poured tea.

I'm pretty sure Jilly put something in my tea.  I felt a little woozy, my vison began to blur and all I can recall about that moment are Jilly's faint giggles.

I'm not sure what happened next, but I think I remember watching a couple of fairies dance in front of the full moon.  It was like a dream.  There were fireflies flickering about them as they danced. After the fireflies dispersed they flittered to a dark corner of the garden.  Their light reflected off something of the flowers.  At least that's what I thought they were at first.

Fairies dancing before the full moon.

As I approached the corner of the garden, I could not believe my eyes.  There were fairy chrysalises everywhere.  Hanging from branches on plants and trees.      

I woke up in the garden, but Jilly and Sally were no where in sight.  I peeked into the window and saw Sally asleep by her broom, still in her hat.  I didn't want to wake them so I tiptoed to the chaise in the parlor and grabbed a pillow and a throw and snuck back out into the garden to sleep in their hammock.  What a magical night.

"There's a little witch in every bitch."

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Welcome to the Mad Tea Party!

"You come to Wonderland often?"

Thanks for dropping in... may I suggest you sit and rest a bit. Here's an empty toadstool. ::::brushing off seat:::: Please - have a seat! If this is your first time down a bunny hole you may be a tad dizzy for a few minutes. It's to be expected, so don't be alarmed. Can I get you some tea? How many sugar bubblesfor you? While you sip that, I'll tell you what happened this morning.

When I first arrived in my garden I found it unusually quiet. Then I spotted a key on the table under the Cedar tree with a purple ribbon tied around it. I picked it up to ponder where the lock it opens could be, (That's odd, I've never heard the pansies giggle so much, I thought) when suddenly I dropped down a bunny hole. I'm getting used to falling down such holes and have learned to be prepared with a parasol in hand to counter the intended plummet (the queen gets a thrill out of it you know). After making my way through the Rosemary maze (it's harder than you think for someone that falls asleep f

rom the smell of the herb), I finally reached the tea party. So far I've met a the sneaky White Bunny, the Bluebird of Happiness and the Mad Waiter of Bangadish.

Later I'll be visiting my dear friends White Rabbit and Mad Hatter. If you see them, say I said, "HELLO!".

The internet reception fades in and out as much as Cheshire Cat down here, but I'll be adding more pix of the party when I can.

I'm off to visit some old friends and make some new ones :D

I'm back! Okay, so I met some more Wonderlanders. Let's see... the tea gets me a little forgetful... there was a caterpillar, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum... Oh - and Miss Cialito and Miss Holly showed up (remember them from last year?). Don't repeat this, but Miss Holly was obviously wearing Miss Kiki's dress and it was just a tad too small for her.

Oh, and then Miss Cialito and one of the white bunnies were hitting it off splendidly (they both speak fluent Malarkey), until she casually answered the white bunny's question about what exactly it is she does at the track. Well, the poor little bunny nearly hopped out of her chair at the thought of chasing white bunnies for a living.

Cheers,