aFlourishedTale: About a boy and what he saw.

This is the tale of a little boy and the magic he saw happen through his red binoculars one day.

I wrote the beginnings of this fairy tale and then lettered it with watercolors and gold. This was a major work of art for me as I had not designed such a large piece before with so many words. But I was in a year-long calligraphy workshop under Reggie Ezzel and this was one of the projects. It took me about a year to do, having to gear up the courage.

I was able to hang it up in the Student's Gallery of art at the 2016 international calligraphy conference, A Show of Hands.

The Tale of Michael and Akira

Once upon a time , a match was lit online, and it started a slow burn. As the keystrokes flew between Beauty School and Shoe School, the embers sparked into the beginnings of a romance.

It came upon a day that the Brave and Talented Knight from Shoe School hit the keystrokes, inviting the Fair Young Maiden from Beauty School to meet him, face to face, at the Fisherman’s Wharf . . . then he hit Send.

The Fair Young Maiden’s finger hovered tentatively over her Send button, then, before she could change her mind, she clicked it with anticipation. The Knight’s invitation was accepted.

On the agreed upon day, The Fair Young Maiden made her way to the wharf and sat with baited breath on the bench in front of the giant, and kinda scary, crab statue . . . and waited. Unbeknownst to her, the Brave and Talented Knight had preceded her and was aperch the next bench over. Eventually, he slowly turned his head.

What started out as a small ember, now burst into a hot flame.  His eyes fell on her and he said to himself, “She’s more beautiful in person.” After catching his breath and slowing down his heart, he arose, stood in front of the Fair Young Maiden, held out his hand, and introduced himself with a smile.

That eventful day was spent entirely in each other’s company, enjoying food, the sights, and each other’s nearness. It was a match made in cyberspace.

But let’s not end the story here.

The Knight continued to woo and dine The Fair Maiden, and she continued to spin her spell over him. So, of course, there had to be another special and eventful day.

A few years later, while the happy couple was vacationing with family in the Napa Valley, touring winery after winery, (and getting soused?), The Talented Knight’s well-orchestrated plans finally came to pass. The families’ meanderings just so casually ended up at the aforementioned wharf. At the very same bench. Hmmmmm.

The plot thickens.

Just enough space was cleared on the bench and the Talented and Thoughtful Knight had his Lovely and Sweet Maiden sit on their bench . . . while he knelt down on one knee.

The crowd at the wharf roared with applause, and a choir group . . . where did they come from??? . . . broke into song as the sun was setting over the tearful Maiden. Really? This teller of Fairy Tales could not have made this one up.

Ahhh . . . suffice it to say, the Brave and Talented Knight from Shoe School and the Fair Young Maiden from Beauty School, won each other over, and they will be living happily ever after, not only sharing cyberspace, but their hearts as well.

(Tale as told by a most humble Storyteller)

The God of Golden & The Showcard Magician

I wrote this FairyTale as a thank-you letter to the two art/instructors I studied with for a week at A Show of Hands 2016, the 35th annual calligraphy conference held in Asheville, NC. It was an experience like no other, so it was easy to make it a magical fairytale. Thank you, Mark Oatis and Randall Hasson!

The God of Golden & The Showcard Magician

Once Upon A Time, not so long ago, a Brigadoon-esque expanse emerged out of the grey ordinariness, where one could enter, if one dared.

It was in the time of this emerging that a not-so-little-girl stepped out of the greyness and into the kaleidoscopic world of the skillful, colorful God of Golden and the mystical, brush-wielding Showcard Magician.

Surrounding her were imps and fairies, giggling, and flitting about, spreading their enchantments throughout the space. The girl was captivated, mesmerized. She had willingly entered this world, craving the suspense of jumping into the unknown.

The room was a magical labyrinth of supplies from wall to wall, floor to ceiling. Working her way into this haven, she found a spot on which to perch in anticipation of the entrances of The Masters.

The God of Golden burst into the room with a loud shout, his raven hair askew and his eyes wide with almost unbridled power. He wore a crown of brushes and a coat of dripping golden paint. He took command of the very air the stunned girl had been breathing. He began uttering an incantation. With a forward thrust of both arms, every color of the rainbow burst forth from his fingertips. No surface was untouched. Red mingled with blue, yellow mixed with green. Every color imaginable began to form the most charmed backdrop.

Through no will of her own, the girl threw her hands into the air, caught parts of the rainbow, and began to swirl the colors onto the paper before her. Something was taking shape. Something was urging itself out of her body and onto the paper. Her mind took a back seat as she experienced this wonder, this sight of the colors unfolding. When the incantation was spent, the girl finally took a breath. Before her was a work of art, her art. It was something she had never before done. The God of Golden had somehow pulled it out of her with his words.

Before this spell had fully dispersed, the Showcard Magician, quietly, yet with great purpose, seemed to materialize from thin air, clothed in a shimmering red cape. His hair was silver and his blue eyes were otherworldly. Staring straight at this girl, and without saying a word, he took hold of the cape and slowly spread it open to reveal a menagerie of brushes hanging in mid-air.

With a flick of his wrists, and a snap of his fingers, a lone brush flew into his grip. Turning, he faced a snow-white surface. With great control, he raised his brush-laden hand in the air as a maestro. A moment later, as the brush hit the surface, music happened. With flourishes of wild abandon, the magician manipulated the tool effortlessly to form magical letters.  

The letterforms kept time with the music. The student was spellbound. He had her in his mystical grip, and she was helpless to ignore the gravitational pull and what was happening to her.

She was entranced, caught up in the display, in the formation of the strokes. She felt somehow different. She gradually became aware that a layer of electricity was hovering just above her skin. It was vibrating with energy. It was uncontrollable. It was just there.

She had been magically pulled into that Other World, into the unknown. Looking down in front of her, the girl was shocked to see that she, too, had been moving with the music. It was as if she was a puppet, the strings of which were being finessed by the Magician. Brush strokes were gliding atop the rainbow of colors set down beforehand and were forming letters. Seamlessly she was making a work of art full of color and with beautiful letterforms.

Time stood still. No other world existed. She was suspended in an electrified zone of the mind where ideas sparked, took shape, and became real.

The God of Golden and the Showcard Magician had woven their spell around her in an enchanted whirl of extraordinary displays. She wanted to stay in this bewitched world forever.

But in a flash, in a stroke of lightening, the Wizards vanished, and with them, their spectral space.

The girl found herself back in her own familiar surroundings, in her own home. She was blinking, stunned. What just happened? Was it a dream? It couldn’t have been. It felt too real.

As she shook her head and tried to compose herself, she suddenly felt the hum of the faint electricity just above her skin. She looked down beside her and saw a brush. It vibrated. It called to her. She tentatively reached out her hand and picked it up. The instant she held it, the greyness disappeared and she was awash in color. The not-so-little-girl smiled, for she now knew she would forever carry a spark of each of the Virtuosos within her to inspire her and take her back into their whimsical world of magic with just a flick of the wrist.

Cap'n Jonny B

Once upon a time there be a wee lad, coming nigh of the age of a mere six summers. He dreamed of the High Seas and of Pirate Ships and swords and such. His name was Jonny B. “Avast, all ye Buckos,” he’d say, “and beware me mighty blade! You’ll not be hornswagglin’ me out of me hard-thieved booty!” The Jolly Roger was aswayin’ in the breeze of the darkenin’ storm high above the Crow’s Nest. Even though Cap’n Jonny B was just a young lad, he had the courage of a wizened Old Salt. He’d battled the Black Savage before and knew he was a rough and tumble Scallywag. But he also knew the Savage’s one fatal flaw...The Old Seadog couldn’t resist Gobstoppers or Goobers! The Seaworthy Cap’n Jonny B always kept a stash of each on hand, hidden up high in burlap sacks tied to the Main Mast and hanging above the Poop Deck. (Yes, Mateys, the Poop Deck! And no, Mateys, that's not whatcha do on it!) The brave Cap’n took his cutlass in hand, and with one measured blow unleashed the contents of the bags! “Blimey, and blow me down!” cried the Black Savage as these tasty goodies landed at his dirty feet. He stroked his greasy beard, his head swam, and he felt dizzy at the sight of these tempting treasures! As the Old Scoundrel of a Buccaneer bent down to gather up a hefty handful of booty, the Brave Cap’n Jonny B swooped in and effortlessly shoved his enemy overboard! Cap’n Jonny B stood at the edge of the bow, one leg hefted onto the brim of his faithful sailing vessel, and watched as The Black Savage was taken below water by the dreaded Sea Monster. Feeling mighty proud of himself, The Young and Handsome Cap’n took hold of the wheel and turned his ship into the vibrant colors of the setting sun, knowing all too well that another day meant another Man-O-War on the horizon!

Wishing You a Faerie Happy Valentine's Day!

Once upon a time there was a Young Man who was minding his own business, living his own life, when suddenly he heard a Voice.

He looked up to see a Young Lady singing. Her Beautiful Face and her Melodic Voice captured his attention and he forgot all else, nudging his fellow companion and asking, “Who is that Girl?”

As the days passed, they quickly turned into years. The young man, though clearly spreading his affections far and wide, never lost sight of this Unapproachable Lass. She continued to flit in and out of his mind, his thoughts, and actually his personal space, apparently not even knowing that he existed!

One day, as he sat in a pew attending a wedding, he turned in his seat to watch the bridesmaids saunter down the aisle in their pastel gowns, holding parasols. His world literally spun into slow motion, for coming straight down that aisle towards him was The One He’d Heard so long ago. Everything faded into the background. All he saw was Her.

The days continued to pass, and not so very quickly.

Finally, getting up the courage to grab The Fair One’s attention, the Young Adventurer stood in line. Well, he had to. She was flipping burgers at an outdoor gathering. He told himself that if the crowd vanished as he approached her, he’d say it.

Wouldn’t you know that not one single soul was in the courtyard as the Tentative Young Lad stood right before the Vision Who Was Flipping Burgers? He looked all around and could not believe his eyes. They had all vanished.

It had to be Magic.

So as she stared at him, waiting for his order, he cleared his voice and said, “I made a decision today.”

She looked him straight in the eye and said, “Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

He very boldly said, “I decided to Marry You.”

With that, the Vivacious Femme Fetale threw back her head and laughed wholeheartedly. It was the laugh that he had grown to love from afar, which he could, for it was very, very loud!

Instantly she said, “Well, just keep believing.”

And apparently He did. For the next time he saw Her walking down an aisle in a long gown, it was to Him and Him Alone.

The Young Lass who had flitted in and out of his mind and thoughts had captured his heart and soul for life. And The Persistant Young Man, with his unwavering showers of affection, won her heart, her soul, and her very loud laugh, for ever and ever.

(And that is A Flourished Tale about how I met my husband 32 years ago. Happy Valentine's! I Love You!)

Link-ed Together

Fairytales do come true. And we had one come true last night - the birth of our grandson, Link.

We are now inseparably Link-ed Together.

Highgrove

If you want a Fairytale Wedding, then you need to take a look at the Highgrove in Fuquay-Varina. It is truly a magical setting in which to walk down the aisle to the Love of Your Life.

I was just there last weekend at their Open House, but you don't need to wait for another Open House to go see everything they have to offer. You won't be disappointed. We weren't. Our son and his wife were married there in November of 2008 when the reception was held in their magnificent tent. Now they've built a Ballroom that is spectacular. And don't worry, there's plenty of room on the floor for dancing your night away!

If you want the moon to rise above you and the sounds of the water behind you as you take your vows on the grounds of a quintessential Southern Manor, then you won't need to look any further.