July is a fairy fine month here at the farm.
For the Home Place Fairies who have worked so hard all spring and summer tending the gardens it is a month of merriment and playfulness. Our gardens are bursting with flowers and vegetables. The fruits in the orchard and fields are ripening; heavy with peach, pear, apple, raspberries and blueberries blue!
A thick grey fog rolled into and over the back meadows and gardens this morning,
It is dusk now and that fog is still here.
After a series of seemingly endless days of November gray I find myself dreaming of summer.
I dream of fairy folk dancing in the meadows scattering fairy dust at work and at play.
I dream of Old Horse standing sentry, watching over my gardens on a warm sunny day.
I think of Grand Fafa and how he watches over each and every one of us as he always did and continues to do so day after day.
Memories warm us from within, coloring even the grayest of days with the brilliance of all we have loved.
Early in the morning the Home Place Fairies Nightingale, La Rosa and Delphinia affectionately greet Old Horse.
Old Horse is their companion; the loyal guardian of all the Home Place Fairies.
Through the long cold months of winter Old Horse stands vigil guarding the entrance to the Fairies secret woodland chambers.
Old Horse was long ago enchanted by the Home Place Fairies
and though Old Horse ages, he never grows old.
The bond between Old Horse and the Fairies is very strong. Forged from integrity and respect as well as love and commitment the bond has solidified, becoming everlasting; suspended in time.
In the earliest hours of each and every August morning before humans are awake, the fairy folk greet Old Horse with hugs and kisses, showering him with fairy dust.
Later in the day when an old friend comes to visit, the fairies will have left the stable yard and gardens for the shade of the Enchanted Forest.
Old Horse will greet Nina who being magical herself in a Nordic gardening kind of way will never let on that she can see the fairy magic that surrounds her dear old friend.
Together they will reminisce about the past as they walk into the Future of Possibilities.
“To see a world in a grain of sand
and Heaven in a wild flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
and Eternity in an hour.”
William Blake poet
“Believe in the Fairies
who make Dreams come true.
Believe in Wonder,
the Stars and the Moon.
Believe in the Magic
from Fairies above,
They Dance on the Flowers,
and sing songs of Love.”
In late July the lovely green wide leaved annual herb Basil tastes especially fine and we traditionally make pesto to freeze for the winter months.
I plant our Basil in mid to late April from seed in my greenhouse and transplant the seedlings come late May into raised beds nestled up to colorful Cosmos Flowers; dry seeding Hollyhocks and lettuce. We like harvesting basil to use in salads, tomato dishes, soups, stews and stir fries.
Preparing to make some fresh Home Place Fairies Pixie Pesto a granddaughter removes Basil leaves from their stems and sets them aside. Then we begin gathering together our ingredients.
Home Place Fairies Pixie Pesto
Ingredients:
Directions:
There are many delicious ways to serve Pesto. You can simply smear your Pesto on crackers or toast and top with freshly harvested cherry tomato slices. Try topping this with sprinkles of goat cheese and pinched tiny basil leaves and florets.
You can serve Pixie Pesto over cooked pasta, smear on roast chicken, fish or chops.
Pixie Pesto can be frozen for a late winter treat. I like to freeze my basil in little heart ice cube trays, or heart shaped baking sheets, or simple ice cube trays will do. Just smear Pixie Pesto into your tray, place in freezer uncovered and wait until frozen then remove and place in freezer proof ziploc bags, return to freezer for later use.
We might toss 6-8 (or more or less) frozen or thawing hearts onto a dish of hot pasta depending upon how much Pixie Pesto we are craving.
Yum!
Here is a delightful simple little recipe from the fairy folk for a summer Fairy Berry Fruit Salad.
The ingredients can come from your garden or the market, the fresher and grown closer to home the better.
1 small seedless watermelon cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 of a fresh melon, cantaloupe or honeydew is fine cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup or heaping handful of fresh blueberries
1 heaping handful of red raspberries
A handful or more of large purple grapes sliced in half
A sprig of Mint, Lemon Balm or Lemon Verbena
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon honey
Cut the watermelon and cantaloupe into small bite size pieces.
Place about 1/2 cup of the watermelon and 1/2 cup of the cantaloupe pieces into an electric blender. Put the rest of these pieces into your large colorful bowl.
Toss into bowl your grapes which you have cut in halves, your handfuls of raspberries and blueberries. Set aside.
To the cantaloupe and watermelon chunks in electric blender add your 1 Tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds. Blend on high until well blended.
Take a sip of this mixture, add more honey if you desire a sweeter flavor. Pour this mixture over your fruit salad, toss to thoroughly blend flavors and serve immediately or chill for a nice cool refreshing summer treat!
Oh yes, add a sprig of mint (or lemon balm or…lemon verbena) for color, fragrance and whimsy!
When peaches are in season I will add 2 or 3 large ones which I have chopped into bite sized pieces….yum
Enjoy!
Day or night, from dawn to dusk all through the spring, summer and fall,
Fairies tend to my gardens, nourishing and enriching both flora and soil.
Quite a wonderful temptation to sit amidst the Thermopsis yellow and tall while fragrant roses bloom.
Magic happens in every garden, all one has to do … is look
The way to Fairyland is not always a smooth and effortless ride.
Like most journeys worth undertaking what matters most is that your heart is in the right place.
Fairy Folk do not allow entrance to just anyone and their entrances though many are secret and hidden.
Sincerity of heart along with the soul of a dream and a compassionate open heart just might, maybe get you to an entrance .
Copyright © 2026 Robin Horty
