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August 7, 2013

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Miracles

Today, I’m celebrating miracles, because that’s how I’ve chosen to live my life. I’ve survived high winds, close losses, car crashes, surgeries, floods, financial disasters, rejections untold, unwanted advice, criticism, ridicule and chronic pain. I’m still here writing, celebrating life and I have all of you to thank for buoying me up, day after day. Thanks for making me part of your world and for encouraging my writing. As for my newest flood, a deluge of awards… yes, you guessed it. Another award posting, woo-hoo!

The first award is near and dear to my heart, but I’m not accepting. Rather, I’m creating. I’m dedicating it to Elephant at Elephant’s Picture Book, whose idea it was that I come up with my own award to pass out.

Before I get to the first recipients, I hope you know that each of you are a miracle. You radiate magic and love. I’m privileged you share it with me. For all of you, I’m creating this new award: You are a Miracle Blogger Award.

This award comes with no rules or obligations. This award is for bloggers who inspire, who rise above, who survive, who triumph, who struggle or who just live. Bloggers who choose to live as if everything is a miracle. Here are the first bloggers to ever receive this award:

Terry1954
Apronhead-Lilly
Reocochran
Lifeonwry
The Mobius Strip
WishIWereHere
Ms. Vee
Ajaytao
WorktheDream
Simple & Interesting
Tigress00eyes

You have touched my heart.

Simple & Interesting dropped by in the wee hours with the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. I hope any of the recipients named above, who have not gotten this award and would like it, will take it, too!

Thanks to Klove, who came to my party, and danced like a rock star. She scooped six golden awards and handed them back to me. She’s a miracle of love. Anyone who wants can link to the party site and scoop up to six awards. I’m offering them up liberally, having gotten them again makes me feel gluttonous. Please share them!

A last thank you to all my readers, big and small, new and old, happy and blue, don’t think I’ve forgotten you. Come on a walk with me:

With deep admiration and appreciation for the brilliance of all of you,

Brenda

P.S. Woo-hoo, this is my 50th Post!!

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Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

August 6, 2013

Posted under

Poetry

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54 Comments

Garden Green

The kiss of the sun for pardon,
the song of the birds for mirth,
one is nearer God’s Heart in a garden
than anywhere else on earth.

– Dorothy Frances Gurney

Far up a hill in Edinburgh City are acres of garden.
I headed up one sunshiny day
escaping the din of castles, pubs and tourists.
Tranquility was far from me,
my mind too busy, too full of deadlines.

Continue reading →

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Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

August 5, 2013

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17 Comments

The Stallion and the Fortune-Teller

Marcellino’s Grandfather Gerardo took him to meet his old school friend from his boarding school days. His friend had recently become King Bengal of Tropica Nadia, a small country off the coast of India. King Bengal lived in a splendid palace overlooking the sea.

Marcellino’s smile enchanted the king. The king invited him to a party for his young daughter, Sahara, in three days time. Marcellino was very happy, but his Grandfather Gerardo was worried. What should they bring little Sahara for a present? What do you buy for a ten year old princess?

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Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

August 4, 2013

Posted under

Awards!, Videos by Friendlyfairytales

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40 Comments

Let’s Party Like Teenagers!

Friendly Fairy Tales is throwing an award party, and YOU are invited. Cupcakes, frozen drinks and crudite for all! Let’s all dance like teenagers! Okay, maybe not like teenagers. Let’s Dance with nature! I made another movie, my second ever, just to share a dance with all of you. (Thanks Number One Oldest Son who played the violin for this movie!)

While you munch a few carrots and sip your fruit smoothie, let me spread some love and scatter some magic.

Thanks to MichelleMarie at Tell me about it, peek a boo to you! You sure do shine on all of us, your art is gorgeous, thanks for sharing your glow! Here’s a virtual cupcake, let’s make yours dark chocolate with layers of amaretto- orange frosting. I know she like Oreos, but perhaps she will take a cupcake this once.

Through My Eyes amazingly awarded me the Shine On award even though we were new friends! You need a very special cupcake: strawberry lavender cream-cake with curls of caramel. With you as inspiration, I plan to invite some new friends as guests of honor.

Thanks to Jesse Robben who accepted a couple awards and lobbed them right back at me, the WordPress Family and Team Membership Awards. For you, I have a double decker cupcake — vanilla bean and belgian chocolate with chocolate mocha-cream frosting.

As for Scottishmomus, she invited me to a sleepover. Sigh of longing. For you, I have an apple-peach torte with blueberry spearmint sorbet on the side. Thanks for these two: the WordPress Family and Best Moment Awards.

And Belsbror gets big thanks for another great award — the Versatile Award! My heart is going pitter pat! Love your stories, and your vibe! For you, a cupcake tour de force — in the shape of a race car, with strawberry racing stripes and oreo wheels.

Mummyflyingsolo, the award Queen, awarded me the Best Moment award, and then made me tear up by telling me that reading my stories are some of the best moments of her day. Oh, I’m getting teary again, this calls for a very special treat — Vermont Sea Salt Caramels for multi-layered sweetness with a savory kick.

Since, I’m partying, I’m also breaking all the rules. I know, I know. Call the cops and tell me to turn down the music. We’re having way too much fun here at friendlyfairytales for the rules today. Satisfy your cravings and dance with the dragon (Shh, don’t tell anyone who hasn’t watched the video that it has a dancing dragon).

Here are some guests of honor, who can scoop up any awards they wish:

DeirdreMariePhotography, I’m head over heels for her!

A day in the Life, with a bucket list to die for and a month to do it!

CupcakesnSunshine, go girl-power! Love your lists of fabulous girls!

Callingonangels, we all need love! You are so right!

Blossom, where haiku is blooming.

Thetreegrows, whose pictures make my soul expand!

Scottishmomus, because one good turn deserves another. 🙂

Myeverydaystruggles, because she has a sassy side that appeals to me.

Klove, who gets the struggle and feels the love anyway.

DavidIonelRomulus, who has beautiful images and words.

ImpossibleisNothing, whose findings make me laugh.

Please comment and you may find yourself able to throw your own party. 😉

I’m not sharing things about me, a girl has to keep a little mystery. But here are some gifts from my magical world, to thank all my readers, commenters, followers, friends and fellow fairy tale lovers:

Warmly and with deep appreciation for all of you and WordPress, too, Brenda

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

August 1, 2013

Posted under

Tales for Kids of All Ages

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30 Comments

New Adventurous Fairy Tale!!

I’ve added a new adventurous fairy tale: The Fire-Flower Dragon. In it, a young boy prays to his ancestor, a marathon monk, for guidance and wakens a fire-flower dragon.

Adventurous Fairy Tales are written for kids of all ages and middle year kids. Below is an excerpt. I’d be grateful if you follow the link if you’d like to finish reading. As usual, comments are greatly appreciated. Peace and Joy to all of you!

__________________________________________

The Fire-Flower Dragon

Osaka Castle

“Fireworks!” my mother, Akemi Shou, exclaimed, while I played my Sakuhachi, my traditional bamboo flute. I had learned to play it after hearing it at Osaka Castle.

I looked up, my fingers still moving automatically, my breathing deep and controlled. I looked right into the bright eye of a fire-flower dragon. Time stopped, but my heart continued to beat. I stopped playing for a moment in surprise, and I saw fireworks. I played my flute, and again I looked into the bright eye of the dragon. The dragon’s scales moved so fast, the air broke into colorful bursts that tricked human eyes into seeing fireworks, luminous ever-changing flashes of color in the twilight sky.

My father, Akio Shou, sighed with pleasure. “The fireworks must be part of the Kyoto Fire Festival that starts tomorrow. Funny, I never heard of fireworks here.”

I continued to play, looking at the dragon, who had risen from the rocks on the mountainside. My parents and I had been praying to Buddha and our ancestor, Isamu Hayato, for guidance on whether or not to leave Kyoto and move to America to join my father’s brother. I wanted to stay here in the land of my ancestors, with all my friends, but my father’s company wanted him to go to Boston. I asked them to go without me. We had hiked up the mountainside, a journey taking all day. We followed in the footsteps of my ancestor who had been a marathon monk hundreds of years before. He had run over fifty miles a day on these steep, rocky paths for almost one thousand days. Perhaps he had paused briefly at the same sacred spots to worship.

To continue reading, click here.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 29, 2013

Posted under

Fairy Tale for Boys, Tales for Kids of All Ages, Young Fairy Tale

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33 Comments

The Birthday and the Troll

A Dance for Tomorrow by Alf Sukatmo

Satri knew that walking deep into the mangrove forest by himself was not allowed. Sometimes the noise of his six brothers grew too loud for him to hear his own thoughts. He was careful not to let Raksasa or Manu see him going. The twins were the eldest, and always acted as if they were the bosses of the other 5 brothers. All of them except Manu called the oldest Raksasa behind his back, because he was huge and tall, like a towering giant. He also had the quickest fists, so the brothers were careful to call him Jay to his face.

Satri slid away while Raksasa and Manu were fighting with Ragawan, the second youngest, who had taken out a trumpet and was blowing it as loudly and discordantly as he could. Widagdya and Lintang were beating drums. Wijah was laughing and dancing on his hands, a trick all the boys could do. Wijah, third youngest and three years older than him, was his best friend amongst the brothers, but today he really wanted to be alone.

Deep into the mangroves, Satri wove his way along narrow paths, leaving behind him the din of his older brothers. He stepped carefully over tree roots, skirting pools of water washed up from the Java Sea, never far away on this island. He ducked under low branches, moving softly in hopes of seeing a monitor lizard or a golden ring snake. The sun was shining, the light dappled under the trees, and the sea breeze blowing across the Thousand Islands cooled the air. The birds were silent. He saw nothing. That should have given him pause, warned him of what was to come. However, he was too grateful for the quiet to heed its warning.

Continue reading →

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 27, 2013

Posted under

Tales for Kids of All Ages

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9 Comments

For Chloe

A wonderful fairy tale for bedtime. May all the small children sleep with bliss in the arms of the dream fairies tonight.

Lucy Literati

“I want to be a Fairy, Mum” said Chloe, as she pulled the nighty on over her head.

“Fairies are sooooooo lucky. They don’t have to go to proper school, only Fairy School. They don’t have to learn Maths”.

“In Fairyland, the sun is always shining but you never get sunburnt. Everything is green and there are flowers everywhere. I wouldn’t get told off for picking them because Fairy flowers don’t die”.

“Fairies get to wear pretty dresses All. The. Time. Like THE best party dresses ever. They never have to wear a coat, or shoes and socks if they don’t want to. I could wear pink every single day. Even at school”.

“Fairies get to live in a Fairy Castle. I’d never be bored in a Fairy Castle! There would be hundreds of rooms full to the ceiling with toys. I bet they even have an Ice Cream Maker”.

View original post 127 more words

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 27, 2013

Posted under

Tales for Kids of All Ages

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12 Comments

The Odd Couple

Love happens. Friends become family, and family become friends. Here’s a hug for all of you thanks to the willowtreeandme. 🙂

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 26, 2013

Posted under

Awards!, Videos by Friendlyfairytales

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44 Comments

Journey toward Inner Peace

“Each one has to find… peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

A special thanks to Donicia’s Thoughts, who gave me the award of Inner Peace, inspiring me to make my first ever movie. She has so much to offer the world, I hope you will visit her.

The only rule in accepting the Inner Peace Award is sharing your thoughts on inner peace. For me, inner peace is not a destination where I find refuge, but a journey I start anew each day. I created a movie to share peacefulness. I hope it gives you a quiet space to find your inner peace. I believe we all have the capacity to find peace.

I dedicate Journey toward Inner Peace to WordPress, which has given me an opportunity to realize my dream of publishing my fairy tales. I also dedicate this short movie to all my readers, followers, commenters, and visitors, new and returning, and other fairy tale lovers like me.

I gift this award to any reader who is also on a journey toward Inner Peace. You all deserve it! Accepting it may lead you to finding a measure of inner peace, just by contemplating it yourself, and what it means to you. Even if you do not accept it, I hope you will accept my wish for you to share peacefulness with me, if only briefly.

In case you don’t have time for the movie, the poem it contains is also here:

Journey toward Inner Peace

Rain falls,
plants grow,
lakes swell,
oceans churn.
Life flourishes;
contemplate peace.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 24, 2013

Posted under

Fairy Tale for Boys, Fairy Tale for Girls, Tales for Kids of All Ages, Young Fairy Tale

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27 Comments

The Rain Dance

Two children surprised a fairy. Mona, the fairy, was of the Swallowtail Fae. In the twinkle of an eye, she shifted to her butterfly form. She fluttered to a butterfly bush, then to a high hosta bloom. She watched the children.

The little girl pointed at her, “Stephano! I saw a fairy!” Mona wondered if she should flee.

Stefano laughed. “Isabella, that’s a butterfly,” He shook his head. “But we’re here to do a rain dance, remember?” He clapped his hands and stomped rhythmically in the grass. He danced in a circle, widdershins, and Isabella joined him, also clapping.

“We need to ask the Great Spirit for rain,” Stefano said. Mona was surprised the children knew of the Great Spirit.

Together the children chanted: “Great Spirit in the sky, the garden’s way too dry. Begging your pardon, please rescue our garden. Let rain clouds form and bring on the storm!”

Nothing happened. The sky stayed blue, and no clouds came. Stefano was crestfallen, but Isabella giggled about their prayer. “Mommy! We sang to the Great Spirit, and I saw a fairy!”

The air shimmered as Mona shifted back to her fairy form. Blue Iris petals formed her dress. Fairy magic kept them as fresh and soft as the day they unfurled. Mona was as disappointed at Stefano. She had been using her wand to keep flowers alive, but what they really needed was rain and lots of it.

Continue reading →

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 23, 2013

Posted under

Awards!

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69 Comments

Sauce for the Goose

I’m feeling a bit saucy today. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Don’t be a goose, take a gander at this delectable sauce — composed of delicate hints of the Versatile Blogger Award, a dash of the Loyal Reader and a smattering of Team Membership.

Heartfelt thanks to Belsbror and SimonOworkman, who both separately awarded me the Versatile Blogger Award. Belsbror has great stories, very moving and descriptive. I like his analogy of a blog being like a tree, you should check him out. SimonOworkman has a very engaging and lyrical writing style. I like his caterpillar poem very much.

A double dose of thanks to Jessica Hagan for the piquant Loyal Reader and Wonderful Team Membership Awards. She has inspiring photographs of flowers, butterflies, bees and cats. My appreciation of nature grows every day with the privilege of seeing it through her eyes.

Details about me: I took the last photograph here hanging out of my car window. My three kids and I think up new stories constantly. My middle child has written a fairy tale and wants me to publish it, and I will be proud to do so one day soon. I walk most mornings, and my skin burns to a crisp in the sun, so I usually wear a large-brimmed hat. I have loved fairy tales all my life, and I try to approach every day as if it will be magical, full of beauty and wonder and have compassion when the clouds come. I never expected to enjoy reading the blogs of others as much as I do. Thanks all of you for participating in this exotic, global wonderland.

Now for the swag, here are 14 lovely bloggers who can take home the above three awards in their goodie bag (dig it or ditch it, it’s up to you):

Len, my first reader and most loyal follower. He’s an artist, a dad, a writer, a loving husband, an artist and a student. I can’t imagine more versatility, loyalty and team membership!

Travel Sized, an experienced traveler with lots to share, and a deep appreciation for nature even to the point of camping!

Ed, another loyal reader, who also has a deep connection to nature and has fantastic photos.

Wildersoul, a new friend, who has a cool coloring book for kids — not just more princesses and trains. Love especially her Celtic knotwork and video of her coloring.

Donicia, an old soul in a beautiful young woman, has been a great reader and encourager. I love her photos and quotes. Bless her for being part of my community.

Whyilovewesttexas, another great reader, has a great appreciation of nature.

PacificParatrooper, is a treasure trove of history about World War II in the Pacific and all aspects of life in that time period.

Windup-Razor-Chronicles by Son of Sharecropper is a delightful amalgam of fishing, shaving, poetry and amazing photos.

Basho and Jung, is the Haiku king! Love those pink ears on his gravatar, too. Always a giggle.

Dagny at Serenely Rapt, has inspiring writing, poetry and prose on a beautiful site.

Old News has a brilliant archive of some of my favorite comic strip artists, visit if you need some belly laughs.

Vit Peyr, whose photographs amaze and inspire me, is worth a visit. A look is like entering a fairy tale.

Wish I were here, has amazing stories and pictures from all over the world, and is a great reader.

Jeweledfrogcreations has inspiring designs with an endearing whimsy.

For all readers, these photographs are dedicated to all of you. I’m grateful to all of you, you’ve helped me transform friendlyfairytales from a dream into a rewarding reality. Each one of you has lent me some magic, given me encouragement and welcomed my stories with more affection and attention than I ever expected. Thanks for being part of my world.