The Magick of Fairy Thimbles by Author Patty Koontz

Do you believe in fairies? Wee Darby and I most certainly do! Have you ever noticed a sparkle of tiny lights or gotten a quick glimpse of flickering movements from inside flower petals or beneath a cluster of wildflowers? Or even “thought” you just “might have heard” some giggling or sounds of  flutes playing soft whimsical tunes, while taking a stroll by fragrant, colorful flowers, that made you smile for no reason? If so, the next time you decide to go outside and enjoy the beauty of nature, you might want to take a closer look . . .

Glens of Antrim, Bluebells, Portglenone Forest, Ireland

Have you ever heard the legend of the Bluebell Fairy Thimbles – then you’re in for a grand surprise when you read about the fairies that live in the fields of bluebells, which grow wild in Ireland and Scotland. Wee Darby and his fairy niece, Pantera, are delighted to share a wee bit about the magical lore...The legend tells of fairies that live among the bluebells growing in charming meadows and visited by hares (rabbits).  And humans, (or Krindles, as the fairies call us from what I’ve learned from Wee Darby), should be careful not to disturb or pick these flowers – you never want to anger the fairies – as they can play tricks on you.  Its been told how people even believed that witches turned themselves into the hares and hid among the precious plants to keep out of sight and danger. Make sure you ask permission first – the next time you get the urge to pick the precious plants . . . .

You might be surprised at just “what” or “who”  you might find...

Here’s some lovely flowers I took photos of on my visits to Ireland and Scotland – I felt certain the fairies would love to hide in these...take a closer look, you never know. . .

Wee Darby and I are delighted you stopped by, and encourage you to please feel free to leave us comments, and let us know if you enjoy the site. We hope everyone decides to join us again in October, to help us celebrate the release of “The Magick of Wee Darby”! We have quite a few surprises coming up next month – just in time for a Fall Harvest celebration and Halloween! We promise, you won’t want to miss it....Bye for now

(A Lovely illustration of my wee Pantera, (a fairy with tiny wings, who can’t fly), on her first official visit to a pumpkin patch in America) (drawn by the talented, Elise Trissel)

To pre-order a copy of The Magick of Wee Darby, click here:

“Raindrops are like fairy whispers,”~ Fairy Quotes & Images

Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,
For I would ride with you upon the wind,
Run on the top of the disheveled tide,
And dance upon the mountains like a flame.
~William Butler Yeats, “The Land of Heart’s Desire,” 1894

Fairies are invisible and inaudible like angels.  But their magic sparkles in nature.  ~Lynn Holland

The fairy poet takes a sheet
Of moonbeam, silver white;
His ink is dew from daisies sweet,
His pen a point of light.
~Joyce Kilmer

Spread your wings and let the fairy in you fly!  ~Author Unknown

"Nothing can be truer than fairy wisdom.  It is as true as sunbeams." ~Douglas Jerrold

The fairies break their dances
And leave the printed lawn.
~A.E. Housman

Princess Edane… heard a voice singing on a May Eve like this, and followed half awake and half asleep, until she came into the Land of Faery, where nobody gets old and godly and grave, where nobody gets old and crafty and wise, where nobody gets old and bitter of tongue.  ~William Butler Yeats, “The Land of Heart’s Desire,” 1894

When the winds of March are wakening the crocuses and crickets,
Did you ever find a fairy near some budding little thickets,…
And when she sees you creeping up to get a closer peek
She tumbles through the daffodils, a playing hide and seek.
~Marjorie Barrows

Every time a child says, “I don’t believe in fairies,” there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead.  ~James Matthew Barrie, Peter Pan

This is a work of fiction.  All the characters in it, human and otherwise, are imaginary, excepting only certain of the fairy folk, whom it might be unwise to offend by casting doubts on their existence.  Or lack thereof.  ~Neil Gaiman

Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery hand in hand,
For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.
~William Butler Yeats, “The Stolen Child“

A lady, with whom I was riding in the forest, said to me, that the woods always seemed to her to wait, as if the genii who inhabit them suspended their deeds until the wayfarer has passed onward: a thought which poetry has celebrated in the dance of the fairies, which breaks off on the approach of human feet.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, “History”

We the Fairies, blithe and antic,
Of dimensions not gigantic,
Though the moonshine mostly keep us,
Oft in orchards frisk and peep us.
~Thomas Randolph

Each fairy breath of summer, as it blows with loveliness, inspires the blushing rose.  ~Author Unknown

No child but must remember laying his head in the grass, staring into the infinitesimal forest and seeing it grow populous with fairy armies.  ~Robert Louis Stevenson, Essays in The Art of Writing

The wall is silence, the grass is sleep,
Tall trees of peace their vigil keep,
And the Fairy of Dreams with moth-wings furled
Plays soft on her flute to the drowsy world.
~Ida Rentoul Outhwaite

We call them faerie.  We don’t believe in them.  Our loss.  ~Charles de Lint

And as the seasons come and go, here’s something you might like to know.  There are fairies everywhere:  under bushes, in the air, playing games just like you play, singing through their busy day.  So listen, touch, and look around – in the air and on the ground.  And if you watch all nature’s things, you might just see a fairy’s wing.  ~Author Unknown

The Realm of Fairy is a strange shadow land, lying just beyond the fields we know.  ~Author Unknown

Blind folk see the fairies.
Oh, better far than we,
Who miss the shining of their wings
Because our eyes are filled with things
We do not wish to see.
~Rose Fyleman

A rustle in the wind reminds us a fairy is near.  ~Author Unknown

The fairies went from the world, dear, 

Because men’s hearts grew cold: 

And only the eyes of children see What is hidden from the old…

~Kathleen Foyle

I think that people who can’t believe in fairies aren’t worth knowing. ~Tori Amos

Any man can lose his hat in a fairy-wind.  ~Irish Saying

Garden fairies come at dawn,

Bless the flowers then they’re gone.
~Author Unknown

If we opened our minds to enjoyment, we might find tranquil pleasures spread about us on every side.  We might live with the angels that visit us on every sunbeam, and sit with the fairies who wait on every flower.  ~Samuel Smiles

All royalty free images

Faires and Planting A Fairy Garden

If you lack whimsy and magic in your life, consider enticing fairies to your yard by including the plants they find irresistible. I found much useful information on planting a fairy garden at this herbal site.


Personally, Ive always been a big fan of fairies and they are more than welcome in my garden.  I expect most of them are heading farther South at this time of year, with winter on its way, but they may linger a while yet.

Until quite recently, my youngest niece, Cailin, just turned six, aspired to be a fairy when she grew up and often checked her back in the mirror for signs of  sprouting wings.  To her disappointment, none are forthcoming.


Older sister, Sara, told her that you are either born a fairy or you’re not, you can’t become one.  Bummer.  Cailin was most put out.   She is now contemplating being a person who sings on stage.  However, her favorite movies are those with fairies and princesses in them.  When I was a child, that’s all I drew.  But I never actually thought I could grow up to be a fairy when I grew up.  A princess, sure.


I loved the movie, Fairy Tale, A True Story.   And I was no kid when I saw it.  Charming film for all ages.  And it’s true.

From the above herbal site:  “Some herbs are associated with fairies, the most important one being thyme. In Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Titania, the fairy queen, sleeps in a bed of wild thyme growing on a bank.


Foxgloves are essential for fairy gardens. According to legend, fairies sleep in the bell-shaped flowers, and wear them as gloves. Other common names for the plant include fairy fingers, fairy thimbles, and fairy cap.



The purple foxglove is a biennial. Its blooms range in color from white and cream to pink and purple. There may be attractive dark spots in the throats of the bell-shaped flowers. There are perennial foxgloves as well, including the yellow foxglove.


Foxgloves often self-sow and prefer cool weather. Those in warm climates may want to grow the quick-blooming variety, called ‘Foxy.’ This will produce flowers the very first year from seed.

Another herb that is essential in the fairy garden is saffron. Fairies are especially fond of this culinary herb/spice for flavoring cakes and dyeing cloth. Other recommended plants are rosemary and roses. Roses are much loved by fairies for their beauty and fragrance.”

Clap if you believe in fairies~