Elf Houses

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of building elf houses with my parents. Magical hours spent collecting twigs, leaves, moss and stones to adorn our diminutive abodes. The bases of all our trees were peppered with these small villages. We would spin elaborate tales about our wee visitors. These homes were even furnished with lovingly made chairs, beds and tables. Year after year we built these houses, often returning to our favorite haunts only to find piles of our handywork. Our hopes were never dashed we just built anew these small treasure. I have continued on this tradition with my own children. I will often peek into the backyard to find them deeply engrossed in their own fairy tales. I love to see their faces aglow with the wonder and excitement of childhood. Thankfully it is still contagious and the next thing I know I'm giggling beside them twig in hand. As a result of the storms we've endured the backyard is littered with branches and leaves. This was of course the perfect recipe for a giant elf house.