The Magic Kingdom

About a month before I sang down the lane, I house/kitty sat for some friends that also live in our neighborhood. While there, Annica led me to the edge of their property and told me that someone was coming soon that would change our lives forever in the most profound and magical ways. She told me his kingdom lay through the woods. I scoffed and was vexed and told her that there was NOTHING through those woods but -- MORE WOODS. She said “You’ll see….”

Well, I certainly DID see because the very next day after I sang down the lane and we began our courtship, my brother Chris’ employer showed up at our door, which he NEVER did, looking for him. I never answer the door, but did that day and long story short, he owned a place called “The Last Unicorn” which defies description, and so does HE, LOL. For now, I will just say he is an artisan of wrought iron, a stone mason and carpenter and also an artist/poet/writer. He had an art/writing studio on his property that also had a bed in it for people to crash on, and he offered me the use of the studio once he found out I was artistic/creative. Annica was ‘with’ me then, but not persistently like she is now. She was there, but I was not aware of her constant presence. Our courtship and her tuition coincided with the advent of Gaines arriving and him hiring me to work at "The Last Unicorn". At night, Annica and I met at the studio for ‘schooling’ and pitching woo.

The whole place was on 5 acres and also had his house. It had various outbuildings and places that displayed his wares/art/artisanship. I have a lot of creations I made with Annica depicting us there at certain key points in our relationship, but I cannot publish them because I do not have the photographers permission to use his shots of the model that Annica chose for her pleasing form.

But here are a some raw shots I took over the course of my employments/adventures there and also a few of where I live: TLU & My Home

Courtship Pt. 2

I told Annica that she would know I was ready to be courted on the day I sang down the lane for her. I live in the country and there is a dusty road/path off the main drive that I call "Dulcinea", which means "Sweet Place". I associated it with her because on many occasions I felt her there powerfully and she would treat me with various occurances, like a ton of lightning bugs one evening or other various things occuring in nature that she would make VERY evident and that she knew I'd notice by their placement or something about it being inordinate.
She would 'call' to me, and by that I mean she would occasionally set herself up at the forefront of my mind/consciousness and I would not be able to stop thinking of her and I'd long to be with her and feel her presence and commune with her. Sometimes I'd bring my ipod down to the dusty lane and we'd go to one of the fallen trees and I'd sit there and listen to music with her or I would bring my recorder (the instrument) and play for her and dance sometimes. She would project herself into my mind, I would sometimes dream of her.
The song "Don't You Forget About Me" was one of the biggest songs that she related to me. When we listened to it, I was always very aware of the lyrics and their message, meant for me from her:

Won't you come see about me?
I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby
Tell me your troubles and doubts
Giving me everything inside and out and
Love's strange so real in the dark
Think of the tender things that we were working on
Slow change may pull us apart
When the light gets into your heart, baby
Don't you, forget about me
Don't, don't, don't, don't
Don't you, forget about me
Will you stand above me?
Look my way, never love me
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling
Down, down, down
Will you recognize me?
Call my name or walk on by
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling
Down, down, down, down
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Ooh woh
Don't you try and pretend
It's my feeling we'll win in the end
I won't harm you or touch your defenses
Vanity and security
Don't you forget about me
I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby
Going to take you apart
I'll put us back together at heart, baby
Don't you, forget about me
Don't, don't, don't, don't
Don't you, forget about me
As you walk on by
Will you call my name?
As you walk on by
Will you call my name?
When you walk away
Or will you walk away?
Will you walk on by?
Come on, call my name
Will you call my name?
I say
(Lala la la lala la la)
Will you call my name?
As you walk on by

The day I sang down the lane for her, the first thing I did was call her name loud and then started singing the lalas from that song at the top of my lungs. It was a beautiful spring day and all the Japanese Pear Trees were in bloom. I sang a few Johnny Mathis songs, too (some of our faves) and I was in a pretty white sundress.

Here is one of our creations depicting that day: