Among my favorite parts of speaking and writing about radical homemaking and sustainable living are the different people I meet, and the homes they share with us. Our family once had a homestay in a curious little abode on the edge of a forest, surrounded by orchards and gardens. In one corner of the house was a little table covered with several peculiar objects – a crystal ball, treasures from nature, a few little statues, and the like.

I walked over to stare at the objects, and found myself looking down at a book, laid open on the table, hand-written, with periodic sketches.

I know, I know, I know… it was nosey of me, but I looked at what was written, since it WAS laying open, and it WAS placed rather prominently in the room (and honest! I never even turned the page!).

But as my eyes scanned over the page, I realized that I was looking at someone’s grimoire, and on that particular page, were instructions for making elderflower tea, along with notes that the tea will help to thin the veil between the human world and the fairy realm, enabling some people to see fairies.

I then forgot all about it.

Until a year later, when Saoirse, who was born at the beginning of August, told me that the only thing she would like for her birthday was to see the fairies.

Now, that does seem like a tall order for a birthday gift, doesn’t it?

But I remembered seeing that page in the grimoire.

I did a little more research, and about this time three years ago, we went out and gathered elder flowers while they bloomed to dry for a special tea to drink on the night of her birthday.

I blended it with lemon thyme that I had growing in my kitchen herbs on the night of her birthday. A few of our closest friends joined us in our ceremonial drink, which we sipped down just at dusk.

Bob picked up his guitar, we gathered a few instruments, and then walked out into a forest glade just behind our house. We sat down facing into the woods, and played music and sang.

Some of the singing was pretty bad. But now and then, we’d all hit the same notes at the same time.

And when that happened, one by one, these little glowing lights would slowly emerge high up in the tree canopy, and disappear again. Not all of us could see them, but at least half of us were able to witness the show.

And so it has become our birthday tradition for Saoirse. This time of year, she and Ula help me to gather a few elder flowers (we are careful not to over-pick, lest we abuse the generosity of the elderberry bush), which we tie in a bundle, then hang in the dark corner of our kitchen to dry…

…To wait until the night of Saoirse’s birthday a few weeks later, to see if the fairies will join us to celebrate once more.