Velvet Slippers in the Snow

"We will dance in velvet slippers in the snow"

from The Illustrated Fairy Gazette, Winter Edition

Velvet Slippers, from our Illustrated Fairy Gazettes, is one of the many advertisements that reveal life in Picardy Orchard, a quiet place within the Peaceful Fairy Realms. The fairy fashion designer "Stitch-In-Thyme" always has a page to show off her latest creations, in this case a matching velvet gown and cape, and slippers for dancing in the snow. A fairy can never have too many shoes -

ruby red shoes, to match her gown,

twilight blue with stars,

and lilac-hued like shadows on the snow.

And because I like to design fairy shoes, they multiply with every new edition of the Fairy Gazettes!

At midnight here, when the snow was flying and a spinning cobweb of lace was haloed in every streetlight, Mr. Tumnus with his umbrella would not haved look out of place and a ring of dancing velvet-shod fairies would have seemed entirely plausible .


Everything is waiting for spring here in Ontario - fattening buds tightly closed on the trees, the first spears of snowdrops poised and ready under the snow. For now it is still boot weather - ski boots, skates, smart boots and plain ones, and even boots for dogs that must walk along city and suburban sidewalks, to protect their paws from salt burn. A trek in the woods is much gentler on their feet and a nice diversion for us too.

(In Bronte Woods, a welcome break after two hours skiing the trails)

"Let us walk in the white snow
In a soundless space;
With footsteps quiet snd slow,
At a tranquil pace,

Under veils of white lace."
Elinor Wylie 1885-1928