Tuesday, June 17, 2008

THE FULL MOON, MOON FAIRIES AND MEMORIES OF DAISY

In honor of the full moon tomorrow night, upcoming fairy day, and the memory of the late Daisy Lupin, I present these (mostly) full-moon fairies.



Sometime during the night of June 15-16, 2007, the silken cords that held Daisy Lupin to this world were loosed. Daisy - or as she was known in the real world - Hilary McClennan, slipped the bonds of earth and sailed away into the firmament.



I had only been reading Daisy's blog for three months when she died, unexpectedly, but she affected me profoundly. Daisy was one of those great bloggers who made a huge impact on her readers around the world. She had only just celebrated her first year of blogging, but what a lot she packed into that year!

To me, she was the moon and moonstones. She loved to open the curtains wide on full moon nights, so she could lie in bed and bathe in moonlight. Each month, she would put her moonstones on the window sill so they could absorb moon magic.
Daisy was England's mighty oak and its littlest acorn. She was lore, legends and myths. She was childhood memories of Saturday Shopping Trips, Sunday teas at grandmother's and best-loved books. She was herbs and hares, mystery and magic, Druids and The Green Man and the Celtic Year. She was her dear kitties and her dear kiddies (her grown son and daughter).

She was the exquisite paintings she found to illustrate her blog (definitely an influence on my blog) and the Poetry Fest she created. Daisy believed in fairies, UFOs and liminal places and times. She was equally happy puttering among the birds and flowers in her garden, or having a ripping, rousing, jolly good time with her fellow English Glitter Power Sisters.




Daisy laughed to think that people imagined she was living the perfect life in a picturesque English village, swanning about in her garden in a floaty dress. Yes, she was about trips to her favorite Cornwall, and flights of the imagination, but she was also ordinary daily, modern English life. How I loved her descriptions of her bus rides to the nearest market town - what she saw, what she bought and the special hat that she wore on these trips. This hat, she believed, magically made shopkeepers be courteous and nice to her.
Daisy was relaxing with a glass of wine in a favorite garden chair. She was digging into local history or a good book. She was art dolls and podlings and glitter - lots and lots of glitter.



Daisy was no-nonsense and believed in speaking her mind. Once asked if she swore, she wrote that she wasn't above a few good, sound Anglo Saxon swear words. She was a good blogging friend. She didn't give opinions or advice unless asked. When I solicited advice from her, I received sage answers.
When I first discovered Daisy's blog, I was just in awe of her. I made a few appreciative comments, and was shocked when she answered little old me back and started reading my blog. She was wise and generous and a true kindred spirit to me and so many others.

Now, a year later, Daisy's ashes have scattered in her beloved Cornwall, but she is still with us, still here in our hearts. She is in her precious flowers, birds, bees and dragonflies. She is in the earth and the sky, in the moon and the stars. She is in the wind and the rain. She is that elusive perfume that wafts mysteriously into your window. She is a shining orb in the heavens.

Daisy believed - truly believed, that she was the twelfth princess in the fairytale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. She looked all her life for her eleven sisters. I hope she found them at last, and is now dancing with them and the moon as in the painting at the top of this post.


Not long before she died, Daisy decided to have a "Greedy, Juicy, Learning Summer of Personal Delights". She never got to experience it. I think everyone who loved Daisy owes it to her - and to themselves - to make the summer of 2008 such a summer.

For those not familiar with Daisy, her daughter, Sweet Pea (Lydia), left her blog open. It is on my sidebar still, as I read it often. Go to http://www.catsinthekitchenflorainthegarden.blogspot.com/.
NOTE: My moon counter turned to 100% of full while I wrote this post. However, my calendar says it is tomorrow night. I guess it depends on where one lives. No matter - someone is having a full moon right now!

25 comments:

smilnsigh said...

What a lovely post...

What a lovely person I missed, by not knowing Daisy.

I just enjoyed a bit of her writing, over in 'The Enchanted Forest.'

Since Daisy's blog is still up, I will enjoy more.

Faerie hugs,
Mari-Nanci
Smilnsigh blog

gma said...

How wonderful for you to honor Daisy on this full moon. She touched so many of us. This is a beautiful post and the pictures are awesome. I first came across your blog at Daisies....followed you home...lol. She talked about ancient tribes looking for and finding each other in cyberspace.

Kate Robertson said...

Julie,

What a wonderful tribute. I know Daisy would have approved. its hard to believe its been a year already. I miss her too.

Kate

Susie Q said...

What a dear and lovely post. I had only just begun to know Daosy and them she was gone...I love that they left her blog in place. It is so special.

As is YOURS! I found my way here via Mari Nanci's blog! I am havng such fun looking and reading here!

I will be back!

Hugs,
Sue

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for this post. I hears of the blog of Daisy Lupin after she had already passed on, so I haven't had the pleasure of writing to her. I love her blog and I can understand why she touched so many people. Because she touched so many people, those people found eachother too, because of her.
Have a fantastic full Moon !!

smilnsigh said...

Happy Full June Strawberry Moon to you, tonight!

Mari-Nanci
Smilnsigh blog

Annie Jeffries said...

Hard to believe that Daisy has been gone from us for a year now. Blessings on your soaring soul, dear Daisy, Annie

Rowan said...

What a marvellous evocation of Daisy, it's a perfect tribute to her and you've chosen beautiful pictures to illustrate it too. Well done Julie:)
Enjoy tonight's full moon.

Leanne said...

I had only just started blogging when Daisy died, and I wish I had known her, ive read her blog from start to finish, and I know that had we had the chance to meet, we would have become friends.

a lovely post Julie

Leanne x

GreenishLady said...

That is just such a beautiful tribute post, Julie. I wasn't a regular at Daisy's blog, but I know how she was loved by so many like you who were in regular contact with her, and I've seen how she inspired so many bloggers. Her spirit certainly lives on in posts like this!

Colleen - the AmAzINg Mrs. B said...

What an amazing post for your dear friend. Although I didn't know here while she was earth-bound, I feel the loss for us that remain but can't be happier for her to become what she wanted to be - a little light that carries on long after she leaves.
Colleen

Carole Burant said...

Whenever I think of our dear Daisy now, I think of her dancing with the other faeries and sprinkling faerie dust on all of us:-) I miss her..a lot!! Julie, this was such a beautiful tribute post to Daisy and it made me smile and tear up at the same time. She truly was a beautiful lady inside and out.

I didn't get to see the Strawberry Moon last night, it was so overcast and pouring:-( xoxo

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful post. I discovered Daisy after she'd passed on. I go to her blog from time to time. Those Moon fairy pictures are beautiful as well.

Sheila said...

I discovered you through Daisy's blog, or did you find me through her...?
What ever, she brought a lot of like minded people together, and I'm sure she has been foremost on many minds this week.
This is a lovely tribute Julie.
hugs
xx

Shopgirl said...

I only got to visit Daisy for a short time. In that time she won my heart, I was hooked. To soon she was gone. This is so lovely, a wonderful reminder of her and those who treasured her, you are a good friend to remind us Julie.
The pictures are beautiful, I think there is alittle fairy in all of us. Big Hugs,Mary

LW said...

This is a lovely tribute to someone who obviously touched you. How very sad for
her family….

I enjoyed all of your fairy pictures. One of my very favorite moons is the strawberry moon…
I think it because my grandmother always talked about the strawberry moon while I growing up
and I associate it with summer…

Louise

Anonymous said...

Julie, what a lovely tribute to your friend. I'm so sorry for your loss.
xo,
Lynda

Lila Rostenberg said...

What a beautiful way to connect us with our memories of Daisy! Several of us began blogging as a result of her blog. She was a wonderful writer and a generous spirit! I love your suggestion that we have a "greedy, juicy learning summer of personal delights" in her honor! [We can begin with a solstice celebration! this weekend!]

Julie said...

"Friends of Faerie" posted this comment, but it won't show up, even though I clicked "Publish this comment." So, I copied it over to here. Check out her lovely blog, all about faeries.

"I really enjoyed your posts about fairies and added your blog to my Blog list at Friends of Faerie. My faerie friends said they wanted their own blog, so what could I do? They also took their own picture which I have posted on the blog as well.

I'll keep checking in to see what is new here."

Naturegirl said...

Julie this was a most heart warming tribute to our ~Queen of the Fairies~
I shall never forget her and she won't allow it as she walks about my secret garden a place she loved just from seeing photos on my blog! I sit quietly some days by my secret garden and she pops into my mind and I know that her spirit lives on in our gardens and hearts!
I know that she is attending my ~garden party~ dressed in her frills!
Love to you and peace to our Daisy!

couragetocreatewriteandlove said...

Lovely post!

Sue Simpson said...

A beautiful tribute to Daily Julie and yes she certainly was a moon fairy and a wise woman all wrapped up in one. She is missed the world over. I wonder if she ever knew how loved she was....somehow I believe she does now!
Bright blessings for this post,
Love, light and all good thoughts,
Sue xxx

SARASWATTI said...

Your blog is wonderful!!!
So beautiful!!!
Congratulations!!!
Kisses from Ben.

Anonymous said...

These pics are so pretty

Anonymous said...

Wow......
I can't believe I missed so much
I have to read this