A land called Honah Lee

Her girlish eyes were completely and entirely enraptured with the world he painted through his calm, deep voice. She knew the tale almost as well as the voice which told it. This time every night was sacred to her little heart. Hanging on his every word, she once again entered the land far away and full of enchanting fairies and delightful creatures - a world as real and familiar to her as our own is to us. He sang the words, while she lived them. Her ears tingled with glee at his tale, though she did like to imagine herself as a female Jackie Paper. Or just that she was a boy. (Because, truth be told, this girl truly believed - or wished so earnestly that she thought she did believe - she would one day grow up to be a boy, though evidence and everyone around her protested.) A soft, clear voice rang out these words and filled the little white room with melody, much as the sun fills the earth with light:

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal Puff,
And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff. Oh

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on Puff's gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow whene'er they came,
Pirate ships would lower their flags when Puff roared out his name. Oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.

A dragon lives forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giants' rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his lifelong friend, Puff could not be brave,
So Puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave. Oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee. 

The Little Girl is not so little now, and her Daddy doesn't sing to her every night before bed anymore. But occasionally, she'll slip away to Honah Lee, rekindle old friendships and frolic with her dear magic dragon.

 {listen here}

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

On Saturday, Katie, Kelley, Jonathan, Savannah, and I took a road trip to Memphis to see Wicked! We listened to Wicked on the way up, had the "best meal on Beale," (or so they say), and walked down to the Orpheum to see the play! It was. . .well, wicked. Even better the second time. On the way home, we definitely would have listened to the soundtrack and re-hashed every detail of the play, had Savannah not convinced us it was "overkill."

When we drove back into the neighborhood (good ol' Woodside), I was delightfully reminded that it was Halloween Eve, given that there was a 7-car traffic jam, hay rides, golf carts draped in twinkly lights, more people than usual walking outdoors, oh yeah, and they were all dressed as cats, superheros, witches, movie characters, inanimate objects (personally, I think those are the funniest), etc. That kinda tipped me off. We pulled up to our house. The one with the lights off full of people pretending not to be home. Yeah, that one. We (and our whole street) happen to be the Scrooges of Halloween, you see. Trick-or-treaters just love us.

Well, in the back of the house (for the front was blacked out), we ate homemade pizza, sipped on hot cider, talked, laughed, ate ice cream, and talked some more. Afterward, Daddy and I read Poe by candlelight. It was delightful.

it's beginning to look a lot like...

FALL!

When I came downstairs this morning, I went to join Dad on the backporch. It was absolutely beautiful. The sky was brilliantly blue, a few happy clouds were floating above us, there was a gentle breeze and I promise it had to be in the 50's!

It's beginning to smell, look, and feel like Fall! You have no idea how happy this makes me; this brings joy to the very core of my soul. But it's not yet time for Fall. We are only being tempted by Summer's best impersonation of that happiest of seasons. We still must be patient and eagerly await the Autumn season and all of the bliss, charm, and delight that goes hand in hand.

This weekend I get to see my Daddy for the first time in more than a month. I can't tell you how much I've, how much all of us, have missed him. It's been hard. But even with our Head of Household, Alpha-Man, and Chairman of Crampton, Inc. miles away from home, we have so very much to be thankful for. God has been so kind. For He has provided grace. Morning by morning, His mercies are indeed new.