Why Hydrangel?

Some of you darling readers may be wondering....why the name Hydrangel? Well, two years ago I started a story about two sweet little fairies who had fallen from grace and how they managed to live their lives selflessly thinking of others. I named the two characters Holyhocks and Hydrangel. They lived in a forest near a meadow, and every day they would leave the forest and cross the meadow to visit a little girl named Darcy. She made Fairy Tea and Fairy-tyme cookies for them each afternoon. Her Tea Parties were always held outside in the magical backyard garden behind Darcy's house. This story is whimsical, yet it is all about the redemptive power of love and forgiveness. Darcy's Garden is the title of one of the books I am currently writing. 

Here is a short except from that story:  DARCY'S GARDEN

In the Stickety Wicket Forest, two sweet little fairies, named Holyhocks and Hydrangel, were having a frolicking good time as they leapt from blade to stone. They danced and giggled their way all along the forest path which led to the entrance of Marion's Meadow. They were not able to flicker/fly this early in the dawn of the morning. Their wings were too heavy and wet from the dangling, dew drops which dripped off the tree branches as they passed under them. 

Both Holyhocks and Hydrangel had a feeling that today was going to be more special than any other day. They sensed something was quite different. Their tiny Heart-lights were burning brighter than they had on all the other days before. A flicker of hope was stirring inside them.

On this day of all days, Darcy has already placed very special bird seed in all the bird feeders in her garden. She has made sure all the Hummingbird feeders were filled with fresh, sweet, red-colored water. She put out crisp, green lettuce, and bright orange carrots for all the fluffy bunnies. Darcy even set out special cheeses for the furry, little grey mice. Her happy puppy, Annie and her purry kitty, Clover loved to play with all the forest critters when they came to visit Darcy's garden at Tea Time.

Now, on this particularly special day of all days, Darcy has planned a superb Royal Tea Party in her garden just for her precious friends, Holyhocks and Hydrangel. Special invitations have been sent. There will be a surprise guest of Royal Nobility. He will be arriving in a Royal carriage, driven by two magnificently pure white Pizzan stallions, from the Barn of Bartelette. This Royal guest will have travelled from far, far away, and the carriage will be picking him up on the very top of the Mountain of Mist. He will arrive at Darcy's Garden by 4:00 pm. There is much to do; the preparations are well underway.

For Holyhocks and Hydrangel, this day is going to be a very special day indeed. The Royal Guest will be making this surprise trip just for them.

THE GARDEN OF LIFE

We are all planted as seeds in God's garden of life,

to bloom and to grow, whether in joy or in strife.

Our seeds are not planted to grow without Hope,
for God sends all we need to help us to cope.

He plants other flowers and trees there beside us,

to give us the courage, and to nourish and guide us.

So when storms bring their hail and strong winds come and go,

we'll  keep growing deeper inside, for we know...

That whenever we feel like we're falling down on our faces,

God sends His pure love and stands us back in our places.

Standing firm we grow stronger, and soon it's our turn,

to help all the new buds to blossom and learn.

We share all the wonders of  God's love and His ways,

and we stand strong in our faith, till the end of our days.

As we bloom where we're planted, we'll someday be found,
in the garden of Heaven where God's Grace does abound.


I wrote this in February, 1995.  My husband had been diagnosed with cancer. My faith was in crisis, not knowing what the outcome would be.  Many followers of the faith were planted alongside me and their prayers and love kept my faith stem upright and kept me from falling over.  I am blessed to have grown beside those whose faith prayers helped me to stand strong.