Once upon a time, not so very long ago, a young couple
yearned for a clean and wholesome environment in which to raise their newborn
son. The man and woman scraped together all of their savings and put a small
down payment on a beautiful piece of land on the side of a mountain, deep in
the New Hampshire forest. They went through many trials and tribulations but
eventually they began to build their dream home. While still unfinished, the
couple, anxious to begin their new life, moved from their noisy apartment in an
ancient Round House on top of busy train tracks into the quiet new house in the
middle of the forest. When they arrived, they imagined that the most difficult
part was behind them and looked forward to the next step in their journey
together.
The house in the forest represented the dreams the
couple shared for their future. However, the beginning times were very hard.
The couple realized they had been overly optimistic and naïve in their hopes.
They were quite poor so the man was gone many long hours, from dawn to dusk,
working. When he was home, he was grumpy, tired and distracted and
disinterested in engaging with his family. For much too long, the only time the
couple spent with each other was when they worked on finishing the house
together. It was an arduous life.
Each day became more wearisome and demanding then the
next. The woman was isolated and lonely and still struggling with the baby
blues. Then tragically, she lost her beloved companions. Her two best friends
in the world, the dog and cat, died within a short time of one another. This
circumstance would be sad for most people, but the woman was especially
sensitive and extremely attached to her pets. Her grief became overwhelming.
Of course the woman desperately loved her child so she
forced through her grief and unhappiness to provide a show of good cheer for
the now rambunctious toddler. It was exhausting, and without break because the
bright and wild child refused to take naps. However there was something that
would calm the child into sleep, car rides and long walks in his stroller.
Unfortunately, the car was long since dead and the family was too poor to
afford a new vehicle. So the woman was left at home, in the middle of the
forest with the stroller as her only option.
A peaceful walk down a country lane sounds like a
lovely pastime for a mother and child to enjoy. That is until one realizes at
the end of this adventure the woman had to hike up the mountain pushing 50
pounds of sleeping baby weight to get back up to the house. Seems like a lot of
effort for a 30 minute reprieve, but she thought it was well worth it, for both
of their sake. After struggling up the mountainside driveway, the woman would
then haul the heavy toddler and stroller up the steep steps and into the house,
leaving the door open so she could listen. As a reward she was then able to rest
a moment outside on the back porch while the boy slept.
Lo and behold, the most astonishing turn of events began
during one of those quiet afternoon nap times. The Woodland Spirits who had
been observing the woman for quite some time, finally agreed that she was worthy
of their acceptance. So they decided to bestow upon her the great gift of the
Old Knowledge where myth, magic, legend and reality become one, and all of the wonders
of Mother Nature’s secrets are revealed. In the moment their gift was received,
it was like the glory of the sun peeking through the clouds, the woman’s entire
world suddenly became brighter and the veil of sadness had been lifted.
The wild animals began to drift forth from the forest depths
to honor the newly enlightened woman. A red tailed hawk dances on one leg in
the ferns. A hare pauses expectantly on his hind legs, then winks and shakes
his ears before darting off into the brush. The deer gracefully cascade toward
the porch in long legged elegance, keeping an eye on their spotted fawns stowed
away in the tall grasses. Green frogs vie for attention, croaking loudly as
they splash in muddy puddles. Ladybugs decorate leaves with their festive polka
dot patterns while bees buzz diligently from wildflower to wildflower. An army
of wild turkey hens parade past, puffing and clucking, proudly showing off
their feathery brood. Crows wisely observe, speaking raucously, providing commentary
and sharing private jokes from the trees. Skunks roll and tumble about, showing
off their acrobatic skills. A porcupine waddles comically past, hurriedly about
her business. A heron sails heroically above in the bright blue sky. Mourning
doves nod and shuffle, while performing their eerie serenade. A handsome barred
owl makes a special daytime appearance, promising to enact his concert later in
the evening. The groundhogs whistle and chomp and brag to their neighbors of
the good fortune found in the woman. Red squirrels chatter and scold while the
more curious and friendly gray squirrels and chipmunks glide nervously about
the woman. The opossum lurks shyly in the shadows, preferring to do his formal
introduction under the cover of darkness. At night the coyotes solemnly howl and
fox mothers scream their reprimands at fox fathers late for kit duty.
A bold and
sassy raccoon aggressively addresses the woman in hopes of sharing her snacks.
Much to the raccoon’s delight, the woman complies. Inspired by the easy reward
of delicious treats, the raccoon soon became quite familiar, perhaps overly
familiar in her rather lowbrow way. She was a forward type, but with good
reason. She soon proved herself to be a mother in need, with five very hungry
babies to feed. Of course the woman was charmed and delighted by the fluffy
little bandits and immediately agreed to help. From then on, every afternoon
the two mothers would enjoy a meal together and laugh and commiserate about
their naughty children. It must have lightened both of their loads because they
soon bonded and became great lifelong friends. It was in these moments on the
back porch where all of the wonders of the woodland world were seen, heard, understood
and deeply appreciated by the woman. She was the happiest she had ever been.
The afternoons with the animals on the back porch
introduced the woman to magic and wonder and new friendships, relieving her
emptiness and chasing away her grief. The man noticed the change in the woman,
almost as soon as he began noticing the extraordinary visitors on the back
porch at all hours of the day and night. The woman’s family had no idea she was
now blessed with the Old Knowledge, but they knew something was different. The
friendly animals began to provide regular entertainment and became the new
normal for the small family in the forest. The woman was careful to caution and
educate the child about their unusual situation, but it was his version of
normal, so he never considered anything out of the ordinary.
The man never said much about the strange turn of
events, but he was most likely relieved for the happier environment. To this
day he still, perhaps a bit begrudgingly, picks up sunflower seeds and other
snacks for the woman’s multitude of wild animal friends.
And so they lived happily ever after, The End.
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| Raccoon Portrait by Amy E. Fraser |
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| Eastern Cottontail by Amy E. Fraser |
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| Red Tailed Hawk by Amy E. Fraser |
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| White Tailed Doe by Amy E. Fraser |
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| Porcupine by Amy E. Fraser |
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| Opossum by Amy E. Fraser |
Author’s Note: The House in the Meadow pictured above is a painting of the house discussed in the story. Practically Snow White was inspired by my real life
experiences surrounding the first year or two building our new house. I wrote
this tale intending to illustrate my deep connection to our land, my family and
the animal’s kind enough to share this wonderful, beautiful, magical place with
us.
The raccoon in the story was a very real part of my
life. Her name was Rachael and she was a welcome visitor here for many years
until she passed on. Her children and grandchildren are all still regular
visitors to our little house in the forest.
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| Rachael |
My husband and I are happy with our decision to move to
this woodland paradise, as nothing worthwhile is given. I truly believe the
best rewards are those earned with hard work and perseverance. Life is often more
difficult then we anticipate but we are made stronger for having lived it. We
survived our early years and are doing quite well. Our house is still
unfinished but I no longer care. And if you are wondering, I have had numerous
cars since those early days, so technically I can leave whenever I want, but I
hardly ever do so since most of my closest friends live right here in our back
yard. Okay that, and Tonka, my 18 pound diabetic cat keeps me close to home, as
he requires an insulin shot every 12 hours.
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| Us then |
The boy in the story is 16 years old now and much less
rambunctious, but still a delightful pain in the ass when he wants to be. He is
loved beyond words, even if he does think his mother is completely crazy. He
turned out to be a kind and gentle young man who is sweet and sympathetic to
both animals and people.
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| Us now |
So that’s my Snow White Origin story, and of course
it’s all (mostly) true. I’m not completely sure why I associate Snow White with
the forest animals except for that part in the movie where they come at her
command when she starts singing. Obviously I was deeply affected by this as a
young (practically Orphan) child. I might have desperately wanted help cleaning
my bedroom or I might have just needed someone there to listen to me. Whatever
the case that’s one Disney moment that profoundly shaped my psyche for the rest
of my life. I still believe that animals know exactly what I’m saying and I
will never give up trying to engage them in conversation. However, I am kind
enough not to sing to them because, ah, how shall I say this? My singing to the
animals could be seen as cruel and unusual punishment.
I hope you enjoyed my story and that you are living
your best happily ever after!
As you can see from the paintings accompanying this
story, I have honored my New Hampshire Woodland Animal friends by creating this Portrait Collection
Here is the Woodland Animal Portrait collection description:
Adorable oval shaped animal portrait paintings inspired by the amazing animals
that live with Amy on her New Hampshire property. The Woodland Animal Portrait
series is prominently featured in her home. All of the animals represented are
beloved friends. Each one has their own story to tell. However, the humorous
antics that happen in the backyard, stay in the backyard. If you are picturing
Snow White, it’s basically true.
The Woodland Animal Portraits are just the thing to bring warmth and personality to your magical Woodland Getaway, Forest Lodge or Secret Cabin in the Woods. Super cute in wall art sets, as cuddle worthy throw pillows and perfect as greeting cards!
Mixed Media. Border hand drawn in pen and ink. Portrait image painted in acrylic glazes. By Amy E. Fraser. All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
The Woodland Animal Portraits are just the thing to bring warmth and personality to your magical Woodland Getaway, Forest Lodge or Secret Cabin in the Woods. Super cute in wall art sets, as cuddle worthy throw pillows and perfect as greeting cards!
Mixed Media. Border hand drawn in pen and ink. Portrait image painted in acrylic glazes. By Amy E. Fraser. All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
Click the link to see Amy E. Fraser's collection of New Hampshire Wildlife Drawings
For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com
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