Bowry Fairies

Bohemian folklore is some of the funnest in the world, in my (unbiased, unslanted) opinion.  We're nearing the end of clemintine season, but while the season lasted I could be observed doing an old Bohemian trick - making Bowry Fairies.

This tradition is rooted in an old poem, telling the story of Lani and her encounter with one of them...

Little Lani skipped along

kicking dust and singing songs

till she came upon a field,

with sunflowers it's summer yeild.

Little Lani, young and spry

walked it's edge, and by the by

found the jewel that she'd been seeking

out amongst the other peeking

Little Lani then went near

and varified what made it queer.

This flower was crisp and dry-

while dew on all the others lie

Little Lani grasped it round

and pulled the roots up from the ground

in her hands the flower shuttered-

then a Bowry Fairy sputtered

Little Lani held it fast

'till it noticed her and laughed

"Little Lani, soon to wed,

comes with wishes in her head!"

Lani knew the Bowrys' craft

and in her own turn she laughed

"Not with wishes in my head,

but with bargains in their stead."

Then the Bowry stopped and smiled

"You think I will be beguiled?

Bargainings the Bowrys' fame

Wishing is the human's game"

"Well, today I ply your trade,"

said Little Lani, unafriad.

"Make your terms, and make them bold,

then what I seek will be told"

Bowry didn't waste its time

"Oh, were your sweet nature mine!

Were it in me through and through-

that is what I want from you."

"Such a cranky little beast

wouldn't be helped in the least

even by my sweetest mood-

But if that is your wish, it's good."

"And what will Little Lani share?"

said the fey with mirth to spare.

"Will she make the Bowry guess?

For your wedding day, a dress?"

"For my wedding day, indeed

I ask, although, not just for me

a pair of Topaz are the thing-

we need them for our set of rings"

Then the Bowry laughed out loud

"That's all?" it said "then put me down!

Topaz are no chore for me!

I'll set them here quite instantly.

"But don't forget your sweetness, dear-

you'll leave it when you go from here."

Lani smiled "You'll be sublime,

when you're as sweet as clemintines."

"As clemintines..." the Bowry cooed,

and trembled happily where it stood,

Then thrust out it's tiny palm

"We have a deal?" it said, quite calm.

Lani smiled, soft and grand, 

and took the little creature's hand.

And then they shook, the deal was done...

and Lani stood there quite alone.

But her hand was not unfilled.

There it was, just as it willed,

"A nature sweet, as sweet as mine..."

The Bowry was a clemintine.

Their power isn't quite their own-

it merely does what it is told

"Sweet as clemintines!" it said-

and sweet as clementines it did.

Little Lani skipped away

eating her clementine on the way

With each piece that Lani swallowed

her sweet nature surely followed

Back again from whence it came-

and that was not all Lani gained.

Missed its seeds the citrus did-

but had two topaz there instead

Little Lani surely wed

and to this day it still is said

that Lani and her husband's rings

were the finest life could bring

While very fine it all had ended-

Lani's husband still contended

Fine indeed his ring did measure,

but his sweet wife was his treasure.

So, bohemian moms teach bohemian kiddos to make these little Bowry fairies out of clementines...

Sunshiners!

In Bohemia, we call sunglasses "sunshiners".

Bohemian Days...

Some people recall 'home' when they smell something baking, or hear certain music, or partake of a certain tradition.  Those things can remind me of Bohemia too - but so can the weather.

A vibrant, ember-orange sunrise that makes you feel warm just by looking at it reminds me of Bohemia.

The stillness, and grey-scale wash over the world after it's rained reminds me of Bohemia.

Afternoons with skies that threaten to storm accompanied by light winds and the kind of bright, defused light that doesn't require sunglasses reminds me of Bohemia.

Blazing hot summer days remind me of Bohemia.

...in short, a day doesn't go by in Maryland when I'm not reminded of the motherland =)

.......except maybe in the winter...it doesn't snow there like it snows here.  There, the snow comes down magically and beautifully, is enjoyed with hot tea and good books, but is melted by the next day.  It's a weird meteorlogical thing - heavy snows are always followed by 50 degree weather.  We did have one Bohemian snow this past winter, and that made me think of home.  

shopping for Italy!

We're going to begin a new thread of posts today: Endorsements by the Royal House of Bohemia!

Retail joints that sell items with a Bohemian flavor:

Forever 21

Heritage 1981

Charolette Rouse

My phenomenal husband let me go shopping for Italy today, and I found stuff that reminded me of 'home' in all these stores.  

Bohemian Left-Over Platters...

This is a traditional thing in Bohemia.  I prepared it for my husband and I tonight.  You just take whatever's on hand and throw it together on platters, then eat it with your fingers (or utensils, if appropriate).  

Tonight's platters included sliced cheese, grilled fruit, and toasted nuts. 

Try it sometime!  It's very good and uses up stuff you might otherwise throw away.

Bohemian Politics

I've got a coworker who held the illustrious title of Queen of the Fair for a year.  And though there was a peaceful transfer of power not long ago...well, she's still a queen.

And, as queens do sometimes (espeically when you're good friends with them), she says things that make you snicker.  We were having an exchange of this type he other day at work.

"Watch it," I said.  "I'll 'off-with-yer-head' if you keep this up."

Another coworker piped in.  "You can't do that to someone who isn't one of your subjects.  Don't forget - she's a queen, and you're just a princess."

"I'm Commander in Cheif of the Bohemian Royal Army!" I retored.  

"But she's got an army too!"

I looked back to 'the queen'.  "Well, I'll have my army call your army, then, darling.  They can sort all this out."

Celebrating!

I came around the corner at work a few days ago to find my coworkers (dear friends) clustered around another coworker (dear friend also).  She looked up at me.  "I got accepted!" she said.

I knew what she meant - she was accepted to her top pick among the graduate schools she'd applied to.  

I nearly burst.  I jumped up and down.  I hugged her.  I wailed.  "I'm so sad!" I said, laughing gleefully.  "But I'm so happy!"  We looked at each other, tears almost welling in both our eyes.

The words were out of my mouth before I realized it.  Holding up my hand for a huge high-five, I screamed, "That's how we do it in Bohemia!!"

Congratulations, dear friend!  I'm so proud of you!!