I have been ignoring the fairies.

My mind has been on the pandemic, politics and bereavement.

To tell the truth, I was thinking all good magic had left the Earth.

As one of my friends puts it, “The Force has been disturbed.”

So I was pleased to find this purple mushroom

strategically placed by our trail in the mountains

where we would be sure to see it as we passed.

I have never seen the purple mushroom, ‘Viscid Violet Cort’,

so I knew immediately that it was from the fairies.

They have houses here in the mountains also, made of moss and stone.

They were letting me know all is not lost.

I was not sure if I was supposed to eat this message after seeing it,

so I left it to spread its spores.

Maybe next fall I will find a family of purple Cortinarius indes among the detritus of this terrible 2020.

My heart goes out to the fairies.

Take heart folks. There is still some good magic amongst us.

FLOWER