Wishes

In the past couple weeks, we've noticed a lot of these beautiful, delicate seed heads floating around on the breeze. They seem to be every where at once, flitting around on the wind, trapping themselves in spider webs and plants, begging to be caught and wished upon and released again.
I imagine that they are a universal part of childhood, that the act of catching them as they float by on the wind and making a Secret Wish is something that has been done all over the world, by many generations of children. I certainly vividly remember doing this as a child, and as with many other similar little rituals, I find myself instinctively passing it on to my own children.

I cannot for the life of me remember what we used to call these seeds as children, but I do remember them seeming very magical indeed and related to fairies and the such like. In fact, for a while I may have actually believed them to be fairies. Fairies who would float away and make secret whispered Wishes come true.
J tells me rather matter-of-factly that they're nothing whatsoever to do with fairies, but are in fact called "Sugar-Stealers", a name which I find comical and hard to take on board :: has anyone else heard this name for them??

Well, whatever they're called, Little Lady has loved chasing after these dancing, breezy seeds of late, trapping them in her hands, scrunching her eyes up tight and making all sorts of Secret Wishes. I just LOVE it how children always scrunch their eyes up when they make a wish, it just moves me so much to see it.
Whenever she makes a Wish, I always, without fail, ask her what she has wished for. And she always, without fail, refuses to tell me, as anyone with half a brain knows that Wishes simply do not come true if you tell.
But I always so badly want to know what her Wishes are. Like I really, really, really need to know. This goes beyond mild curiosity I'm afraid. I find myself totally desperate for the precious knowledge.

So one day, on a bright sunny afternoon, she comes racing in to show me she has managed to catch a sugar-stealer and is about to make a Wish. So I ask her if she can wait for me to go catch one as well, so that we can make a Wish together.
And it's easy to catch these things at the moment, cos like I say, they do seem to be everywhere.
So there we are, both with our own little seeds in our hands and about to make our own little Wish....and of course I ask her what she's gonna wish for. And of course she will not tell me.
So I say to her :: Looky here, I've an idea, why don't you tell me your Wish, and I'll tell you mine. And perhaps they won't come true cos we both told. But that's OK cos I can help you catch another and you can make a Secret Wish without telling me that time, and that one will come true I'm sure of it.
Like I say :: Desperate.

So she thinks on it, and decides it might work out.

I am kind of expecting it to be along the lines of wishing for a new Barbie doll. You know, a standard Childhood Wish.

But her Wish totally surprises and delights me. This is what she Wishes for ::

"when noone else is around I wish that the flowers in the garden will talk to me so that only I can hear what they are saying"

Aaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!
Have you ever, ever heard anything so cute and wonderful in all your life????

It was just magical, one of those precious moments that make Motherhood so completely  glorious.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Edited to add :: if you'd like to know what my Wish was, you'll have to pop back on Thursday when all will be revealed xx

.

Comments

[Maika Malinowski]

I found out what these are called! They are Thistle Seeds! As a child, I remember catching them gently in my cupped hands, making a wish, and releasing them.

[Colleen]

Aaawww that is so beautiful. I know I am commenting on a very old post lol, but I am going back through the archives thoroughly enjoying all the colours that the Attic brings.

Here in Australia we used to call those "Father Christmases".

[sumea]

I only managed to pop back and catch up on one more post today and what a delightful post :o) Your little lady is so so Sweet.
When I was little I used to think of them as fairies and my mother made me believe crane flies were angels, she tols us this because we used to camp out a lot and she didn't want us to get scared when they flutterd inside the roof of the tent at night. I still have a fondness of crane flies.
You are such a Sweet mum too, such a Lovely relationship You have with Your little ones :o)

[Nandin]

Can u make a wish for me too?

[pj]

I can remember chasing, what I called, fairies as a child and my children did the same. It's magical how these rituals pass from mother to child and they in turn will pass them on to their children.

[Debbie]

Get out!!! What a sweet, sweet comment from a little one! They are the true poets, aren't they?

[pinry]

just popped back to warn you that in my new post i have awarded you the 'honest scrap award'! i don't really understand these award things, but figured that pointing out blogs that i like can't be bad. (so please feel free to ignore it if you like)

[Jennifer]

That is precious, a memory you will have forever. I've been catching those all over the garden, they seem to particularly like my tomato plants, but I've no idea what they are called.

[Jody]

That is such a sweet story, children always suprise you dont they. Make a book and write down magic moments like these, otherwise you'll forget them. We called them fairies when we were little.

[AnnaPaula]

Kisses for a sweet 'Réntrée'..
AnnaPaula

[Charlene]

We called the grandfathers whiskers when I was little... We blew on them and made wishes :)

Your daughter is very precious :)

[felicity]

ohh thats such a lovely wish! my sister and me used to call them fairies,is your wish a crochet yarn type wish? fliss xx

[ipukris]

I am so much waiting to know you to revial your secret;-)

[Jess]

Hi Lucy, what a gorgeous story, I have known them to be called both Santa Clauses and Fairies, either way we still used to wish on them as children, although I haven't seen one in a long time now, maybe they don't grow around where I live now...? I can't wait to see your new project and hear your wish. It is already Thursday here and I am eagerly waiting for your next blog!!

[Mandy]

In the States it's a childhood treat to find a dandelion that has gone white and feathery, ready to seed, and to blow on it and make a wish. I have never heard of sugar-stealers or catching them to make wishes!

But that is probably one of the most lovely things to hear come from a child's mouth. I would just melt into a puddle if I heard that!!

[Linda and Posy]

:)Hi Lucy - thanks very much for sharing all these wonderful things. Its really great reading about you and your very wonderful family. Enjoy and savor each moment. Thanks, Linda and Posy.

[Katherine]

Quite by chance, one of these followed me into the shower yesterday - a day when I very much wanted my secret wish to come true. I wished hard (eyes scrunched OF COURSE) and blew it out of the window in case anyone else needed a wish. Obviously can't tell you what I wished for, but I hope very much it comes true.

You Little Lady sounds like a total cutie.

[Valentina]

Charming beyond words!
Thank you for sharing something so magical with us... And tell your little one from me that it is my experience that Flowers only speak when spoken to first, with love and respect through their beautiful colours and aromas!

[Libby]

Hi Lucy
We called them sugar-stealers too!
(I found you blog through Ravelry earlier this year, I think you inspired me to start to crochet again!)
Best wishes!
x

[French Knots]

We used to call them sugars when we were little - not sure why, but we always made wishes.
What a sweet wish, hope it comes true if she wishes it often enough.

[rosepetaljam]

that is extremely cute!!!

[Christine Warren]

I don't think my comment made it on - so sorry if this is a double post.
That was very cute. Here in my part of the US we called them "Wish Fuzzies" and also made a wish on them.

[pinry]

oh, your daughter's wish is just beautiful! really does take me back to childhood where i would love the same kind of things (not that i wouldn't now!) we used to call them fairies too, but i thought they were dandelion seed heads (?)

[periwinkle]

bless, a girl after my own heart --- we called them fairies also

[Leisa]

What a sweet little girl you have. We used to call them a "Santa Clause" when we made our wish! I must look out for one and make a wish too!