Our lane is near Narnia

I've been reading The Chronicles on Narnia to Portia at bedtime every night for months now. We're on the Silver Chair and almost done with the whole series. She's loving it, just as Bianca did when I read it to her so long ago.

Tonight, Portia asked to go on a walk down our lane after dinner. Actually, she wanted to ride her bike while I walked behind.

Portia on her bike, waiting for me

She wanted to go to Lantern Waste, the lamp post where Lucy gets in to Narnia in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. See, we have a side of the street where there's this lamp post right in front of a wooded area. Here's Quail Creek Lane's Lantern Waste.

Our version of Lantern Waste

There's a pathway that leads through the woods to the creek on the other side of the street (not the same creek that's in our backyard). Some still call it Bull River, but it doesn't have water in it during the summer. She likes to go look at the water and pretend we're in Narnia.

I read this article a couple weeks ago that said we as parents need to stop trying so hard to make our kids' lives magical. That they need to be responsible for doing that themselves, like we all did when we were kids. I love our private, quiet street that I feel comfortable letting my kids explore on their own. I'm glad my kids can go creek walking and I don't worry. I feel like we live in a place where my kids can make their own childhoods magical.

My lilac bush with crab apple blossoms behind

And speaking of magical, my huge lilac bushes are in bloom now and smell so amazing (I have a vase full of branches next to my bed that I can smell as I sit here writing this). I love the blossoms on the crab apple tree too. Goodness, I've gotten obsessed with my garden and flowers and planting lately. I never thought I'd say this. I actually enjoy weeding because it's a calm, therapeutic time for me to be alone with my flowers after I get home from work. I love working to make something beautiful.