Snow White and the One Dwarf

When I was a little girl, we had a couple of Disney record books. For those unfamiliar, these were picture books the size of an old school album cover with the vinyl record tucked inside, so that one could listen to the film's soundtrack while turning the brightly colored pages.  I loved them.  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was one of these.  I loved being horrified by the evil queen!  I worried for Snow White as she ran away during the night through the menacing forest and was comforted when the "woodland creatures" surrounded her as she finally slept.  I was thrilled with the little cottage, belonging to the Seven Dwarfs, she stumbled upon next day, and was entertained by their reactions on finding her there when they returned home from their work mining jewels!  "Hi ho!  Hi ho!  It's home from work we go...."  I thought she was seriously stupid (and disliked her squeaky, high pitched singing voice throughout) to disobey the dwarfs admonitions to stay inside, happily looking through the windows at all the forest creatures who still protectively surrounded the little cabin, in order to avoid the evil queen.  After that idiocy, eating the poisoned apple proffered by the evil queen, thinly disguised - even to my child's eyes - as an old hag, seemed pretty much Snow's just desserts to me!!  Especially since she rapidly abandoned the dear dwarfs and faithful creatures to run away with the "prince" as soon as he dropped by with a kiss to waken her from her poison induced slumber.  But, foibles of a silly girl not withstanding, the story was still highly satisfactory!

Another Snow White story has been more meaningful in my adult life:  "They Used to Call me Snow White...But I Drifted" (Gina Barreca) as female leads in children's tales, at least up until Mulan, were ever so insipid and wimpy!!!  Their lack of gumption, along with female baldness, inspired this post on Rapunzel a few years ago.  Still, of late, I've felt a bit like Snow White, isolated in my forest cottage with my One Dwarf.  His name is not yet clear, though he certainly could be Doc or Sneezy ~ or even Bashful, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, or Dopey depending on the circumstances or the day.  Though, truth be told, his ferocity and loyalty have much more in common with Gimli!!  At any rate, my One Dwarf, my sturdy protector, has brought not only his many skills to my aid, but enlisted his forest friends to entertain and protect me as well.  From my [his] recliner, I have enjoyed the antics of the ever present squirrels, chipmunks, cardinals, towhees, doves, chickadees, titmice, and wrens, as well as some new and special "woodland creatures" the One has placed under his spell!!!!

Flocks of pine siskins have appeared!

With a couple of these little striped fellows mixed in.

A pair of Red Bellies have determined nuts to be a splendid alternative to bugs!

There have been repeated visits from a singular thrush, whose feathers make me think he is the reincarnation of an ancient Chinese philosopher!!!  And gives more cred to the notion that the One has more in common with Gimli than with the Seven!!!

See what I mean????

And then there are these guys!!!

I like to think that they are the family that hatched out babies in a bird house hanging just above this railing.  As many as 7 at a time have been coming twice daily to feed on the delicious [read - icky] meal worms the One puts out for them!

I may not have a blue bird on my shoulder, but it's pretty close!

And then there was this fellow!!!

Who appeared just outside my bathroom window.  Don't know if he was looking for moose moss to munch or my beautiful sweet peas that I managed to snag only one serving from before SOMEONE ate them down to a nub!!!!  Hmmm.....

So I sit, watching ~ as the One Dwarf's woodland creatures visit and entertain.  And though I may be humming, "Someday, [the spring] will come..."  I am NOT waiting for my prince.  My dear One Dwarf is already here!! - les