Originally written in August 2023
On an overcast Saturday, my husband and I put on our raincoats and boots and went in search of a fairy path.
We parked by the chalet at Russian Jack Park, which is next to a public golf course. We followed the paved trail behind the chalet until we reached a bridge, which we crossed. Some dogs were playing in the creek below with their owners looking on. They took their fun so seriously, like the practice of splashing in puddles was important work.
After crossing the bridge, the path continued ahead of us, but a small, narrow path that looked like a single track trail snaked up a hill on the right into the trees. Could this be it? We clambered up to see.
Entering the forest, we felt enclosed, like we had entered a secret space. The ground was covered with an assortment of plants, leaves, twigs, dirt, a regular potpourri. We walked along the path carefully and almost missed them! But there they were! Very small fairy houses were spaced along either side of the trail, assembled from natural materials like twigs, bark, leaves, and mosses. Some had flat roofs; some had sharp pitches. A few of the fairy houses had little gardens. The structures blended in to the surroundings. The forest was denser and wilder here.
The fairy path ended at a fallen tree that blocked the path, creating a cul-de-sac for the little neighborhood. Or maybe more development will come and turn the road into a town. Maybe there will be fairy commerce and industry, but for now it’s a simple offering to the fairies and a lovely place to visit on a Saturday afternoon.
Cozy in Alaska 