In case you hadn’t already heard… our garage, greenhouse & workshop burned down… and we were NOT seriously HURT! Don has 2nd degree burns on his head, but they will heal.

Thankfully our house was spared. That is an awesome, HUGE and a magnificent blessing… but on the other hand we lost the fairy treehouse shop. Three miniature homes and all the fol-de-ral and fiddle-dee-dee stuff that was the backbone of my work. Gone. Up in smoke and now a pile of ash.

Our greenhouse was not only home to the fairy tree-house shop, it was  a wonderful sunny respite full of trees, roses and green plants. A place to soak up the fragrance of nature on a cloudy dreary day.

I sat on the grass across the street, let the fire officials work… and I cried. My heart was breaking and I sobbed. Years of work reduced to ashes.

Then came the gawkers. A steady stream of vehicles drove by, drawn by our misfortune and the excitement it brought to our little town. I’m sorry… I don’t get it.  I would never purposely drive out of my way to look at the devastation wreaked on another human being.  Cruel and stupid.

What now?

The claims adjuster was here and we will get a new garage & greenhouse! Good news there! We need to list all the personal items lost in the fire… and not sure yet what happens there. Will they pay us for the loss? Do we settle for what we can get? Therein lies my concern… we don’t have extra to cover it. Don’s stroke wiped us out. Now what?

On Friday morning before the fire a wonderful customer of mine ordered a Hobbit House. A full-size playhouse and she still wants it in spite of the mess… she’s just glad we’re okay.

I am making lists on official insurance forms for a huge chunk of our life. I was so proud of our accomplishments and that has been another source of my tears. I weep for what was destroyed… work of our hands, dreams that came true.

Well… enough of that! Time to move on… and let the phoenix rise from the ashes! Was my shop wonderful? Absolutely, and it will be again. You see, I have a new idea… a new dream… a new vision. A NEW line of fairy houses!

What? No clues?

Okay… FAIRY DREAM CASTLES! Miniature outdoor-lighted-castles that will take your breath away!! Perfect for the enchanted garden and ready to move into for any wee-folk hanging about. I see them. I can build them… and I will. If you could see what I see… you’d be pleased too!

There will be a HOBBIT HOUSE or two in the future and perhaps the full-size castle too! Not only will the phoenix rise from the ashes of our workshop… she will soar!

Have a wonderful day dear friends!

From Marilyn with love…

PS: Please visit our websites… especially the rice site. We need to sell some rice please and your visit will help move us up in the Google ranks!

http://www.momswildrice.com

http://www.weetreehome.com

http://pinterest.com/mjdieckmann/

I just finished my first fairy cottage playhouse!

Not all that unusual for the creator of miniature fairy tree-houses. As a matter of fact 78 of my homes are scattered around the world. But this is the first full-size version of one of my homes and I must say it is utterly delightful! Words truly can’t describe this house… seeing is believing.

The dream became reality as I sat beside my husband’s hospital bed (the last stroke he will ever have) in that mystical world between awake & asleep. The place where fairy tales live and dreams breathe. So began this journey.

I knew of course the first full-size fairy dream house would be for Mady (granddaughter), just like the first miniature was hers. She’s my angel… and maybe a little spoiled. But that’s what grammas do.

I pulled out my notebook and began making a list of all the trademark features that could be adapted to the larger version. The rope walkway & window awnings, twig (log) furniture and lots of lights. Then came the sketch.

I have this uncanny ability to create & construct in my mind… piece by piece, in color and I can visualize exactly how it all fits into place. The trouble is that I can’t flash it on a screen or take a snapshot of it to show others. My husband, bless his heart has learned to trust me on this… but I drew it up anyway.

As soon as Mady saw the frame built with windows, she was off & running with ideas of her own. We added the skylight, off-set windows, steps in front, checkerboard floor and the little black stove. I changed the roof-line too.

This house is solid enough to live in, complete with (safe) electrical wiring, up on heavy-duty wheels for ease of movement and made for the young at heart!

It sits in our front yard and draws tons of attention, and hopefully we’ll have orders to build 2-3 more this summer. We’d love to build a castle! Can you imagine? I sure can… maybe I should draw it up?

Yesterday, I decided to make myself at home. A cozy fire, soft pillows on the chair and my laptop were a perfect setting to get back to writing… and the words flowed.

I can’t begin to describe the peace, love & joy I feel in this little house. It’s magical.

Fairy Tales & Dreams do come true… just believe.

From our house to yours… have a wonderful day!

With love from Marilyn…

Please check out our websites!

http://www.weetreehome.com

http://www.weetreehome.com/FSplayhouses.htm

http://pinterest.com/mjdieckmann/

My avatar gets tons of notice, and it should, because it’s cool! But is there a story behind my fixation with trees… and why treequeen?

It’s quite simple, I love trees.

When I was 5,  I “walked” to school with the bully from across the street… Danny E. He was bribed to escort me, and wasn’t all that thrilled because I was a silly & painfully shy girl. I mean PAINFULLY shy… jump at my own shadow kind of “scaredy-cat.”

Danny was a tormenter… the kind of kid that would throw rocks at squirrels & hide to see what my reaction would be when suddenly left alone on the sidewalk. It was awful! He was a “meanie!” Even if I was a “lolly-gagger” it wasn’t nice of him to leave me behind.

But you know what? There was an upside to my torment, because the best part of growing up in residential south Minneapolis were the tree-lined boulevards. Gigantic elms were abundant in our part of the city, and it was then I discovered my affection for trees… and that I could fight back.

An unusually cathartic feeling swept over me every time I leaned against a tree. It was as if they were friends & by way of energy transference, endowed me with their peace. I felt it as a 5 year old, and still do. But walking to school with Danny, the tree destroyer, brought out a side of me that I’ve come to know as “she-bear syndrome.”

It was a snowy day that ended my “walk-along” with Danny. He must have known my affection for trees because he chose to put it to the test and bombarded the tree outside our house with snowballs. I mean he was mercilessly throwing hard icy snowballs at my favorite tree.

I was devastated! I couldn’t move, my heart dropped to my stomach & I wanted to puke. Instead, I shouted, “STOP, you’re hurting it!” and giant crocodile tears coursed down my cheeks with deep racking sobs.

What did Danny do? He laughed… called me a “cry-baby” and shoved me into a snow bank.

That was the last straw. Soaked to the skin, cold and really pissed off I rolled out of the snow bank and kicked him. Hard. Not just once… but I kept on kicking him until he cried and then I ran home terrified of retribution.

There were other traumas that year (kindergarten) but this one started something. A shy girl discovered courage that day. After that my school work and notebooks were covered with drawings of my friends, the trees… and to this day I draw trees on just about anything I can.

Trees like people come in all shapes and sizes. I can’t name them all… but I appreciate them like the people I know. Their color, texture and form is varied and limitless. They dance in the wind and drink in the rain. They house us, keep us cool in their shade and shed their leaves so we can play. I love trees.

Treequeen is an “honorary” title… but it fits. My books extol the virtues of trees and they are vital to the story-line. The fairy houses are my way of sharing the beauty I see in their form. It’s my way of giving back for all the joy they’ve brought me over the years.

Yep… pretty cool!

So, there you have it. Nothing earth-shattering… I simply love trees. Take time to look at the trees and be sure to look up! There’s a world of wonder to behold!

Have a wonderful day!

From Marilyn with love…

Please feel free to browse my websites!

http://www.weetreehome.com

http://www.momswildrice.com

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1301775547

Okay to “like me” on FB too!

Who would have thought we’d have snow on April 15th? Well, in Minnesota anything is possible… weather-wise that is.

The first thing that popped into my head this morning when I looked out at the snow was… “Life is just a chair of bowlies!”

I mean, what else could you possibly say on such a cheer-less morning? I have no clue why this art from Mary Engelbreit should cheer me… but it does. As a matter of fact, a lot of her art does! It touches the whimsy in me… the dreamer and the singer.

I have a calendar with her work and the art for February was perfectly wonderful! We started construction on the first full-size version of one of my fairy homes! A fairy playhouse. It’s the prototype for (hopefully) more to come and it’s turning out better than we’d hoped. More on that later…

As for the calendar art… when I saw “Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, LOVE gives you a Fairy Tale,” my heart soared! It was a balm for my mid-winter blues and encouraged me to move forward. We started building the playhouse.

You see, fairy tales bring out the child in us.

We remember days we sang in the rain… totally carefree, and believed anything was possible if we wished hard enough. The days when we believed dreams would come true.

Sure, there’s snow outside my window, but there’s also sun peeking through the clouds and a fairy playhouse on my front lawn! I am a dreamer… dreams come true!

I am also a woman of faith. I believe… in spite of all that life throws in my way, I believe. I believe miracles still happen… and they will for those I LOVE.

Today, in spite of the weather I’m going to sing! I’m going to pray out loud for miracles & blessings for my sons… renewed health for my husband, my brother and my sister-in-law… and peace for me.

Life is just a chair of bowlies after all!

Have a wonderful day!

From Marilyn with love…

Please check out my websites if you get the chance!

http://www.weetreehome.com

http://www.momswildrice.com

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1301775547  Like me on Facebook… it’s OK!

I make my own kind of music. I always have.

When I hear one of the old swing tunes I want to sway to the rhythm and tap my feet to the crazy beat!

Swing music… really Marilyn? Yes, I’m old but not that old… and the truth is, the music stirs something in me I can’t explain. Maybe I’m one of those born in the wrong time… or maybe it’s simply because it’s good music?

I’ll let you in on another secret! I’ve always… always wanted to be a torch singer! You know, the woman who wears a slinky evening gown and sits posed on a piano belting out soulful songs of romance, love and tragedy? I actually have the voice for it… but was never able to find a piano player. I looked too!

The thing is… I believe music-makers and I are kindred spirits. It stands to reason that you must be a dreamer to create such incredible sounds, and a dreamer to put words to the music. 

When you read… do you hear the song of the author? Many in the writing community refer to it as “voice” but I prefer to use song. Does the story flow to a unique rhythm that carries you along? Each author has a song to sing, even if they can’t carry a (musical) tune, their song is the words they write.

For example. You hear a song, and for some unknown reason it sticks with you and you find yourself humming or singing it for hours or even days afterward! That is a love/hate feeling to be sure. There are songs I do NOT want to hear or sing repeatedly! The same is true of a book. If the author’s song sings to you, sticks with you… you can’t put it down and you’re drawn in by their tune. The song will carry you off into their dreamworld where the characters are real and you can actually hear them! I absolutely LOVE it when that happens!

For me, life is music and I hear music everywhere. In the wind, the rustle of leaves, the tapping of an errant foot and even silence has a song all its’ own. It all depends on how you listen… and whether or not you take time to hear the sound life makes.

I love my three sons with every beat of my heart and I can hear, sense and feel the beat of theirs. I know without being told when they hurt or know joy.

On the news a few weeks ago I heard there was an avalanche in Washington state, and I knew Jesse & Corley were on that mountain. It took my breath away… I was terrified… yet I knew his heart still beat. I felt it. It turns out they left early because of the crowds and were safe at home.

There is music in the bond I share with my sons. It may not always be a happy tune… but it is the rhythm of my life.

WE are the music makers…

Dream on oh you dreamers and bless us with song!

Have a wonderful day!

From Marilyn with love…

http://www.weetreehome.com

http://www.momswildrice.com

That title says it all!

Today is one of those days when I feel like I’m in a fog. I didn’t sleep well. I’m worried about my sons Kelyn & Tim and the dreary weather certainly doesn’t help either! Sadness prevails in spite of all we’ve tried to accomplish.

On top of everything else… Daylight Savings Time (DST) sucker punched me and left me staggering and I’m still reeling from it. But truly, what’s at the heart of it all… I’m tired. I keep hoping and praying for good news. Dear God please!

My sons are sad. Tim is unhappy and hurt… and Kelyn needs a break – a real job & good news! Both are devastated by their current situations and my heart aches for them! I pray blessings, LOVE-JOY-PEACE- for them throughout the day and into the night…

So why add more wine? I’ve been struggling with my writing too… not a writer’s block, but something far more pronounced and devastating. A lack of initiative and energy due to my physical fatigue that drains my brain of the thought processes necessary to write. Hence, the wine… I poured a glass of wine and spilled it on my desk. Red wine… that soaked all the clutter and forced me to clean it up!

You know what? There was something soothing and cathartic about cleaning up that mess. I also cleaned out the foggy residue that was preventing me from clear thought, along with the wine. When I was finished I checked the laptop to make sure it wasn’t destroyed (or drunk) and it opened to my book. Safe and sound. HOORAY!

Not only was the laptop saved… but so were my post-it notes! My middle-of-the-night-dreamlike thoughts that I jot down quickly so they don’t vanish into nether-lost-memory-regions where all brilliant thoughts disappear never to be heard again! HOORAY!

I’m back on track… at least with my writing. My characters are real to me and I feel like I’ve orphaned Willie again… poor kid. His story needs to be told… then read. He’s a cool kid.

My sons still struggle and so do I, but I’m writing again and this time I will finish and if need be… I’ll add more wine.

Have a wonderful day!

From Marilyn with love…

I can’t dance.

Truly… I have 3 left feet. I wish I could dance though, because I dream of being able to soar and swirl as if my feet had wings. Alas, they do not and I clump around clumsily.

When no one is watching I pop in the movie “MAMA MIA” and I dance… I’m the “Dancing Queen! ” I dance until I’m out of breath… or the music stops… and even then, if my feet want to move… I keep dancing! It doesn’t matter how well I dance… only that my heart soars and my feet swirl with a grace and beauty that’s mine alone.

That’s how I describe my life. I dance like no one’s watching. My husband had a stroke… but he’s still with me and we laugh & dance in the midst of daily care issues. My sons are far away & struggling a bit… but they never fail to remember mom, and always tell me they love me. Mady is my angel and muse. Who could ask for more?

You see, I’ve never thought “inside the box” or even close to it! I love to read and imagine I’m right there inside the words… and I write stories that take me far away to lands where trees have “real life” and magic is the norm. Where dreams really do come true.

In my workshop I build fairy houses and quite often imagine myself curled up on one of the tiny beds that I painstakingly create with a soft mattress, fluffy quilt and pillows! Who lives in my homes? Well, you just have to let yourself dream…

Of course my life has been a series of “in the box” experiences… like work… cooking, cleaning and paying bills. But I always told my sons, “It’s not what you do for a living that defines who you are… it’s who you are in your heart.”

I’m a dreamer in full color and proud of it!

I am the treequeen, dancing queen and I dance like no one’s watching! That’s who I am.

In POP GOES WITH WILLIE I let my imagination soar and take Willie on a voyage of discovery. Just when I think I’m well on my way to finishing the book… I have a dream that opens a new dimension for him.

I will finish, and hopefully soon.

So, your assignment for today… dance! Dance like no one’s watching and let your spirit soar!

Have a wonderful day!

From Marilyn with love…

Dance like no one's watching...

The moment my oldest son took a breath outside my womb I loved him totally and unconditionally. It was the beginning of a magnificent life-long relationship! This miracle happened three times, and I love my babies with every breath I take. They are without question… my life.

I’m not weird about it. I’m not going to write a thriller about a wacko-obsessive mom… but I understand the depth of such a love. I would in fact, die for them without hesitation.

I recently read a blog post from a man who lost his son. I cried rivers of tears for him… for the pain I felt in his words and for the void I felt in his life. My heart goes out to him and every parent who has lost a child. It’s not the way life is meant to be.

Each of my three sons in the toddler stage was nearly lost to me. Jesse when he had a gusher of a nosebleed in his sleep & nearly choked to death on his own blood. Angels woke me in time to save him. Tim fell down the basement steps at 9 months old… his first steps on his own (I missed) and he tumbled. Fortunately angels put BIG boots in his path, and alerted me. He was fine… maybe a broken eyelash. (A joke, his lashes are legendary). Kelyn was kidnapped, and by the grace of God & His angels… returned to me.

My treasure… and the only one I have… is my sons. They are my precious gems.

I’m currently writing about a boy who was left by his mother as an infant. Why? What happened? Why would any woman leave a child behind?

With the help of a new friend he searches for answers, and he will find them. Perhaps not in the usual way, there’s not much of a story in that… but in a way that will open doors to a realm of magical possibilities.

In POP GOES WITH WILLIE the most important discovery Willie will make is love. A love that is beyond his wildest dreams. A love to cherish and carry with him forever. That’s what life is all about. LOVE.

I hope to finish PGWW soon… I want to get this heart-warming and magical story out there, but life somehow gets in the way. I’m trying… writing from a new point of view and adding a splendid new touch of magic! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

To read an excerpt from my book…. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dreams-other-stories/261688267205313

To my sons… Jesse, Timmy and Kelyn… I LOVE YOU GUYS! You are the breath of my life.

Have a wonderful day!

From Marilyn with LOVE…

Timmy, Kelyn, Jesse

Ever wish you could go back and re-live your life?

Of course, everyone does at some point. And you’d want to keep all the knowledge you have now so you could make better choices and definitely make fewer mistakes! That’s what writing a children’s book is giving me… a chance to live life all over again, and tell a story through the eyes of a child.

I have real life experiences to draw from as well… my sons were precocious to say the least. But I’m writing POP GOES WITH WILLIE based on my own childhood. I was a loner, shy, overly sensitive and looked at the world from a totally different point of view. I cried when other children threw rocks at trees simply because they hurt them. I dreamed in bright purple… okay, I know that sounds weird, but it’s how I remember it. Purple.

Now, someone is going to attach a Freudian explanation to that I’m sure, but I remember purple as my color of choice in dreams. I like to think it as romantic and grape. I love grape flavor anything. Yes, I was a strange child and thoughtful too.

In 8th grade I was unpopular. Which is no big surprise because I was unpopular my whole life! But in 8th grade in Miss Schumacher’s class for a brief moment I shined.

The assignment was to write a book review and it wasn’t a big deal. It was just one of those things we were required to do. I remember thinking that I should write a synopsis (not a word I would have used back then), and list details from the book. But instead I wrote from the heart… and I started out with how I truly felt about the book.

Miss Schumacher handed out 2 of the reports. Mine was one of them and the other one was Sandra’s, the most popular girl in school. She asked us to read them out loud… and then we voted.

Everyone in class voted for Sandra. Everyone. There were only 2 votes for mine. Miss Schumacher and Sandra. (it was uncool to vote for your own) Then she gave us her explanation.

She applauded me in front of the whole class… actually applauded! She told them that I discovered what everyone else had missed… the true meaning of the story. Love.

I was wearing a purple dress.

That is how I write to this day… with heart, and from the heart. I’ve also been known to cry rivers of tears as I write… tough on the keyboards.

I don’t think Miss Schumacher realized the gift she gave me that day would be cherished forever. I’ve carried it with me for 50 years. I remember her fondly as the only teacher who mattered to me. I hated school for 12 years, but I loved her class.

POP GOES WITH WILLIE is my story. Told from the heart of a 10-year-old, and full of hopes, dreams, adventure and love. With a big dash of magic thrown in. I believed in magic as a child and I wanted dreams to come true. So that’s what I’m writing.

So, wish me luck folks. I’m re-writing PGWW from a whole new point of view… my way… through the eyes of a child. I LOVE it!

Have a wonderful day!

From Marilyn with love…

PS: Check out my Facebook page for Willie excerpts…

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dreams-other-stories/261688267205313

I’m tired.

Perhaps it’s the mid-winter blues that plague me? Not sure.

All I know is that I’m exhausted and need a respite from whatever it is that’s draining me body and spirit.

I am a caregiver. My husband’s stroke forced me to quite my full-time job and retire. He cannot be left alone. I retired on September 1st and have not had a day off since… we are together 24/7.

This is not tough duty – I love my husband dearly – but I need a bit of Marilyn time too. I try to use the early morning hours before he gets up to write, read or simply relax. When he’s up I’m “on duty” and even though he isn’t an invalid… he needs care. I will gladly be there for him.

Compound the health situation with other issues, my son Kelyn’s lack of a job because the Seattle job market sucks, my brother’s foreclosure and his wife’s major illnesses… and I’m stressed. I can’t help anyone–except to pray.

Now, my writing is at a standstill. As a dreamer, a lack of quality sleep deprives me of my muse. I’m floundering without the fresh ideas and scope my dreams provide for me.

So there you have it.  What am I going to do? Continue to be dragged down in the mire of my winter blahs or find a way to pull out of this mess?

When in doubt… nostalgia reigns! I’m having a nostalgic film & song festival! I have a collection of old B&W movies and the music is awesome! I love that old stuff! There’s something uplifting about that simpler time, and the memories.

You know what? The clouds are rolling by, and the air is clear… fresh, like after the storm.

My son still needs a job, Don struggles every day and my brother still has serious issues… but there is hope. Hope, that after the clouds roll by the skies are bright and sunny.

So… here’s to hope… and an old song for you to enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Oymej7dxU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Szati9fzGQk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

From Marilyn with love…