The magic hour

This evening while I was putting Keenan my youngest to sleep, Kaleena was in the yard creating a beautiful fairy house.

Up until recently I have been putting both children to bed at the same time, it always seemed to work, and afforded me an evening in peace that I personally really need. Keenan who is 3 is however ready for sleep at 6.30 and clearly Kaleena who is 6 was not. So for the past few months Kaleena has been staying up an extra hour, it is an hour for her, in peace, and always in creativity. Usually she will sit on the floor drawing picture after picture, yet now that the evenings are turning warmer this special time, right between the end of the day and the beginning of the night finds her fluttering in the garden in total bliss.
The air this evening was heavily perfumed with the scent of honeysuckle and the birds were all saying their goodnights before they too slowly fell silent. She ran around in her night dress, bare feet, gathering twigs and the like and when I came out she had created such a beautiful little dwelling for the fairies.
How precious and important this last hour of the day, the magic hour...