Peter Pan and Puzzle Woods

I really love books. 

When I read I don't see words upon a page, I see pictures. I am in the story. I am part of the story. I have wept over characters. I have cheered for great triumphs. I have been on perilous adventures to other worlds. I have been inspired. I have been changed. I have fallen in love too many times to count. I have emotional attachments to so many of my books because they remind me of certain times in my life. When I look at those books I feel what I felt. Even if I don't want to read them again I can't bring myself to throw them away. And then there are those beloved books that I do reread over and over like old friends always faithfully waiting. Books are powerful things.

I remember so clearly the first book that I read all by myself...

I shall certainly never throw this book away.

The boys both love books too. We read a few books to them before bed. They are mostly short and full of colourful pictures. So I decided to read this very special book to Isaac a little every night. It only has a few pictures so he would have to listen and picture it in his head. I wasn't sure if waiting to hear more rather than finishing the story that night would appeal to him or keep his interest...
    Oh how could I have possibly doubted this?
Of course he loved it and eagerly anticipated each chapter! Why didn't I do this before? All we have heard about for weeks and weeks now is Peter Pan! Every game played with his little brother involves Peter, Wendy, Hook and the lost boys. They are in Never-Land fighting epic battles with pirates in their bedroom. Every bath time now involves a ticking crocodile. And we absolutely had HAD to watch the Disney movie over and over. Just to make this all a little more perfect, it was World book day last week and we were invited to dress up and go as our favorite character to school...

He could. not. have. been. more. excited!

    Then we visited another place from my childhood one weekend. It's a place in the Forest of Dean called Puzzle woods (if you are in the area I highly recommend it as a place to visit. Even the freezing cold gray day couldn't distract us from the surrounding beauty. I can't imagine how much more amazing it would be on a summers day).
    When we entered this man made maze in the woods, Isaac gasped and exclaimed 'I think we are in Never-Land...' He was absolutely convinced that these woods were magical...'In real life Mummy!'Which makes it really really real...You know what?I think he may have been right...

'...The Never-Land was a make-believe island, full of delightful places and interesting people. It is hard to describe, because an island of that sort of changes about from day to day, according to how you want it to be. It might be all over fairies, dwarfs, and goblins; or it might have giants who live in enchanted castles, and princes (always the youngest of three) who go an attack them. Or it might have a robbers' cave, and a tumble-down cottage where a witch makes magic. There could be pirates there, too, and all sorts of ships (that's when an island comes in so useful), and coral reefs, and underground rivers. There is no end to the wonderful things in the 
Never-Land....'

It was full of winding and wonderful paths. Which direction we should to go was unclear and unimportant...

But a certain little Lost boy led the way. Or rather he ran whichever direction his fancy took him and we chased after him...

That boy is way too quick...

Whereas a certain little Peter Pan narrated our adventure as it unfolded...

While carefully searching for pirate 'baddies' among the rocks...

I must confess I caught myself looking too...

We stepped over dangerous crossings...

And found magical homes...

And possible shelters for us to live in,

 should we choose to remain in Never-Land and never grow up...

We made our way through the deepest darkest jungle...

Searched for Fairies and Pixies in all places small... 

'...If you believe in fairies, clap your hands! Hurry, or Tink will will die! Do you believe?'

We imagined a great many things...

And it seemed as though there would be no end to our travels...

But Lost boy number one eventually found the way out...

What an adventure we had.Yep, books are powerful things.