This evening we played again under the enchanted cherry blossoms while folks with all sorts of accents came to pet and play with Langley. “Auntie” Lindsay Arnold took the gorgeous family photo. The scene was like out of a fairytale. Indeed, afterwards I sent Lake to sleep with a story.

A lion arrived in the Quad and began asking for Lake, the fairest prince he’d been hearing about all over the land. He bowed at once deeply to Lake and said he was enchanted to meet him finally. His zebra and giraffe musician friends struck up an accompaniment while they promenaded around the Quad. They passed slowly under all 30 of the the 90 year-old cherry trees in full bloom while blossoms drifted down gently like snow all around them. Lake caught one on his tongue and the Lion laughed deeply. As the procession came to a close the crowd of visitors let up a big cheer. That spurred the musicians to pick back up their instruments and merriment commenced. Lake and the Lion began to dance and laugh. Soon all the animal friends and guests were dancing too. It was an enchanted ballroom under the night sky. They danced and ate and drank all night long until the first rays of sunlight began to creep into the sky. One by one the people and couples drifted away and the animals began to bed down each under his own cherry tree. Mama then picked up Lake and carried him home to bed just as the sun was rising. As soon as Lake’s head touched the pillow his eyes fell asleep and he slept soundly with a smile on his lips… dreaming of an enchanted cherry blossom ball that comes but once a year.