Children out for a walk in a south end neighbourhood in Guelph might just be lucky enough to come across the ever-growing fairy kingdom of her royal highness Princess Periwinkle.
Periwinkle recently moved into a tree located one house in from the corner of the south entrance to Southcreek Trail at Edinburgh Road South.
Crystal Timmings said she is the landlord for Periwinkle’s tree and the adjacent miniature house of her butler, Jarvis Appleton.
“We have a lot of kids in the neighbourhood and I see all of the parents walking them around the block and I thought these poor kids — there’s so much negativity going on right now,” said Timmings. “We’re just keeping the magic alive for the kids.”
Public Health says neighbourhood walks, including those with kids or pets, is okay during the COVID-19 lockdown as long as people maintain a physical distance of at least two metres (six feet) from one another.
A royal proclamation posted to the tree introduces neighbourhood children to the princess.
“She has always had a fascination with humankind and their often silly ways,” says the proclamation. “As such she is hoping to observe the children of Guelph from a distance.”
Periwinkle and Appleton moved in on April 1 and every couple of days new items appear — like a water fountain and a clothesline with a dress and a vest hanging to dry.
Nobody has ever actually seen Periwinkle or Appleton, but Timmings said by the end of the summer she expects a lot more items to be added to the front lawn as evidence of them living there.
“If you’re walking around the block it gives the kids something to look forward to with mom and dad,” said Timmings. “I figure by the end of the summer there will be a whole village out there.”
The proclamation also asks children to watch out for cardinals in their neighbourhood because it might just be Periwinkle’s noble steed Polly Poppyseed.
“Be sure to bow slightly should you see her for she may have the Royal Princess with her,” says the proclamation.
Timmings said kids of all ages have been coming along to see the miniatures.
“I see the little ones and it makes me happy,” said Timmings. “We’re just keeping the magic alive for the kids.”
She also set up a Facebook Page in Princess Periwinkle’s name.
“Once the Facebook page is a little more popular we are going to send out weekly challenges for the kids to do indoors, whether it’s draw a picture or play a game or whatever,” said Timmings. “It just gives them new things to look forward to.”
