30 Comments Posted by ladyhawke

"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun."...W.S.

Tom Tom, for all the people who have commented about my thoughts on this picture, never have any of you been at a loss for words. In some ways, it feels like she is saying hi to me, through all of you.
I love what you wrote about grief, and how it is the price we pay when we love others.
I love that way of thinking..... : )
What gets me through the loss of my Mom is that I was lucky enough to have someone like her in my life for as long as I did.
I am thankful each day for that.
I am amazed how people, that I don't even know, have taken the time to comfort a stranger.
Just that fact alone is comforting on its own. It makes me realize the true power there can be in words and the power of these beautiful pictures Motts has taken.
There still IS magic in this Enchanted Forest, and it is mostly made up of love.
Thank you Tom Tom, much love to you too. : )

Oh wow, thank you so much for your kind words, and lots of love to you too. : ) My Mom is on my mind all the time, and I hope that all of you here are lucky enough to have a loving and kind hearted soul like she was in all of your lives too. Amazing how one photo can effect people in different ways.
This picture to me, is what a stairway to Heaven would look like.
It kills me to think that this beautiful castle will all just crumble to the ground.
I wish some of it, ANY of it could be saved!

Another cup has just been returned to Clark's Elioak farm!
"The Hartman Family who own The Salty Dog Crab House in Dundalk, has kindly donated Little Toot, Papa Bear, the Piggy from the top of the Brick House, the Teddy Bear Turnpike sign & a Red Tea Cup to Clark's Elioak Farm."
It will take time for repairs and repainting them, but because people are donating to the farm their enchanted treasures, that they aquired over the years, a little bit more of the original EF will now be at the farm for some of us to remember when and for some to see for the very first time! : )

"Where's Johnny Depp, Tim Burton, and John Waters when you need them?"

I have read that the bathrooms at the EF were segregated at first, but you are right, it was one of the first parks to be non-segregated for it's time. When King Cole welcomed all through that entrance, he really did mean one and all.
I saw a blog sight where a woman remembers that as a child for a school trip, was going to an amusement park in that area. The class was told that three of them would not be going, but would go to the EF. The child questioned this with her father, and he explained it was because of their color. She found the reason quite ignorant. It shaped her personality at such an early age. I'm sure that she was not the only child to question the reasons for segregation at those times. To rebel from its beliefs and to question why. Not only did this park inspire children to read, it is very possible that the original owners who created the EF, had no idea that it might also become the first lesson that taught children what segregation and non-segregation meant. The original owners sold it to someone who promised to keep it running. That promise was broken. Today is the results of that first agreement. Businesses have taken over much of the land where the EF once stood. Alice's tunnel caving in, destroyed forever and much more. The park has been stripped clean of it's figures. The company who owns it now, is only interested in the retail shops. Due to ownership, vandalism,and unsafe property, Kimco, the currant owners, have a no trespassing sign up, and have been kind enough to let Clark's Elioak Farm, relocate everything they can at the farm's expense. http://www.clarklandfa...CHANTED%20FOREST.htm. They hope to recreate over time many of the figures that have been stolen, sold, or destroyed. To relocate whatever structures they can afford. Photographs and videos of people spending time at the Enchanted Forest while it was open, is what is helping the farm with it's artists and volunteers, keep a little bit of the EF alive. Please consider letting the farm copy your photos and/or videos, so that a new generation can enjoy the creativity that the EF was known for.

Today is the ten year anniversary of my Mother's death.
If I Iived there, I would go in and climb these stairs one last time, making sure that I use this railing so I don't fall. Tie a red rose to this railing with red ribbons in memory of her. Then probably sit down in this enchanted stairway and have a good cry.
It's hard when there are certain people, and things that we have such a strong emotional attachment to, are suddenly taken from us.
What the eyes can no longer see, the heart still feels.
That is why photos like this are so precious to us.
I miss and love you, Mom. : )
(Thanks, Motts.)

alison wonderland, I totally understand what you mean, and believe me we aren't the only ones for feeling this way!

The original EF will never be opened again, that is why Kimco has given Clark's farm to take whatever is left.
As in structures. The figures to all the exibits were either sold, given, or stolen years ago.
This is property that is posted with a no trespassing sign, you do risk getting arrested if caught.
The Alice in Wonderland tunnel caved in and was destroyed when the mall strip was first built years ago.
The rumor is Jilly's restaurant is pretty much over the tunnel site.
Figures and such were removed from the EF when it closed. Figures were removed from Alice before the cave in. These EF figures have been seen in antique stores, ebay, lawn sales,etc since it closed.
Some figures have been returned and been broight to the farm, by people who obtained them for whatever reason.
The farm hopes to be able to honor these original figures and give them a new home, but this all takes time and money.
An Alice exhibit may eventually be created, but that would not be for some time to come.

The "Happy Birthday" cake which was once in the Gingerbread house has been saved and has been relocated to Clark's Farm. Old photos were used as reference to bring this cake back to life, and once again it looks good enough to eat! : )

This is Cinderella's castle.
Alice an Wonderland's tunnel was destroyed when the mall was built.
All structures have been stripped of their figures years ago.
A card guard of Alice's Wonderland was seen in an antique store awhile ago, which means the tunnel was also stripped of its figures, before it was destroyed.

People have also remembered that wax paper was a good thing to use to protect your butt from the heat.
The slide could get REALLY HOT!
I remember that! LOL!
I wish we had known about the wax paper trick when I went in 1967 : )

Sorry, but they are not for sale.
They have been brought to the farm,so that they may be saved and restored. The farm is trying to get anything that came from the original Enchanted Forest to save and restore so that future generations of people can enjoy the creativity of this nursery rhyme and fairy tale park.

"Time for a spot of tea....will you be having one lump or two?" : )

For some reason this reminds me of that last scene in the movie The Blair Witch Project.
It's alittle disturbing to see a real person in The Gingerbread Jail.
I think it originally had a figure that looked like a gingerbread witch.
Okay, the fake shoes in the fireplace are
fah-reaking me out too. LOL