Realm History

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0968dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B>Unless otherwise noted, all images and text on this site are my own creations.</B></div> <div> <B>Please do not infringe</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="318960f0.png" border=0 width="150" height="15" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Please sign one of our Guest Registers </B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://pub39.bravenet.com/guestbook/show.php?usernum=3286124372&cpv=1/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://pub39.bravenet.com/guestbook/show"><U><B>Bravenet Guest Register</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://htmlgear.lycos.com/guest/control.guest?u=thisildorealm&i=2&a=sign" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://htmlgear.lycos.com/guest/control."><U><B>htmlGear Guest Register</B></U></A><B><IMG SRC="314960f0.png" border=0 width="150" height="15" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fur Kid Village"><U><IMG SRC="cb9af820.jpg" border=0 width="175" height="130" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="7c264b30.jpg" border=0 width="100" height="179" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=116 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0978dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#336633" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thisildo Realm</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thisildo Realm"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to The Realm"><U>Welcome to The Realm</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id271.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats New at the Realm"><U>What's New at the Realm</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id258.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Flag"><U>The Flag</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id179.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About the Realm"><U>About the Realm</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Mistress"><U>Realm Mistress</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id288.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Master"><U>Realm Master</U></A>   |   <B>Realm History</B>   |   <A HREF="id325.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Animal Kingdom"><U>Realm Animal Kingdom</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Village Kitchen"><U>The Village Kitchen</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Village Library"><U>The Village Library</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id279.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Carolina Cross Connection"><U>Carolina Cross Connection</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Woods"><U>Realm Woods</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id178.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Elves"><U>Realm Elves</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Memory Village"><U>Memory Village</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Seasons of The Realm"><U>Seasons of The Realm</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id94.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Graphics Village"><U>Graphics Village</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Adoptions"><U>Realm Adoptions</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id180.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Causes"><U>Realm Causes</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gifts"><U>Gifts</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id98.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Awards"><U>Awards</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Banners"><U>Banners</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id237.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WebRings"><U>WebRings</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Map"><U>Map</U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=364 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0978dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Realm History</I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="8a8a0740.jpg" border=0 width="416" height="116" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="6" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="654" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 681 WIDTH="638"><div> <IMG SRC="0d0e5c40.jpg" border=0 width="485" height="196" ALT="Thisildo Realm August 1986" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div>    <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#336633" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >  Thisildo Realm was founded August 1985. There wasn't much to see, just a bit of bulldozed ground with woods for a back yard. I didn't have a clue about nature - except for knowing what Poison Ivy looks like, and even less about landscaping. </FONT></div> <bR> <div>      Lots of trial and error and manual labor went into the making of Thisildo Realm. Once the home was placed on the land (it was a bit daunting when the weight of the mobile home lifted the front wheels of the tractor right off the ground!), things pretty much stayed the way they were for almost a full year. It was not possible to see what the sun did when or what grew where until enough time had passed and the land revealed its nature.</div> <bR> <div>      The first tool needed was a chipper/shredder and boy, did that ever come in handy! Everything that went through the shredder was used in the building of the tiers in the courtyard -and there's tiers <I>everywhere!</I> The land slopes continuously down from the drive entrance to the creek that meanders along the back of the property on its way to the lake, so learning about water running off was a first priority task.</div> <bR> <div>      Also learned that digging is the woods is something only the critters can do easily!</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="6" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="654" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 215 WIDTH="638"><div> <IMG SRC="0d213c40.jpg" border=0 width="275" height="196" ALT="Bradford Tree "Planted"" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div>    <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#336633" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >When it came time to plant the Bradford Pear, the only way to get this accomplished was to take the tree out of the pot, set the root ball on top of the ground and build up around it!</FONT></div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="570" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 351 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="0d3e2540.jpg" border=0 width="226" height="340" ALT="Bradford Pear in bloom" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="0d4e2570.jpg" border=0 width="226" height="343" ALT="Bradford Pear in April" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="6" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="654" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 176 WIDTH="638"><div>      It worked out rather well and now, years later, you'd never know that the Bradford started it's life <I>above </I>ground. I'm glad the driveway is wide! The concept of 25 feet high and 16 feet across never registered when I planted the tree <I>right on the edge of the drive!</I> </div> <bR> <div>      The next great adventure was building the walk. With the slope of the land, it was essential to get in some sort of walking area through the courtyard. More manual labor! :D</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="6" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="654" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 765 WIDTH="638"><div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><IMG SRC="0d553e50.jpg" border=0 width="339" height="229" ALT="Construction of the tiers May 1988" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0">  </FONT>I am really proud of myself with this adventure. For a person with no idea about landscaping, this adventure turned out pretty neat! <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#336633" FACE="Arial" >A</FONT>ll the materials used to build the tiers was just from laying around on the ground, the rocks came from cleaning out the runoff ditch at the top of the property, the gravel was excess from the drive.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#336633" FACE="Trebuchet MS" > </FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0d653e40.jpg" border=0 width="339" height="228" ALT="Construction of the tiers May 1988" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Pictures of tiers taken</div> <div> May 1988</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> The tiers were filled with the shredded dead fall and leaves.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> A dozen years later...</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0d72cc80.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="200" ALT="The tiers a dozen years later ~ May 2000" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>      This is taken from the left of the small green bush in the picture above, looking across that long tier. (across the picture above from left to right)</div> <bR> <div>      The upright logs have long since returned to the soil and the steps eventually had to be replaced with concrete blocks. The <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Village Kitchen"><U>Fairy Child</U></A> lives on this part of the walk, just a little way past the strawberry planter. She started growing right after the tiers were put in and since she was so little and didn't block the walk, I just let her be. What a happy decision that was<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#336633" FACE="Arial" >! </FONT></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="6" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="654" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 1313 WIDTH="638"><div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#336633" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="0d82cc80.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="200" ALT="April Sky" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0">    </FONT>Over the past two decades, the land has pretty much evolved "on its own", with precious little done to stop <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Woods"><U>Realm Woods</U></A> from doing what woods do - take over. This view is from the drive way (which now comes all the way to the front porch!) I'm standing and looking up to the tops of the trees and with the exception of different trees and clouds in the sky, this is pretty much the view of the sky in a full circle. Sometimes it seems like the sun only shines in the courtyard from 10 'til 2! :o) But then, in the middle of Summer, that's more than enough!</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0d92cc80.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="200" ALT="Thisildo Realm May 2000" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0da5e880.jpg" border=0 width="350" height="136" ALT="Thisildo Realm, May 2000" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="c9b7b990.jpg" border=0 width="635" height="409" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The arial map of Thisildo Realm was created by me, using Surveyor's </div> <div> maps and adding the details while I was building the Realm Trails</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fur Kid Village"><U><IMG SRC="893f1a60.jpg" border=0 width="241" height="166" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>