Sunshine Challenge 2021 - Prompt 7 (Zephyrus)

[greerwatson]

Prompt 7: Zephyrus

The child of Dawn (Eos) and the Titan Astraeus, Zephyrus represents the West wind. Zephyrus was considered to be the gentlest of the Anemoi (wind gods representing the cardinal points of the compass), and the beneficial bringer of Spring. The gentle springtime winds of the West indicated an end to Winter and the new growth of plants and flowers.

Spring in summer?

I'm going to rec two stories I wrote a while back; or, if you don't want to bother with the actual fic, then just have a peek at the webpage design. *g*

"Fairies of the Orchard" is a little Flower Fairies treat that I wrote for Yuletide one year. The fairy in question is the Apple-blossom Fairy—or is it? There's a touch of John Barleycorn to this tale, as blossoms turn to fruit and the fairy undergoes a metamorphosis. (On AO3.)

Applefic started as a series of ficlets based on Mary Renault's The Charioteer. The name has its own history: basically, that I couldn't come up with a title, kept referring to it as "my applefic", and got so in the habit that I finally just made that the title. It has a sort of dual time to it: each chapter is set consecutively round the calendar and each describes an incident in the hero's life from early childhood (when he first moves to the village), through older childhood and his teen years, until he finally moves out of the cottage for good after World War II, i.e. after the timeframe of the book. On my website, each chapter has its own apple-themed design, season by season; and, since it begins and ends in spring, the first and last both have the same apple-blossom background. (On AO3.)

Both stories have this in common: spring leads to summer, thence to fall and winter, and so round the calendar. And then comes the following year.

Comments

[paulamcg]

Yeah, it was a bit surprising to get back to spring with the last prompt, but perhaps it's comforting, too! :) I can't remember if it was you or someone else to whose work I didn't get access earlier in Sunshine, and who said it could be a problem for some Europeans.

[greerwatson]

Yes, it was me. That's why I included the AO3 link: at least you can thus get the story, though not the webpage on my site.

[greerwatson]

Oh, wait! See if these links work: "Fairies of the Orchard" and "Applefic". (From the Wayback Machine.)

[enemytosleep]

I do love the way that you highlighted the seasons leading into each other again and again. I think it's a nice way to wrap up this challenge: we don't have hard deadlines, but there will inevitably be a lull, and then we'll be back again next year. Thank you for sharing with us!

[greerwatson]

This was an interesting change from last year's Sunshine Challenge. I've enjoyed it!