Mabon 2010 - Pooka Pages

Pooka’s Page for Grown-ups
A Happy Announcement: Pooka Pages contributor (and my youngest daughter) Mandy
will be officially handfasted with Jason Storms this Sept. 25th. The event will take place
at the annual Redlands, CA Pagan Pride Day and Harvest Festival where they first met 3
years ago. Jason’s mother, Nancy (who’s also the PPD coordinator) will be officiating.
There will be an open Mabon Ritual, music, vendors, a canned food drive and a special
children’s booth run by Mandy. Anyone in the area is invited to stop by, share in the festivities and join us in
wishing the couple a long and happy life together! In honor of the event, Mandy’s re-telling of the Story of
Mabon, written when she was a teenager, is being republished in this issue.
News regarding the remaining 3 of the 8 Elsie & Pooka series of books, “Sabbats & Seasons”:
The last 3 Elsie & Pooka books of the Sabbats & Seasons for Children have been released. Due to an error on the
publisher’s part, each is missing several stories. I considered, at first, not adding them to the Elsie & Pooka Shop
page. However, there are many of you who have purchased the whole series up to this point and Seventh House
cannot fix the problem until all the current copies are sold and the books go into a 2nd printing.
So, I am knocking $2 off the retail price and will send a pdf of the missing stories to each customer. If you’d like
your books “pawtographed” by Pooka , just put his name in the “special instructions” column.
Another book you should know about: “Baby Magic – Journey from Maiden to Mother” by
Nancy Kachine, a longtime friend and sometimes contributor to the Pooka Pages Magazine.
This book is a practical magical guide to conceiving, pregnancy and early babyhood
for the spiritual woman. The magic within these pages is religion neutral and can be
adapted into any family. You will find spells and rituals for mother as well as baby and
home and also crafts and projects to sooth your nesting instinct and bring some magic
unto your new and wonderful world of motherhood. Print: $16.45
Download: $6.50
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/baby-magic---journey-from-maiden-to-mother/12185226
And more books…. The Pagan Family book by Ceisiwr Serith is now on-line! I bought this when it first came
out in 1994. At the time, it was the only book of its kind, and in my opinion, it’s still the best when it comes to
celebrating the sabbats family style with young children. When I wrote to Mr. Serith for permission to use some
of his words and ideas in a Full Moon Bedtime Ritual for this magazine, his response couldn’t have been more kind
and generous. He has also published a number of books and essays for adults that grownups might care to
explore. They certainly piqued my interest!
http://www.ceisiwrserith.com/paganfamily/tableofcontents.htm
Christine is back and feeling much better. She’s shared with us her project for an adorable little dragon herb
protector and also asked me to forward this note to you:
“I would like to thank everyone for their warm wishes and candle lighting for me during my illness. My family and I
were very moved and grateful by your kindness and loving support. I would also like to thank Lora and Pooka for
their patience and understanding when I was unable to write for their newsletter and for giving me the opportunity to
write again for this wonderful family of theirs. It is one of my greatest joys! May everyone have a wonderful Mabon.”
Also known as: Second Harvest, Cornucopia, Fall or Autumn Equinox, Harvest Home, Alban Elfed (Caledonia,
Druidic), and Winter Finding (Teutonic) and the Witch’s Thanksgiving. The full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox
is called the Harvest Moon.
Summer is drawing to a close and it’s time to get ready for winter. The final crops are gathered and seeds
are collected for planting next spring. Although the days are still warm, the nights are getting longer and
cooler inviting us to draw closer to the hearth while sipping hot apple cider and enjoying a big bowl of
popcorn. It’s time for making corn dollies, weaving wheat into intricate shapes and decorating the house
with the colorful leaves of autumn. The festival of the Second Harvest is sometimes referred to as the
“Witch’s Thanksgiving” and is a time of feasting with friends and family while giving thanks for all our
blessings!
In This Issue:
Pooka’s Page for Grown-ups
Storybook Chair: Mabon at Aunt Tilly’s
Coloring Page – A Purr-fect Harvest
Little Kitchen Witch – Apple Tart
Meal Blessings from our Readers
Short Story – Pooka’s Nightmares
Make a Pentacle Dream Catcher by Evelien, Eleanor& Andy Roos
Book of Shadows - A Full Moon Bedtime Ritual
A Child’s Libation
Mabon Activity Page – Can You Spot the Differences?
Elsie’s Herb Garden – Winter Sleep-Over
Drago, the Dragon Herb Protector by Christine Lombardo
The Search for Mabon – by Mandy Gaddis-Storms
Pooka’s PS
The Pooka Pages (unless otherwise noted) is written, illustrated and edited by Lora Craig-Gaddis
Pooka’s Sandbox is a free publication produced 8 times a year. To subscribe, go to: www.pookapages.com
This Issue of Pooka Pages Magazine is © Copyright September 2010 No portion of this magazine may be reproduced
without the author or artist’s permission although permission is granted to reproduce the magazine as a whole. To contact an
author or artist or for general inquiries, write to pookachild@hotmail.com
Mabon at Aunt Tilly’s
Pooka licked the last remnants of a tuna sandwich off his plate.
He then looked hopefully across the table at Elsie
and told her, “My tummy says it still has room for ice cream.”
“Hmmm?” His witch glanced up from the letter she’d just collected from the post office.
In late summer, the outdoor patio of the village café was bustling with diners and noisy passers-by. The little cat
raised his voice to be heard above the crowds.
“Ice cream?” he repeated, patiently.
Elsie nodded as she signaled for the waiter. “Two strawberry ice creams, please?”
Pooka purred. He loved Market Day! Elsie would gather her herbal wares into a huge basket and distribute them
among her customers in the village. This would be followed by a little shopping, a visit to the library, a brief stop
at the post office, and lunch at the café before heading home to their cozy cottage in the woods.
The ice cream smoothly appeared before them. Pooka flipped his whiskers back out of the way, squinched his
eyes shut and tucked in with a rapid little pink tongue
Elsie took a spoonful and savored it thoughtfully as she read her
letter. Suddenly, she looked up again and asked, “How do you fancy
spending Mabon at Aunt Tilly’s this year?”
Pooka hastily gulped the ice cream on his tongue. The “freeze”
headache he got was nothing compared to the painful thought that
occurred to him.
“Will Grimalkin be there?” he asked.
“He’s Aunt Tilly’s familiar-in-training,” said Elsie. “Of course, he’ll be
there.”
Pooka groaned and almost lost his appetite. The last time he’d seen his younger brother, he’d gotten in all sorts
of trouble – and it hadn’t even been his fault!
“Do we have to go?” he mewed plaintively.
The witch raised her eyebrows. “Don’t you want to see Aunt Tilly and your mother
again?”
“Of course, I do,” grumbled Pooka. “It’s Grimalkin I worry about.”
Elsie just smiled.
It was amazing the difference a few days could make! From summer and sunflowers,
things seemed to change overnight to cool, misty mornings and red leaves on the
trees. Mabon was almost here.
Elsie hastily harvested the last of the crops from the garden and packed their
suitcases. Soon, with Edgar the crow settled in a comfortable traveling cage, they
boarded the train for Aunt Tilly’s seaside town.
As they pulled into the station, her long purple skirts, broad hat and grey head were clearly visible. She waved
enthusiastically and rushed up to hug her niece as they disembarked.
“Dear child!” boomed Aunt Tilly. “You’re here! Pooka and Edgar too! What a Mabon this shall be! Family and
friends all gathered for the Harvest Feast….THAT’s what the holiday’s about!”
Elsie hugged her aunt back and grinned up at her. “So let’s get cooking this Feast! Who else will be there?”
They trailed off to the car, arms linked and deep in conversation, as Aunt Tilly’s driver carried the suitcases and
the cage from which Edgar squawked. Pooka followed.
As soon as they pulled to a halt on the graveled drive of the small manor, a grey tabby kitten shot out of the barn.
“Brother Pooka! Brother Pooka!”
Pooka, who was already disoriented from the car ride, was easily bowled over by his younger brother. He found
himself sprawled on his back. Grimalkin pounced on his tummy, then licked his ears and face enthusiastically.
“Let’s Play!”
Pooka batted at his younger brother. “Get off me!” he growled. His face was all wet from Grimalkin’s
kisses…almost as bad as being slobbered by a dog!
Ignoring them, Aunt Tilly led Elsie to her room. Elsie called to Pooka over her shoulder: “Be Nice!”
Pooka glared after her retreating figure…until his tail was captured by the attacking kitten. “Gotcha!” cried
Grimalkin happily.
That did it. Pooka decided, as long as no one was looking, to teach the youngster some manners!
He had Grimalkin pinned on the ground and mewing for his life when a soft, but stern voice behind him
exclaimed, “Pooka! “
He leaped guiltily off his little brother and whirled around to find himself nose to nose with their aristocratic
mother.
“He started it!” said Pooka defensively.
Grimalkin leaped to his paws. “I was only playing!”
Serendipity’s emerald green eyes calmly surveyed both of her offspring. “I expect you both to behave in a manner
suitable to the office of Familiars-in-Training,” she announced in firm yet dulcet tones. She then turned, her
elegant tail high like a plume of black smoke in the air, and glided toward the manor house.
Pooka and Grimalkin looked at each other. “Geeze!” they said simultaneously.
“Wanna see the barn?” chirped Grimalkin.
“Sure!” said Pooka. United now against the strict code of their mother, they forgot all about their fight a few
moments earlier.
The two cats tumbled in the hayloft, slid down the chute of the grain feed and played tag between the legs of the
dairy cows and horses. Together they chased the chickens across the yard and explored the gardens.
Finally, exhausted and starving, they ventured toward the kitchen where Elsie and Aunt Tilly were deep in
preparation for the next day’s Harvest Feast. Aunt Tilly was kneading a pile of bread dough as her niece busily
chopped a mountain of vegetables. Uncle Tiberius perched on a stool peeling a basketful of apples. Pies baked in
the ovens, filling the room with their spicy aroma.
The two cats raised their noses and sniffed the air appreciatively. “What’s for supper?” Grimalkin asked.
Uncle Tiberius gave them a warning look over the top of his glasses. “Don’t ask,” he said gloomily.
“Bread and left-over vegetable soup,” said Aunt Tilly. “We’ve got friends, neighbors and a full coven of folks
showing up tomorrow for the Harvest. There’s a lot of work still to be done and, I’m afraid, we won’t have time to
make dinner.”
“But mealtime is Sacred Time!” protested Grimalkin. A look from Aunt Tilly silenced him.
The cats retreated from the kitchen.
The light meal only went so far in satisfying the hunger they’d built up during the day. Shortly after midnight,
Pooka woke, his tummy rumbling, and decided to slip downstairs. Perhaps there was a crumb of bread left out?
At the bottom of the staircase, he ran into his brother. They stared at each other for a moment and then
Grimalkin said, “I’m hungry!”
“Me too,” admitted Pooka.
The two conspirators stole into the kitchen and were met by a dazzling array of freshly baked pies, smoked hams,
roast beef and assorted cheeses.
Grimalkin and Pooka slapped paws together in a High Five and galloped towards the feast! A few minutes later
they were both on the table chowing down.
It wasn’t long, however, before they heard a voice behind them. “Children, shame on you! That food is for
Mabon and Mabon is not until tomorrow.”
They swiveled their heads and saw their mother standing in the kitchen doorway.
Grimalkin hastily swallowed the ham in his mouth.
“We were hungry!” Pooka said.
“That’s no excuse,” Serendipity told them primly. “A familiar
should exercise self-control and restraint at all times.”
“Yes, mother,” the kittens said sadly.
Tails drooping, they both trailed out of the kitchen.
Serendipity, her regal head high, watched them exit.
Once in the hall, Grimalkin said to his brother, “That smoked
ham was really good.”
“I know. So was the pumpkin pie,” said Pooka. He licked his
whiskers looking for remnants.
“Mother hasn’t come out of the kitchen yet,” said Grimalkin
thoughtfully. “What do you think she’s doing in there?”
“Maybe she’s standing guard in case we come back?”
suggested Pooka.
The kittens poked their heads around the door.
“Mother!” they cried.
Serendipity’s face was buried in the platter of cheeses. Her head shot up guiltily and she sighed. “I’ve always
been partial to a soft, creamy Brie.”
Her green eyes turned thoughtful as she looked at the clock on the wall and then at her kittens. “A familiar,” she
told them, “should always observe the sabbats in a timely manner. It is after midnight, so technically “tomorrow”
is now “today” and that means… Happy Mabon, children! Let’s feast!”
“Yes!” shouted Grimalkin, racing towards the table.
Pooka was right behind him. “Happy Mabon!” he hooted.
The next morning, Aunt Tilly and Elsie surveyed the damage. Corners had been nibbled from the cheeses and the
Brie was gone completely; chunks were missing from the ham and the shells of several pumpkin pies had been
licked quite clean.
“Just LOOK at what the mice have done!” exclaimed Aunt Tilly. “I keep telling Tiberius to hire an exterminator.”
In a corner of the kitchen, three cats were lined up watching the scene. Serendipity whispered to her kittens,
“Above all, children, a familiar knows when to be silent!”
The cats slipped quietly out of the kitchen.
Much of what we look forward to at the Harvest Feast is the special foods that are a family tradition at
this time. You may want to make this wonderful dessert a Mabon tradition in YOUR home!
Easy Elegant Apple Tart
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
6 apples - peeled, cored and sliced very thin
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F(230 degrees C).
2. Cream together butter, sugar, vanilla, and flour. Press crust mixture into the flat bottom of a 9-inch
springform pan. (This is where small hands are an advantage!) Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, blend softened cream cheese and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Pour cheese mixture
over crust. Toss apples with sugar and cinnamon. Spread apple mixture over all.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees F(200 degrees C) and continue baking for 25 minutes.
Sprinkle almonds over top of torte. Continue baking until almonds are lightly browned. (Watch closely so
they don’t burn. It should only take a few minutes.) Cool before removing from pan.
Meal Blessings from Our Readers
All over the world and in all religions (including pagan), people have recognized the
importance of taking a moment before eating to quietly acknowledge our gratitude.
In Elsie’s family, everyone gathered simply says: “Blessed Be!”
This little blessing includes the God & Goddess for providing the food, the source of
the food for allowing itself to be eaten as well as blessing ourselves as we consume
it and fulfill our role in the Great Circle of Life. So, you see, there’s a lot of meaning
packed in those two simple words! (It also has created what they call: the “Blessed
Be Police” because kids love to pounce on anyone at the table who’s absentminded
enough to forget to say “Blessed Be” before digging in!)
Mabon, besides being a time of finding and recognizing balance, is a time of giving thanks for the harvest
feast. So we thought it would be fun to ask some of Pooka’s Friends to share the Meal Blessings used in
their homes<
Blessings on our table fare
We spread our blessings through the air
Blessings to each boy and girl
Blessings all around the world
By Zack Harp, 11 years old
From Kimberly Berry:
Here is the blessing we say before most meals and
feasts. It's a combination for several family blessings
that we made our own and we've used it for many years.
In the Name of the Light...,
Bless us Lady and Lord,
for these gifts,
from Thy bounty ,
Blessed Be...
This is the meal time blessing used by young Izzabooa,
her siblings and their mother:
The table is round and becomes the earth and
thus becomes the mother,
We share her bounty in this hour and love and
bless each other.
“We're very informal in most situations,” wrote Rachel,
Patrick, Laura, and Owen. “So for dinner, we all sit
down and shout together, "Yea gods, let's eat!"
Sometimes that's chased by a few shouts of
"GRACE!!!!" and, then, blessed quiet while everyone
fills up their mouths.
Amanda in Sunny Florida shared her family’s blessing:
"Earth who gives us this food,
Sun who makes it ripe and good,
Dear Earth, Dear Sun by you we live
Our loving thanks to you we give.
So mote it be."
Continued on next page….
A Special Mabon Meal Blessing from Phoebe Rowbottom
The harvest is ending,
the earth is dying,
The cattle have come in from their fields.
We have the earth's bounty
on the table before us
and for this we give thanks to the gods
And Evelien Roos wrote that she had explained to her witchlings, Eleanor and Andy, that: “all things we eat `die´
before we can consume them.” `Even the grain for our bread and the eggs in our omelet?´ they asked. She
answered, `Yes, even them.´
“So,” Evelien says, “we came up with this blessing. The kids wanted to thank the food as well as asking the God
and Goddess for a blessing. Please note that it is translated from Dutch, so may be a little odd to English readers.”
God and Goddess, Bless our meal.
And thank those who died, each and all.
We eat what you gave with respect.
Thank you for this life, and good luck in the next.
Blessed be.
The Dutch version is:
God en Godin, zegen ons maal.
En dank degenen die stierven, allemaal.
Wij eten respectvol wat jullie gaven.
Dank voor dit leven en succes met het volgende.
Veel zegen.
(Illustrations in this article from vintage pictures found on the internet)
Pooka’s Nightmares
(a little story written especially for Eleanor & Andy)
At first, Elsie wasn’t sure what had woken her.
Then, she realized it was the cat in bed next to her. The stars
outside the window dimly lit the little room and by their light she could see Pooka’s legs moving furiously. Since
he was lying down, it looked like he was galloping on his side.
“Pooks, wake up!” The little witch gently laid her hand on his shoulder and the startled kitty leaped to his paws.
“Where did it go?” he demanded looking all around the room. Then he sighed and sat down. “It must have been
another nightmare.”
“Were the giant mice after you again?” Elsie asked tenderly.
Pooka shook his head. “No, this time I dreamt our cottage had sprouted big long chicken legs and was running
away. You and I were chasing it through the forest, but we couldn’t catch it and, Elsie, it was awful because my
dinner was in there!”
Elsie hid her smile by scooping up the distressed cat and cuddling him under her chin. “Poor Pooka,” she
murmured. “You’ve been having too many nightmares lately. We’ll have to do something about that. Meanwhile,
how about a little midnight snack?”
At that suggestion, Pooka perked right up. The nightmare had made him hungry!
The following afternoon, the little cat wandered in from the garden and found Elsie perched at the long wooden
table in her herb room. She was carefully winding string in a pentacle design around a hoop. Then, from the
bottom of the hoop, she attached several long strands and tied the ends with beads and feathers.
“What’s that?” asked Pooka.
“A dream catcher,” she told him. “This will catch the nightmares before they can get to you and let only the
happy dreams through.”
Pooka stared at her creation. “It’s pretty,” he said, “but will it really work?”
“We’ll find out tonight,” the witch smiled.
That night, Elsie stood on a stool and hung the dream catcher from the ceiling at the head of the bed.
Then she cuddled under the quilt and blew out the light. Soon the little witch was sound asleep.
Pooka curled behind her legs and stared up at the dream catcher. A breeze fluttered the curtains at the window
and the feathered strands dangling from the bottom of the hoop danced gently. Pooka’s ears swiveled forward
and his eyes grew rounder.
Another puff of air floated through the window. The dream catcher wiggled some more.
Pooka stole a glance at the sleeping Elsie and then slowly crept to the head of the bed. Every few minutes, a
breeze would set the mysterious hoop to swaying and the dangling feathers would bounce and swing in the most
enticing manner.
The kitty climbed onto the headboard for a better look. Soon a little black paw reached up…
The next morning, Elsie yawned and rolled out of bed. She almost jumped out of her skin when she suddenly
noticed the cat sitting at her feet and looking up at her.
“Oh Pooks!” she cried. “Not another nightmare?!”
“No,” he said. “the dreamcatcher worked. In fact, I didn’t sleep a wink.”
It was then that Elsie noticed the remains of the dream catcher poking out from under the bed. The strings were
all broken and the feathers had been chewed into tatters. The beads were scattered about the room.
“Well, Blessed Be!” she exclaimed. “What happened?”
Pooka headed for the bedroom door. “It took all night but I finally made it hold still,” he said over his shoulder.
How to make a Pentacle Dreamcatcher
By Evelien Roos and Eleanor who’s 5 (almost 6), and Andy who’s 3. They live in the Netherlands.
I found this on one of Pooka’s Places, Proud to be Pagan. To make it easier to understand, I give you my
own experience with making it.
A pentacle dream catcher is not difficult to make. For my dream catcher I used 2 different sized wooden
rings from the hobby shop, knitting cotton and dyed turkey feathers. You can make your pentacle by
working on the same side of the ring, but I went over and under the ring, so the threads cross, which
gives your design a 3D effect.If you really want to be decorative, you can string tiny beads on the thread
and attach little feathers where the string is wound around the ring.
1.
Tie one end of the thread to the large ring. Wind the thread around the opposite side of the ring
three times at a slight angle from the original attachment, pulling it tight. This will be part of the left leg of
the pentacle. Each time you attach the thread to the ring, wind it at least three times.
2.
Now bring your thread to the ring a short distance from the 1st tying. Your design should look like
an upside-down V-shape. Now move to the left side of the ring, making the first “leg” of your pentacle,
and starting on the left “arm”. You can always move your string around the ring before winding it around
it, to make your perfect pentagram design. Just be sure to keep the thread taut, otherwise your
pentagram will be saggy. Go straight across to make your “arms”. To finish, pull right back towards your
starting point. Make a small loop for hanging at the top of the pentacle. I tied two feathers on the ring at
the points of the “legs”, but you are free to decorate yours as you want to.
If you want to string beads on the thread, do it on each section before you wind the thread around the
ring.
3.
Follow the former points with the smaller ring, then string a thread through the loop and tie this to
the larger ring. By attaching the thread on which I hung the 2nd ring, to the points of the large pentacle, it
all looks natural. The original pentagram design is not broken, but of course you are free to do it as you
please.
4.
My children, Eleanor and Andy, and I made a spell, to help the dream catcher work better. First I
give you the Dutch original and then the translation, which, with some minor adjustments, rhymes as
well!
Pentagram, ster van macht.
Vang een mooie droom vannacht.
Nare dromen zijn niet fijn.
Zoals ik het zeg, zal het zijn.
Pentagram, star of might
Catch a pretty dream tonight.
Bad dreams are not for me.
As I will it, so mote it be.
A Full Moon Bedtime Ritual
Note: A Full Moon Candle is a special candle in your home that is always lit on the full moon. Usually the
candle is white or pale blue.
Have a Grown-up light the Full Moon Candle and hold it over your head.
You point to the candle and say:
The Goddess is shining high in the sky.
Grownup sets the candle down on a table or altar.
You point to the ground and say:
The Goddess is shining here in our home.
Cross your hands over your chest and say:
The Goddess is shining here in my heart.
Then blow out the candle and say: May the Goddess send me good dreams.
Ritual adapted (and slightly altered) from “The Pagan Family” by Ceisiwr Serith, published 1994 by Llewellyn Co.
A Child’s Libation
At the close of family rituals, and especially the Harvest Celebration, it can be your job to make the offering to
the Earth. Take the chalice and bread outside where there is some dirt or grass. Pour a bit of the juice onto the
ground followed by a morsel of bread and
say:
A cup, the juice
A plate, the bread
A drop,
A crumb,
The Earth is fed.
(picture from free clipart)
Drago,
Drago, the Dragon Herb Protector
By
Christine Lombardo
This project is a moderate on a chart of easy, moderate, or
hard.
It will require a parent to help when putting clay in and out of the
oven.
Drago is a clay dragon blessed to protect my herbs or plants
and help
keep them strong and growing healthy.
It looks harder than it really is.
You will need:
Polymere Clay
Tin Foil
Wax paper
Rolling Pin
Paint (any colors you want to paint your dragon) I have picked
Green and purple.
Black paint
Glaze
E6000 Glue or hot glue (E6000 is one of the best glues out
there and can be found at any department store with a craft
section. A glue gun will work but isn’t as strong as E6000 and
may pop off when moved around.)
Clay pot
Soil
Herb of your choice
You will make a variety of balls of clay and your largest balls will determine how big your dragon will be. Here are
the amounts of balls needed and their sizes.
1 extra large balls-for head and neck
2 balls of tin foil same size as extra large balls
5 large balls-snout, cheeks and ears
9 medium balls- 2 feet,2 paws,4 horns
2 small balls- nostrils
2 baby balls- eye balls
Go to your sacred space and concentrate on what it is you want your Dragon to do. I ask that he protect and help
keep my plant strong and healthy. I concentrate on this while making my dragon.
Step 1: Take foil and crumple into a ball, the size you make
will decide how large the dragon will be.
Step 2: With more foil form it into a cone shape. This will be
the neck of the dragon. The point will be pointed down to
push into the dirt. Attach the head foil and the neck foil with
more foil and set aside.
Step 3: With one of the extra large balls, roll it out flat onto
wax paper. Place clay onto foil and blend clay edges
together covering the foil head and neck completely.
Step 4: Take one of the large balls and form into a square
shape. Place in center of head to form his snout. Blend into
the clay head.
Step 5: Take two medium balls for cheeks and place on
face. One on each side of the snout. Blend into the face.
(See picture.)
Step 6: Take two small balls and flatten to make a disc shape and place on his snout as his nostrils. Place them on
each side of his snout. With the eraser end of a pencil leave an indent in each nostril.
Step 7: with the eraser end do the same thing above the cheeks to leave an indent for the eyes. Take the two baby
balls and place one in each “eye” socket.
Sep 8: Take two med. Balls and flatten to a disc shape and place above the eyes to form into ears.
Step 9: Take four small balls and twist one end giving the look a Hershey’s Kiss chocolate. Place them between
the ears and down the back of the neck.
Step 10: Take 5 medium balls and form two into paws and two into feet and one into a tail tip.
Step 11: place clay pcs. Into oven and cook under the manufactures directions.
Step 12: after pcs. Are cooled Paint with whatever colors you choose. If you like the ones in my project here is a
chart:
Green: Head and neck
Purple: inside of ears, chest, nostrils
Gold: Horns, eyes, toe nails, nostril holes.
Step 13: Take your black paint and glaze and mix 1 part paint to 3 parts glaze. Brush mixture all over making sure
to get in all the crevices and then gently wipe off leaving the black paint/glaze in those crevices giving the pcs a
more real, aged, look to it and also covers up any mistakes made. This is called antiquing.
Step 14: Take your clay pot and paint two holes at the bottom and one half way up at the side. (See picture)
Step 15: On the two bottom holes glue the feet and to the middle painted hole glue his tail.
Step 16: Fill your pot with your herb and dirt and place his head into the dirt.
Water regularly and watch as your plant grow strong and healthy!
Put this picture alongside the one on the next page and see if you can spot at least 10
things that are different between them. Afterward, you can color the pictures…
Original picture from free clipart.
Pooka decided that early fall
just might be his favorite time of the year. The sky would turn an incredible shade of deep
blue, the mornings would be crisp and the evenings turned cool while the daytime in between
remained warm and lovely. Perfect for rolling around in a bed of catnip – which is what he was
doing at the moment.
He wiggled on his back, crushing the leaves beneath him and releasing their intoxicating scent.
Then he paused, inhaling deeply and lazily surveyed the garden from his upside down position.
Across the yard, he could see Elsie hard at work with her shovel. A few minutes later, she
stomped past him carrying a pot of basil into the cottage. She returned almost immediately,
empty handed.
He closed his eyes and rolled some more. When he opened them a second time, Elsie’s boots
were passing by again. This time it looked like a small lavender bush in the pot she was
carrying. Once more she entered the cottage and, again, emerged empty handed.
This struck the cat as very odd.
So Pooka, even though he was still upside down, kept his eyes open this time and watched as
Elsie picked up her shovel and began digging up a rosemary bush. She placed it in a pot then
carried it past Pooka and into the cottage.
Pooka sat up, squinched his eyes shut and rubbed his face with a paw. Perhaps he’d spent too
much time in his catnip? Maybe Elsie had been in his catnip! Either he was seeing things, or
the little witch was definitely acting strange.
He decided to lick the fur on his tail while he thought about it. But now Elsie was heading
towards the cottage lugging a large pot containing a bay tree!
Was she moving the entire garden? And would it stop there or would she try and put all the
trees and ferns and bushes of the entire forest in their tiny cottage as well?
He decided it was time for an intervention, so the little cat sprang to his paws and planted
himself directly in her path. “What are you doing?!” he demanded.
Elsie almost dropped the bay tree. “Eh?” she grunted.
“Why are you carrying all the plants inside?” That was it, he nodded to himself. She’d been
into his catnip….or maybe even the Elderberry wine that Nathan’s grandmother kept for her
rheumatism. There was no other way to explain her crazy behavior.
The witch shifted her grip on the heavy pot and told him, “I’m not carrying all the plants inside.
Only some of them.”
“Elsie,” explained Pooka patiently. “Plants like being outside.”
She set the pot down and sat next to him on the dirt path next to the catnip. “Some herbs will
die if they get too cold,” she told him. “And I’ve a feeling this is going to be an extra cold
winter. So I’ll bring them inside – just for the winter.”
Pooka thought about this for a few minutes and then said, “But it’s still nice out. Why are you
bringing them into the cottage now?”
Elsie smiled. “Because, as you said – plants like being outside. They have to get used to being
indoors. If I wait until the snow’s coming and then suddenly bring them into the warm cottage
and leave them there, they wouldn’t like that. They could even go into shock and die.”
This was a horrible thought! “So how do you keep that from happening?” asked Pooka
anxiously.
“I start bringing them in now, a couple of weeks before the frost comes,” said Elsie. “I let them
spend the night inside and then, in the morning, take them out again for fresh air and
sunshine.”
“The herbs get to have a sleep-over?” wondered the little cat.
Elsie laughed and nodded. “Then, when it gets really cold, they’ll be used to the inside and, if I
put them in a window this winter where they can see the sun but not get too cold, they’ll be
happy. Then, in the spring, when it gets warm again, they can go back outside.”
Pooka contemplated this for a bit. Finally, he asked, “Maybe you could just ask Nathan’s
Grandmother to knit the herbs some little sweaters?”
“Blessed Be!” exclaimed Elsie and she threw back her head and laughed for a long time. “I
don’t think so!” she said at last, gasping and still giggling.
She stood up and hefted the heavy bay tree into her arms again. “I think this is the last one,”
she said.
“Wait a minute!” Pooka cried. He began digging furiously with his paws. “Don’t forget my
catnip!”
This is a story that takes place long ago, in the time when most legends do.
A man named Culthwch had fallen in love with a giant’s daughter. The giant would not let our hero marry
her, because he had heard that the day his daughter married was the day he would die. So, the father gave
our hero a long list of impossible tasks to do in order to gain the girl’s hand in marriage. One of these tasks
was to get a comb and shears, which lay between the ears of a horrid, huge wild boar. This was going to be
far more complicated than it sounded!
In order to hunt the boar, our hero needed a special dog and, once he got this particular dog, only one man
could control it. His name was Mabon. Sadly, even this was going to be hard to accomplish! Mabon had
been stolen from his mother, Madron, the Earth Goddess, three days after he was born. He’d been held
captive in a secret place ever since. So our hero gathered his friends, who were all strong and brave, and
they set off to look for Mabon.
They decided to start by seeking out the black bird, one of the oldest creatures in the land. Surely he’d be
able to tell them something! So they found the black bird and asked: "Do you know anything of Mabon,
who was stolen from his mother three days after he was born?"
The black bird tilted his head to the side, blue-gray eyes shining. "All the time I have been here there has
been an anvil in that clearing that no one has worked on, except for me sharpening my beak on it. It is
nothing more but a little rock now, and in all that time I have never heard of Mabon. I do know of an animal
older than I, and I can take you to him."
The hero and his friends followed as the black bird led them to a stag. Again they asked, "Do you know
anything of Mabon?"
The stag raised his head from where he was grazing, and chewed thoughtfully on his dinner. "When I first
came here there was only a single antler on either side of my head and no tree grew here save a single oak
tree. That oak tree grew into a large tree with a hundred branches. Long ago that tree fell and now nothing
of it is left except for that stump. In all that time I have never heard of the man you seek. But, I do know of
one older than I and I will take you to him."
The friends all looked at each other and sighed. This was getting a bit old, but they agreed to follow the
stag who led them to an ancient owl. Once more they repeated their question.
The owl fluffed his worn out feathers and fluttered some very tattered, old looking wings, "When I first
came here, this great valley you see before you was just a wooded glen. Then the race of man came and
destroyed it. Then a second forest grew up. This forest you see today is the third such forest. As for me,
my wings have worn down to nothing but stumps. In all that time I have never heard of the man you seek.
But I do know one of the oldest creature in the world and the one who has traveled the most. I will take you
to him."
The friends all slumped their shoulders and sighed very loudly, complaining to each other that our hero
might as well find some other girl to marry. Never the less they followed the owl’s tired flight.
The old owl led them to an eagle, who had flown all over the world and seen many wonderful things. The
group of friends stopped before him, and they all sent silent prayers that this was the last time they would
have to ask this question. "Do you know anything of Mabon, who was stolen three days after he was
born?"
The eagle looked at them sternly and tilted his noble head. "I came here long ago and when I first came I
had a large boulder that I would stand on and peck. Today that stone is less than a hand's-breath in height.
In all that time I haven't heard of the man you seek. But the giant salmon in lake Llyw is the oldest creature
of all. Unless that he knows something of this Mabon you seek, I know of none that can help you."
The tired friends all looked at each other in dismay and were ready to pretty much give up right then, but
our hero convinced them to try one last time. So they thanked the eagle for his help, and grudgingly
followed along behind him to find the salmon. When they did they asked the same dreaded question to the
salmon. "Do you know of Mabon, stolen from his mother three days after he was born?"
The salmon responded quickly, "I swim upstream on every tide to feed near Gloucester. There I hear such
a wailing and carrying on that I’m sure that’s where Mabon is being held. Climb on my shoulders and I’ll
take you there.”
Hope at last! The friends mounted on the giant salmon’s shoulders and he swam them up the river. It was
there that they found Mabon imprisoned, and it was there that they saved him.
Mabon ap Mordron is a Welsh God. His
name means “Great Son of the Great
Mother”. Mordron, his mother, is a Celtic
Mother Goddess of Earth. The festival of
the Second Harvest at the Autumn Equinox
is sometimes named for Him.
Pooka’s PS:
Does it seem to you that these issues of Pooka Pages keep getting longer and fuller?
If so, it’s due to the generous pagan parents that have contributed like Rayne Storm, Ceisiwr Serith ,Christine
Drago, Evelien Roos and (not yet a parent but working on it!) my daughter, Mandy. Thanks, everyone! I know the
kids all appreciate your efforts - as do I.
Parents (and kids!) – if you’d like to write to any of these authors, just send an e-mail to pookachild@hotmail.com
and we’ll make sure it gets to them. They donate their efforts for free and they’d really love to hear from you!
(Pssst: Pooka loves mail too!)
Phoebe Rowbottom has created a special “Elsie & Pooka Appreciation Page” on Facebook. If you’re a
Facebook member, stop by and join, include your thoughts on the magazine and stories, share your
suggestions and ideas, kudos & criticisms. I’ll be visiting frequently to see what you have to say!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=151776378178044#!/group.php?gid=151776378178044&v=photos
Have a Marvelous Mabon & Blessed Be!
from L.C. , Pooka & Grimalkin
PPS. Pooka’s little brother, Grimalkin, now has an on-line journal – Diary of a Familiar-in-Training. It’s
up-dated frequently and filled with his true-life miss-Adventures. Be sure to check it out on
pookapages.com