Dragon's Eye Update for December 2022

Dragon's Eye Adventures has been a source of deep joy for me for the ten years I was able to run. The detectives complete a creative process that starts with extensive research and development involving history, lore and myth--three of my favorite subjects to study. The stories aren't done until the children arrive -- and we move through each chapter finding those "Aha!" moments.

That spark of discovery and joy is my favorite experience in life. It may come from the piecing together of clues for an understanding that was hidden. It may come from the decoding of a cipher, the solving of a puzzle or the opening of a Dream Box.

That spark also shows up when we sew on the eyes of our little creatures. One moment, we're holding pieces of felt, and the next moment, the tiny black beads transform into eyes and a living creature is looking back at us.

Watching the creature hop, leap or dance away in the hands of a delighted sewer is pure joy. The play begins right then and there, as the children discover that their Tomte have strange powers of cantilevering on the edge of a table or their Moon Rabbits have a secret voice.

These are the true sources of magic in my life -- and the reason the detectives, Oliver and I feel so deeply about our experiences with the dragons. Exercising the imagination is one part of the magic, but discovering connections keeps us going even when the bad guys seem to be winning.

This ability to keep going in the face of adversity is a key part of the Dragon's Eye experience -- and it is this resillience that is being tested for me outside of the game.

The last year and a half have been challenging. My mother died in Aug of 2021, and my older brother died a month later. This was a time when I was going through serious health issues pointing toward cancer. This year, the cancer materialized, and I have had surgery to remove it. Radiation treatments are next, so I am out of commision when it comes to Dragon's Eye Adventures.

Looking back on the summer of 2022, I understand now why I was so exhaisted when preparing for the program in May and June. On top of the cancer, I had anemia. That has taken months of iron infusions, iron pills, and an emergency blood transfusion to correct. On top of this, I caught Covid in July, which shut down the last four adventures.

The healing from the surgery has been extra challenging, so perseverence has become my sole focus this fall. I had hoped to run two holidays in November, but that was not possible.

Right now, I am unsure of where Dragon's Eye Adventures stands. I want to thank Oliver and the children for an amazing ten years of sparkling joy and discovery. I hope that families took away as much as I did from our collective imaginings.

If stamina returns, I may pick up the adventures in the future, but for now, the dragons are quietly dreaming of "Aha!" moments.

 

Summer 2022, Wk 2 - The Fairy Queen's Flock

Oliver Van Soest wrote and led this session's adventure. "The Fairy Queen's Flock" began with a dream about a Banshee Queen in County Cork, Ireland. The dream gave just enough clues to lead the team to a fairy mound outside of Morrow.

There they found a friendly cow who provided a bowl of milk as a gift for the fairy queen. The team faced some challenges with a fence that changed from chain links to iron, growing taller and stronger until the detectives found a way to coax the fence into letting them into the site.

The mist surrounding the mound proved an even more challenging foe, but the detectives made it to the cairn at the top of the mound. Their Dragon's Eyes revealed the invisible crevice, and into the mound our team went, following long, winding tunnels deep into the hill. The guard at the door to the Banshee Queen's hall appreciated the sip of milk they offered.

The Banshee Queen Cliodhna (Clee-ohth_nuh) was beside herself. The team's careful protection for their ears was not enough to fight the waves coming from her wailing cries. The detectives had to sneak up on her when her back was turned, and then find a way to calm her so they could talk.

The queen revealed that her precious baby birds were losing their color and songs. These rainbow-colored birds reside on the enchanted island of Tir na nOg, across the sea. They feed from the apples of immortality there, and their songs bring healing and peace to the living. Our team agreed to travel to the island, to find out why the birds were losing their color and their songs.

They traveled to see the ghost of Oisin the Poet, one of the few mortals to travel to the fairy island of Tir na nOg who returned. Along the way, they had some serious yarnball games with the invisible One-Footed Hoppers. The hoppers warned them that they were offending the Banshee Queen--a very confusing message at the time.

The team was able to find Oisin's grave, but when they spoke with the ghost, their Secret Keepers began to glow. They narrowly escaped a Changeling's trickery to send them home. Finally, they met Oisin and learned about his story. He told them how he traveled across the sea on a white horse, so they chose to use one of their dragons to make a boat.

The boat set out to sea, but wouldn't you know, it was swallowed by a sea serpent. Fortunately, they found some unusual company in the belly of the sea monster, and managed to solve their problem, the musician's problem -- and feed the sea serpent at the same time. A win-win-win for all involved.

At last, the detectives reached the fairy island of Tir na nOg. They were met by a white cat who gave Ballerina Kitty a run for her money in terms of fright factor. Calm kitty. Crazy kitty. Calm kitty. Crazy kitty. After a battle against the cat and her one-footed minions, the team could sit down to learn the cat's story.

Her name was Aibell (Ay-vel) Her harp was creating the dangerous music that was draining the birds' color and songs. She was mad at Cliodhna, her twin sister, because she was the one who turned her into a white cat. The two had many feuds as sisters, so when Cliodhna arrived, the scene was barely civil at first.

Our team of detectives had their hands full convincing them that it was in their best interest to let go of their feud. They helped Cliodhna realize that leaving Aibill as a cat was not fair -- and would only result in her beloved birds' death. Our clever sleuths came up with multiple ways the sisters could get along again, and all ended well for the Aibell, Cliodhna and the Birds of Peace and Healing.

A very special thank you goes to Oliver for this wonderful adventure. It was inspiring to watch him lead the group through the story. Thanks also to our older detectives who helped make this week possible. Their assistance as honorary CITs really made a difference!

Picture of the birds the detectives made are found on our Facebook page in this album. Photos of the adventure are here.

Summer 2022 Wk 1: The Midnight Cat -- Recap

The first mystery of the summer featured a story called "The Midnight Cat." The detectives purchased their 3-Penny Mystery from Madame Drak with pennies found by my sister, Jennaya Duke, who lives in Arizona. The dragons sent the first dream -- and it was a doozy of a nightmare: A stolen amulet, a capture Rat Queen and shadow cats chasing the detectives across the night sky of London.

The team traveled to the Museum of Anitediluvian Antiquities (Old, Old Stuff) in London. A black jackal followed them, and they had a nice chat with a man sitting outside the museum. The police were there investigating the theft of an Egyptiana artifact, so the detectives used the Oroborus to reach the third floor storage room from their dreams.

The Eye of the Sun guarded the box holding the Rat Queen. After vaniquishing the Shadow Cats guarding the box, the team was able to negotiate with the Eye. A clever win-win solution was found: The detectives got what was in the box, fulfilling their mission, and the Eye got to continue guarding the box, fulfilling its mission.

The Rat Queen revealed the identity of her captor: Onyx Bast, curator of the Egyptian collection at the museum. The team decoded an open letter code, learning that Onyx planned to meet a partner in Paris, at the famous flea market called Les Puces.

Tracking Onyx through the flea market led to a secret tent and an auction for all kinds of magical artifacts. Many magical beings were present, including the man from the bench the team met in London. He managed to steal some of the team's personal artifacts, causing much concern when he used them to bid on items at the auction.

Our team did some bidding of their own -- and later traded those for their artifacts, keeping only the magical kiwi bird.

Onyx's purpose at the auction became clear only at the end, when she and the "bench man" battled the auctioneer for something hidden in his pack. A huge yarnball game featuring flying spells of all kinds -- freezing magic, zombie transformations, and shadow cat evocations -- was held. Onyx and her partner (Dogtooth Spar -- Rebecca spilled the beans on the name, as Onyx and Dogtooth talked with one another during the game) escaped.

Fortunately, the gnome auctioneer knew where the two were going. He told the detectives the story of le Chat Noir and Henri Riviere's magical shadow puppet performances. Henri Riviere accidentally activated a Magic Lantern that had the power to open the Shadow Realms. He and his fellow artists found that they had opened an ancient Egyptian prison, holding a ferocious shadow creature.

When Onyx and Dogtooth tried to steal the lantern from Riviere, he hid the crystal orbs inside his paintings, and gave the Magic Lantern to the gnome auctioneer to keep safe. He also managed to hide Onyx Bast's amulet, a gift from her mother, the Egyptian cat goddess. That amulet made its way over time to the museum collection.

So Onyx and Dogtooth were gathering all the pieces they needed, to try to open the Shadow Realms again, to relase the wild prisoner.

After a visit to Le Chat Noir on its closing day in 1897 Paris, the detectives entered the paintings of Henri Riviere, racing against Dogtooth and Onyx to find the location of the crystal orbs. The results of those visits may be seen in the shadow puppetry on the Dragon's Eye Facebook page. Here is a link.

The detectives secured three orbs, while Dogtooth won one orb -- so both sides met to negotiate in Le Chat Noir. The team learned the identity of the myserious prisoner in the shadow realms. Let's just say they worked out yet another win-win solution, where everyone received their heart's desire. The world was saved from a destructive and chaotic force, and the two thieves were happy and ready to give up their thieving ways because someone much beloved was coming home.

Photos of the games, the shadow puppetry and artwork from the week are on the Facebook page!

Many thanks to the older detectives who stepped in to play Onyx for the games! We had a spectacular first week -- wonderful sewing projects, fun mystery, clever deductions, and hilarious moments with the kiwi bird.

First Day of Session I: Midnight Cat

Today is the first day of the Summer 2022 season! This will be the final season of Dragon's Eye Adventures, so I am excited to have six sessions full.

We are at Bowdoin College, in the theater on the first floor of Sills Hall. Read the "First Day Reminders" tab for notes about drop off, pickup, masks and what to bring.

Oliver and I can't wait to start our mysteries! He will be debuting his first adventure during our second session, and working as my Assistant Director for the first time.

Summer Plans with the Dragons

The osprey are back in Maine, along with the spring warblers. As the seasons move into the growing season, the summer is just around the corner. Dragon's Eye Adventures still has openings in Sessions III and VI, so if your young detective mage would like to join us, there is still time!

Session III features the mystery called "The Bottle Tree." This story draws upon southern traditions and beliefs of the Gullah and Geechee people of the lowlands and islands oof Georgia and the Carolinas. Blue bottles are hung upside down on small trees, as a kind of fly trap for evil spirits, keeping homes safe. Our story examines what happens when a collector's collection of spirits threatens to break loose.

Session IV involves the adventure called "The Crossroads of Knowledge." It draws on my love of libraries. My journey has led me from library to library in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Boston, and Maine -- creating a kind of map of books. We will be making book nooks as part of our story -- these are magical nooks that lead to tiny rooms or back alleys or mossy grottoes ... or the legendary library in Alexandria, Egypt.

More about these two mysteries may be found by clicking their titles.

Details about dates, times, and fees are on the Current Programs tab.
Registration forms and directions are on the Registratin & Contacts tab.

The Rat Queen Begins Next Tuesday, Apr. 19 at Freeport Middle School

The Rat Queen and the Secret Keeper

Dragon's Eye is hosting a new adventure for April vacation. The program runs from 9 AM to 4 PM Tuesday through Friday next week at the Freeport Middle School. We will be in the library, so entrance will be through the main doors of the school.

All staff and participants have been vaccinated for Covid-19. We will be using social distancing this week, but masks are optional. 

Drop off will be in the hall outside the library -- so parents may enter the building with their child. Children over 12 may sign themselves in and out of the program, but children under that age need an adult to accompany them during drop-off and to sign out at the end of the day.

Please remember that any sick child should stay home! Please monitor your child's temperature and wellness each morning. Staff will ask about wellness each day.

Two snacks are provided each day. Children should bring a lunch and a water bottle. If a child has special food needs, then send two snacks marked clearly for morning and afternoon. No sodas or candies should be included with lunches. We do not have a peanut allergy this week, so children are welcome to bring nuts.

If you have questions, email me at dragonseyeadventures@gmail.com. Texting is the most efficient way to reach me during program hours. I do check email at lunch and the end of the day, but texting 207-350-5926 is a faster way to reach me.

Dragon's Eye Summer Location Decided

Dragon's Eye Adventures will be at Bowdoin College for the Summer 2022 season. We will be located in the auditorium of Sills Hall, at 1 North Campus Rd., Brunswick. I am happy to return to the Bowdoin College campus, which has outstanding spaces for our outdoor play. 

We will miss the fabulous machines from the Searles' Science building, but the Sills Hall auditorium will be a great space for the Basic Sneak games we play. 

Bowdoin's buildings are no longer open to the public, so we've been told our hallway games in other buildings will no longer be allowed, but the auditorium stage should allow for some excellent games on rainy days. Creative use of limited space has always been our hallmark!

The April vacation program will still be at Freeport Middle School, in the library, under the auspices of RSU5 Community Programs. I am so grateful to RSU5 Community Programs for the continuing support for our school year programs. We had a lot of fun at the Freeport Middle School last summer, and will continue to work with the organization to provide school-year holiday and vacation programs.

Pick up and drop off at both places will continue to be curbside. I am working with both organizations to finalize the details about masks, distancing and other Covid-related practices -- so expect an email close to the start date for each program.

Summer 2022, Session I: The Midnight Cat

The Midnight Cat
RL McNulty

The Summer 2022 season begins with "The Midnight Cat." The program runs from 9 AM to 4 PM on June 27 through July 1. This five-day adventure is for children entering grades 3 through 9. The location for the adventure is still being determined.

The mystery is among the oldest and most re-written stories from the Dragon's Eye treasury. It features my favorite villain, with the record for the most escapes. One group of detectives followed this elusive jewel thief through five different mysteries, until detectives were vowing to spend their entire professional years guarding the prison door.

This session introduces the character to our team.

A mysterious jewel thief known as the Midnight Cat leaves a trail of coded messages that leads the detectives on a wild romp through London. All roads lead to 19th century Paris, and the studio of an artist whose famous shadow plays hid a secret. Can the detectives catch this wily thief, or will the Midnight Cat vanish into the shadowlands following a game of cat and mouse?

We will be crafting Cat's Eye jewels and Shadow Puppets for this session.

 

Summer 2022, Session II: The Fairy Queen's Flock

The second session of the summer is called "The Fairy Queen's Flock" This program will run from 9 AM to 4 PM from June 5 through 8. This is a four-day mystery, with Monday off. The location is still to be determined.

"The Fairy Queen's Flock" is the first mystery written by Oliver Van Soest. He is returning for his fourth summer as assistant, and we have all enjoyed his hilarious cartoon summaries of our mysteries each season. Oliver started as a detective in the program, so I am excited to be featuring his first mystery. The story draws on Oliver's recent studies in Irish mythology and literature.

Trouble lurks in the fairy realms when the Birds of Peace and Healing begin to lose their color. The mystery leads into the fairy mounds of Ireland and across a mythical sea to the Otherworld realms of Tir na NOg. Can the detectives save the Birds before their songs go silent?

Our project this week will feature Fey Creatures. Detectives will be summoning these creatures for help in their mystery.

 

Summer 2022, Session III: The Bottle Tree

The third session of the summer is "The Bottle Tree" for grades 4 through 9. This program runs from 9 am to 4 pm on July 11 through July 15. The location is still to be determined.

A Root Doctor calls upon the detectives for some assistance with the mischievous spirits captured by her Bottle Tree. Truth and lies entwine as the tiny spirits lead our team deeper and deeper into the realms of Gullah and Geechee folklore from the sea islands and lowlands of Georgia and the Carolinas.

Along the way, the detectives will learn about the resilience of Gullah Geechee culture.

Our project this week will be inspired by the quiltmakers of Gee's Bend. We will make quilted pouches to hold our Sea Island Secret Keepers.

Summer 2022, Session IV: Solomon's Ring

Solomon's Ring
RL McNulty 2022

The fourth session of the 2022 summer season is an adventure for grades 4 through 9 called "Solomon's Ring." The program runs from 9 am to 4 pm, with the location to be determined.

Our story draws upon Hebrew, Arabic and Ethiopian legends about Solomon and his legendary ring of power. Last summer, the detectives visited the Market at Wits End, where all things lost and found make their way through the goblin market. Our team purchased Solomon's Ring on behalf of Dog Tinker, a dream mage who has helped the detectives on several cases.

We knew this would lead to trouble -- and it has.

Dog Tinker's cat comes to the detectives in need of their help. It seems that Dog Tinker left his studio after a visit by a magical being. No trace of him can be found in this world or the dream world, so the detectives must follow the clues Dog left concerning his plans.

Our team will trace the ring's journey through the dreamtime to the African kingdom of Ethiopia, following legends and rumors from the animal kingdom.

We will be making Animal Totems and pouches to hold them, drawing on the rich fauna of Ethiopia. Think black lions, hyenas, rhinos, hippoes and gazelles -- some very rare species, others common if you live in Ethiopia. These totems will bring help from the creatures, and allow communication in their language. Something very useful in finding Dog Tinker!

 

Summer 2022, Session V: The Shadow Dragons

The Shadow Dragon
RL McNulty 2022

 

The fifth mystery of the summer is "The Shadow Dragons," which runs from 9 am to 4 PM, on July 25 through July 29. This adventure is for detectives entering grades 4 through 9. The location is still to be determined.

The story draws on ancient dragon lore from Tibet and China, augmented by the Dragon's Eye lore about the Nine Dreamers. Dog Tinker will be teaching our team a powerful, magical dance, using a Tibetan drum, so the detectives may enter the Shadow Realms in safety.

We will meet three of the Nine Dreamers in this adventure. The Nine Dreamers call heroes to begin their journey as dragon mages and detectives. They live in Mt. Draig, and send their dreams through the Jewel of the Dragon's Eye. Each dreamer has a gift, an area of expertise -- and those gifts are part of what they awaken in the detectives who choose to walk the Heroes' Path of Honor.

Our art project will feature Portable Gau. These are tiny, portable shrines that hold bits of cloth, prayer and magic. Tibetans place a tiny figure of the Buddha or one of the Taras, or a Hindu god or goddess of personal meaning to them. For Dragon's Eye, the Gau will hold secrets about each detective's dragon.

Summer 2022, Session VI: Crossroads of Knowledge

Crossroads of Knowledge
RL McNulty 2022

The final session of the 2022 Summer season will feature a mystery called "The Crossroads of Knowledge." The session is for children entering grades 4 through 9. The program runs from 9 AM to 4 PM, with its location still to be determined.

Our mystery this week involves a search for the lost Book of Thoth. All Spirit Roads lead to the library at Alexandria, shrine to the nine Muses and home to countless works of linterature, science, mathematics and astronomy. Our story will draw upon Egyptian and Greek history, legend and myth, with visits by Thoth, the Egyptian god of language and writing.

Ptolemy's reasons for creating the great library and center of learning and study will also be explored, with a brief introduction to the ideas of Plato, Socrates and Aristotle. The value of books and learning to society is at the heart of this adventure.

This sessions art project will focus on Book Nooks. These delightful inserts for library shelves are like miniature havens for the Keepers of Books. In our story, these book nooks will become portals that librarians use to reach other libraries in space and time. Each detective will be able to make their own miniature portal to their favorite mythical place where books are valued as the treasures they are.

Detectives are welcome to bring their own materials to add to their nooks. They are about six inches by 4.5 inches x 2 inches, so only the tiniest miniatures will fit! We will have Sculpey in many colors, to make those tiny props.

 

April Vacation 2022

Dragon's Eye Adventures will host an April vacation program under RSU5 Community Programs in Freeport. Our four-day adventure will run from Tuesday, April 19 through Friday, April 22, from 9 AM to 4 PM. We will be in the library at the Freeport Middle School, at 19 Kendall Lane in Freeport. The fee for this program is $250.

Our mystery is called The Rat Queen. The story is a sequel to last summer's adventure. The Market at Wits' End. Wile traveling through the sewers of London, our team of detectives made a promise to the Rat Queen, in exchange for safe passage through her realms. This April, the Rat Queen will summon the team for help with a missing Secret Keeper. It's back to the sewers, where our heroes discover word about a legend growing among the Toshers -- a legend about the Disappearing Ghost Children of the London sewers.

We will be making Sewer Rats with tiny backpacks full of found items. Trash or treasure? It’s all in the eye of the Beholder!