Summer 2021, Session I: Ship of Fools

Ship of Fools
RL McNulty 2020
Micron Pen & Colored Pencil

The first session of the Summer 2021 season will feature a mystery called The Ship of Fools. This five-day adventure for detectives entering grades 2 through 6 runs on June 28 through July 2 from 9 AM to 4 PM, with After Hours until 5:30 PM as needed. We will be using Room 122 of the Freeport Middle School, 19 Kendall Lane, Freeport, ME -- as part of the RSU5 Community Programs.

This mystery draws on Russian folktales about the Fool of the World and the Flying Ship. Our detectives must learn what combination of skills, knowledge, wisdom--and folly--it takes to steer a ship through the celestial seas. Good thing chickens are along for the ride! What can go wrong with chickens on board?

Our projects will include celestial navigators in tiny, winged ships.

Summer 2021, Session II: Yemaya's Gardens

Yemaya's Dobbin
RL McNulty, 2020
Micron Pen &
Colored Pencil

Session II will offer a brand new adventure called Yemaya's Gardens. The program runs from 9 AM to 4 PM, with After Hours until 5:30 PM, on July 6 - 9. This is a four day program, running from Tuesday through Friday. Detectives entering 2nd through 6th grades are welcome. We will hold this in Room 122 of the Freeport Middle School, 19 Kendall Lane, Freeport, ME, as part of the RSU5 Community Programs.

This adventure draws on the Santeria tradition of Orisha, drawing upon a mix of Yoruba and Caribbean myths about the sea goddess known as Yemaya. We will also learn about the living creatures of the sea, and discuss the environmental threats facing our coral reefs.

Here is the description for Yeamaya's Gardens:

The detectives are called to the Caribbean to investigate troubles in the watery realms of Yemaya, the Orisha of the sea. The seahorses are vanishing, including Yemaya’s beloved dobbin, her hardworking farm horse of the sea. Can the team find the dobbin in time to save the sea queen’s gardens?

We will be crafting sea creatures and coral reef gardens.

Summer 2021, Session III: Mask of Dreams

Mask of Dreams
RL McNulty 2020
Micron Pen & Colored Pencil

Mask of Dreams is one of the tried-and-true classic adventures for Dragon's Eye Adventures, first written in 1996. This summer, it will be the feature story for Session III, July 12 - 16. Detectives entering grades 4 through 9 are invited to tackle this mystery. The program runs from 9 AM to 4 PM, with After Hours until 5:30 as needed. We will be in Room 122 of the Freeport Middle School, 19 Kendall Lane, Freeport, ME, as part of the RSU5 Community Programs.

This mystery draws on Greek myths about dreams. Here is the description:

A mysterious mask leads the Detectives to ancient Greece to seek counsel from the Oracle at Delphi. It’s a race against time, as the Detectives enter the Underworld in search of two dream jewels. Will Morpheus the god of dreams help, or will the world plunge into a chaos of nightmares come true?

Our projects include a double-sided mask of dreams and nightmares.

Summer 2021, Session IV: The Market at Wits' End

Market at Wits' End
RL McNulty, 2020
Micron Pen & Colored Pencil

The fourth session of the 2021 summer is a five-day mystery for grades 4 thru 9 called The Market at Wits' End. The program will run on July 19 - 23, from 9 AM to 4 PM, with After Hours until 5:30 as needed. We will be in Room 122 at the Freeport Middle School, 19 Kendall Lane, Freeport, ME, as part of the RSU5 Community Programs.

I planned this story before the pandemic, and it seems strangely appropriate after a year of Covid-19. We will delve into some of the Victorian era history about underground London, touching on the pandemics that occurred in the 1850s and 1870s. The legend  about black boars in the sewers took hold during this fearful time, as did the tradition of wearing gloves in public.

Detectives who solved the mystery "Goat and Ger" will recognize this story as a follow-up for that adventure. Sleuths with keen eyesight may also spot some clues about one of our favorite villains, returning with a little pocket change. "Would you like a penny?"

Here is the description for our adventure:

A timid wild goat asks the detectives for help finding a legendary trade fair known as the Market at Wits' End. A visit to a hidden library reveals that the path leads through the sewers of London. Those passageways are guarded by a host of wild black boars. Pack your hazmat suits! We're headed to realms where the muck is piled high!

Our projects include Book Nooks and Wits’ End Treasures for trade at the market.

Summer 2021, Session V: The Book of Dragons

The Book of Dragons
RL McNulty, 2016
Micron pen & Colored Pencil

Session V of the Summer 2021 season features a story called The Book of Dragons. This mystery is for all ages, entering grades 2 through 9. It will be held in Room 122 at Freeport Middle School, 19 Kendall Lane, in Freeport, ME, as part of the RSU5 Community Programs. The program operates from 9 AM to 4 PM, with after hours until 5:30 PM available as needed.

The Book of Dragons was inspired by Chen Rong's Nine Dragon Scroll. The history behind this scroll is quite fascinating, and the scroll itself is among my favorite works of art. It can be viewed at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. A virtual version of the scroll can be viewed here.

I have blended the history of the scroll with the Dragon's Eye mythology we have been building for many years. So this mystery brings together a little history, Chinese mythology about dragons, and Dragon's Eye concepts about dragonmages. Here is the description of this adventure:

An old scroll from China holds clues to the location of a manuscript known as The Book of Dragons. This legendary book records the names and skills of the most ancient dragonmages. Can the Detectives find the book before it falls into the wrong hands?

Our activities this week include pen, ink and watercolor Dragon Scrolls, and beautiful dragon jewels.

Summer 2021 Hopes

Dragon's Eye Adventures will offer five adventures this summer.

Details about each week will be coming, along with the Summer 2021 newsletter. Registration by email is now open, with paperwork coming within the next few days!

Dragon's Eye is moving to Freeport, to join the wonderful slate of summer offerings by RSU5 Community Programs. We will be holding our adventures at the Freeport Middle School.

The space there is wonderful -- we have a quiet wing to ourselves, with access to trails, the fields, and a sweet little pond. The hallways are perfect for our sneaking games, and we have enough space to spread out during these challenging times!

Masks and social distancing will be required, along with temperature checks. I will be sending more information about this as we get closer to the summer, since the CDC guidelines are changing.

Our games will adapt to the guidelines, too. I have never been more grateful for the ability to adapt to creative challenges! Some of our favorite games with yarnballs will have to shift, but our basic sneak should be intact. Those floating eyeballs zap from a distance already!

Details about the weeks are on the Current Programs tab. Our prices have had to increase, thanks to the extra expenses that social distancing and a new location bring. Some scholarships are available to assist with the fees.

The Hero's Call

  

Thinking of the heroes of the Dragon's Eye on this important day. We tell stories full of strange and unexpected challenges, ominous threats, and the small heroic actions of ordinary people, because of days like this. May our courage, compassion, and wisdom carry us as we right this ship.

Summer 2020 Cancellation

After careful study of the CDC and state guidelines for operating summer programs during the pandemic, I have decided that it is not safe to run the Dragon's Eye programs this year.

I will be creating some fun project tutorials for detectives, so be sure to follow Dragon's Eye Adventures on Facebook.

I wish the Dragon's Eye families good health and safety this year -- and hope that we will return next year for more adventuring!

---Rebecca McNulty

New Addition, Summer Session VI: The Book of Dragons

Dragon's Eye Adventures will add one more session to our Summer 2020 selection of mysteries. The program will run from August 10 to 14, from 9 AM to 4 PM, with after hours available until 5:30. We will be located at the Landing YMCA in Brunswick. Detectives ages 7 to 14 are welcome!

"The Book of Dragons" draws upon Chinese history and myth. The detectives are called to the Boston Museum of Fine Art to investigate the magic surrounding a famous scroll. Chen Rong's "Nine Dragon Scroll" has been altered and the detectives need to find out why before all kinds of chaos begins to erupt.

We will be delving into the dragon realms for this mystery, with new details about the Book of Dragons. Each detective will be developing their own page for the Book of Dragons, so lessons in drawing and painting dragons are part of our week's plans!

March 13: "March Hares" Art Day

A Moon Rabbit sits next to a Honey Bee and its Flower

On Friday, March 13, Dragon's Eye will offer a one-day art program called "March Hares." This program is open to children in grades 2 through 8. It will be held from 9 AM to 4 PM, with After Hours until 5:30 PM, at the Landing YMCA in Brunswick (24 Venture Dr.)

Our art activity will feature adorable miniature Moon Rabbits. These tiny colorful hares are quick and easy to sew, so we will have fun making little moon nests for them, too.

These Moon Rabbits become a magical creature that can be brought to future Dragon's Eye mysteries. They have a special Moon Magic that can be used one time within each adventure.

February Vacation 2020: The Jewel of Winter's Dreaming

The Jewel of Winter's Dreaming
by RL McNulty 2020
Micron Pen & Colored Pencil

Dragon's Eye will be offering a five-day adventure during February vacation (Feb. 17 - 21). We will be running on President's Day -- a change from past years. The program opens at 9 AM and ends at 4 PM, with After Hours available until 5:30 PM on Monday through Thursday. Detectives in grades 2 through 8 are welcome to attend. The program will be held at the Landing YMCA, 24 Venture Dr., Brunswick.

The story is "The Jewel of Winter's Dreaming." It involves the Dragon's Eye Tomtes, who are the house gnomes who guard the detectives' agencies Turf and Twig. We have met Madog the Tomte is past adventures, along with his wife, Rhosyn, and their five children.

Madog and Rhosyn have a middle daughter named Nerys. In November, Nerys brought a diamond-encrusted lizard home from the Dunraven Fair. The two have become best friends, but now, Nerys and the lizard have vanished. 

The detectives follow the clues into the lizard realms—and anyone who came to “The Lizards of Solomon’s Mines” knows that means rollercoasters, treasures of the earth, and dangers lurking underground.

We will be making tiny mining carts for our Tomtes, and accessories for our Tomte houses. Detectives should bring their Tomtes and houses! Those who don’t have one can make a Tomte to go along with their mining cart.

Friday, April 17: Moon Landing

Alien Robot UFO's called Skeeters
RL McNulty 2019
Vintage Oil Lamp Parts, Sculpey, Glass Cabochons

Dragon's Eye will host a one-day art program for grades 2 through 8 on Friday, April 17. This is a Professional Day for the Brunswick schools. The day will begin at 9 AM and end at 4 PM, with After Hours until 5:30 as needed.

A day of art activities based on the outer space theme for April Showers. We will be making Space Stations for UFO landings on the moon, using cardboard and junk to construct individual designs. 

For those detectives attending the "April Showers" adventure, the space stations will be part of that story. They provide a special boost to the powers of the Skeeters we'll be making that week. The photo posted here shows what Skeeters are.