Word of the Month

 A vuvuzela, sometimes called a "lepatata" (its Setswana name) or a stadium horn, is a blowing horn, approximately one metre in length, commonly blown by fans at association football matches in South Africa. They require some lip and lung strength to blow and emit a loud monotone like a foghorn or an elephant.^[1] Vuvuzelas have been controversial and can be distracting to players and coaches, ^[2] and can also damage hearing.^[3]

Thanks to www.wikipedia.com.

www.whalecottage.com 

CONTENTS

STORIES

The Adventures of Juniper Silverheel - Part 9

The Hunters - Part 2

A Visit to the Queen

A Story Within a Story - Part 4

Beyond Juniper Silverheel - Part 1

Orchestral Instruments - Woodwinds

Poem - There is

Recipe - Gardener's Pie

Beyond Juniper Silverheel

Part 1

Star (13)

PART 1 - Types of Fairy
There are four main groups of fairies; Eventide fairies, Forest fairies, Flower fairies and Water fairies.

Eventide fairies
A High fairy who brings light to those in need. Though most fairies glow, this is only a magical glow which can be seen by fairies or those gifted with The Sight. Eventide fairies glow to everyone. They help those in need; they are so to say, the healing fairies. They are also very intelligent and rank highest among the fairies. They are the smallest of all fairies; normally no more than three inches tall. They are often chosen to be the highest members of the Imperial court, which is a fairy base where all types of fairies gather in an emergency and where fairies whom have broken a serious fairy laws are trialled.

Forest fairies
Protectors of trees; among the oldest line of fairies. Forest fairies are the second highest ranking fairies and are often chosen to be members of the Imperial court. They naturally know all the secrets of the forest and are generally wise. Juniper is a forest fairy though he is not as wise as forest fairies generally are. This is probably because of the stress of his situation and in the sudden manner it was brought upon him. Forest fairies do not like sudden changes and they like to have time to think things through. They also like to have control of their situation. They do not adapt well to confusion. They are the tallest of all fairies and are usually up to six inches tall, sometimes even seven inches. Not normally shorter than three inches. Generally elf like.

Flower fairies
Joyful caretaker of flowers and meadows. Flower fairies are generally playful and fun loving. They take care of gardens and live in, and around, flowers. They rank third on the fairy scale. They love to dance and aren't very careful. They are also very curious. But they are not totally childish. When threatened they will use what magic they have to defend their homes. They are also very loyal to the Imperial court and Fairy councils. They are usually about four or five inches tall.

Water fairies
A fun-loving denizen of watery places. Water fairies are the cheekiest of all fairies. They love to break rules and sometimes the more serious rules of the Imperial court. They rank at the bottom of the fairy ranking system. They will often play pranks on humans and remain fun-loving and childish all their lives. They are usually about two to four inches tall.

To be continued ...

Back to top

The Adventures of Juniper Silverheel

Part 9

Star (13) and Nova (12)

Kanoko gave me a typically charming eventide grin before following Loom through the large leaves.

“Hey! Wait!” I shouted. “Where are you going, Kanoko?” He turned around and halted in the air.

“With Loom.”
“But she said that you would go with me!” I said desperately.

 “Yes, but first we have an appointment with the council of the eventides.” He smiled again.

“But someone has to track my wife, don't they?!”

“Just believe in your skills for once, Juniper!” he shouted, disappearing past the leaves.

“But ...” I shouted, starting to fly after him.

I pushed my way through the leaves, but when I plunged into the light of the sun, they had disappeared. I sank back down hopelessly onto a branch.

Now what? I thought to myself. I went to my pack and glimpsed something poking out of the top. It was a lustrous, deep-green leaf that appeared to be holding something. It was a map and scribbled on it was a note from Kanoko (the only eventide with such bad handwriting I was sure!). I read the note aloud;

“Juniper,

This should get you started.

I'll meet you at Vine Valley .

Kanoko”

I looked at the map. I undid the vine that held the bundle together and tossed a golden compass onto my palm. According to the map (which showed fairies and humans in need, alike) Elvena was North, heading to Nocturna Suppresso. I wound the map up and put it in my bag with my compass. I knew how to get where I wanted to from here and so I would not need it until later. Vine Valley was basically in the direction of where Elvena was going. It was only a little detour. After I had slipped the items back into my leaf bag, I slung the bag over my shoulders and started to jog up a branch before running up a twig that was connected to the branch. I swung myself into the air when there was nowhere else to run and that beautiful sensation flooded through my body in a wave of relief to be flying again. I flew all day, gaining the lost time quickly. It was but five o'clock by the time I had reached the first vine that flew out from Vine Valley .

www.travelpod.com 

I decided to have a break so I flew down to a huge fern tree to have a boost from a honey blob. Kanoko hadn't been there, but I couldn't wait around. Should I wait? I argued with myself. Maybe he's just a little behind schedule ... I worried while I gobbled down the honey blob crumbs. No, I thought. He could find me if I got into trouble. I pulled out my little compass and the map. Where to now? I scanned the page, catching up on my adventure so far. I had flown over the Ebro River and I was now at the base of the mountains that bordered the Willow Fay territory from Skimming Fay. Humans called these mountains Andorra , but we called them Anhilna. I halted at the bottom to take a breath, staring up at the huge mound. I couldn't even begin to imagine the top of it. Anhilna meant happiness. I couldn't imagine where it got its name! It seemed so gloomy and the invisible clouds (only seen by our kind and not humans) that hung silently around it held a chilling hint of danger.

Suddenly I thought that maybe I should wait in Vine Valley just a little longer for Kanoko; only till the next morning when I would be refreshed. But Kanoko would know, wouldn't he? He knew where I was going more than I did - I only hoped he knew enough. Decided, I flew back to Vine Valley , glad to be turning my back on those mountains which were definitely not happy, at least for a little while. It didn't seem to take as long on the way back as it had on the way there. I guess that was good because I arrived there just a few minutes before Kanoko turned up.

“Kanoko!” I exclaimed. “I almost left with out you!”

“I'm sure you did”, he replied. “I'm afraid I have to explain a few things to you, Juniper. I didn't have time before I left.” He looked strangely grave as he said this.

“What ...?” Confusion broke my voice, and I drifted into a choke.

“The situation is more serious than I thought”, said Kanoko. “Only a day before the Pravus Elders and the Abydusses were unleashed, one of the two highest members of the Imperial Court died. Two days later the other died also. So we have basically lost a King and a Queen within three days. Now the whole of the fairy world is in turmoil!”

To be continued ...

The Hunters

Part 2

Roania (10) and Hermia (12)

Chapter 1 - Kartar

The sparrows alerted me the poison weavers we were hunting were nearby. I went to alert Rolager (the leader of our party). He was sketching out possible places for the poison weavers to be. When I told him, he said:

“Good. That'll save time. Tell everyone to get prepared. We're starting.”
“Yes, sir. What about Garnad, Gregory and Ben, sir? They're out scouting.”
“They should have returned by the time we finish preparing.”
“Yes, sir.”
Just as I was walking out they came in to deliver their report. We nodded acknowledgments and they entered. I heard Ben say:

“We saw one strange thing. But I doubt it'll interest you much, sir.”
I doubled back to listen.
“Everything interests me”, said Rolager.
“Well”, said Gregory. “We saw this strange little girl.”
“Mmm.”
“As soon as walked up she went into this sort of cat-like crouch.”
“She was so fast, it was almost as though she was already crouching”, added Garnad.
“Well”, continued Gregory. “She backed away and like that she had a loaded bow in her hands.”
“The bow was on her back before”, said Ben.
“Well, I told her we didn't mean any harm and her eyes flickered. Like she was … thinking. Then she turned and sort of disappeared, sir”, said Gregory.
“Actually, I think she more melted into the background”, said Ben.
“Well”, said Rolager. “Let's hope she doesn't run into the poison weavers. I think we've got a trail.”
“Yes, sir”, they said, and I heard them leaving as I hurried away to get prepared and tell everyone else to.

Everybody was ready within twenty minutes. We followed the sparrow going as quietly as we could. It was another twenty minutes of treading carefully like this before we heard the sounds of fighting. We hurried faster. What could it be? We came to a thick bush and peered through. What we saw was incredible. About nine poison weavers were dead. Many with arrows sticking out of them. But about twenty or more were still alive and fighting in their midst was a girl of about twelve. Long, straight, silvery-black hair flew as she twisted, throwing daggers that she pulled from her sleeves and legs. As her hair whipped around I thought I saw a pointed ear. But then it was gone. Her skill was amazing but we could see that she was exhausted and outnumbered. As we watched her reflexes were becoming slow.
“Charge!” shouted Rolager. As we started to go forward through the bushes her head whipped towards us just as a poison weaver went to attack her. A brilliant flash of white light burst from her and she collapsed.

To be continued …

Back to top

A Visit to the Queen*

William (10)

Once upon a time there was a baby home alone and he was crawling about looking for things to do for his mum and dad.
"Da, da, da, DA!" he sang, as he crawled about.
Aha, the baby thought, as he saw a pile of wet washing.
"I'll hang up the washing", he said to himself.
And so he did. But he heard smashing coming from the kitchen. So he ran into the kitchen and saw the garden gnome smashing plates. So the baby asked why he was smashing plates. The gnome said he was angry because the baby's mum had not watered the garden for a long time and all the plants were dying. So the baby and the gnome went outside and watered the plants together.

The End

Back to top

A Story Within a Story

Part 4

Tara Rose (14)

Chapter 2 - Recollection

I awoke with a fever. It was as if I was slowly but surely burning up. And through it all my little Iawi was there for me - through everything. For eight whole nights I tossed and turned, slowly burning. Like the fire at the core of the earth. Finally, as the eighth night came and passed, I awoke to the sound of the wind breathing through the forest. I struggled to recall my visions during the eight days of utter pain, but gradually it began to come back to me. All I had seen was fire. Fire everywhere, consuming everything. Everything that I loved and cherished was gone. I slowly flexed my legs out of the hammock and placed my clammy feet on the ground. I took seven steps towards the trees, but before I could make it I slumped to the ground in a shaking heap. My breath came in ragged gasps which tore at my throat. The inside of my head felt like it was contracting. Then at the moment when I thought I would implode, simple relief came, as fast as the attack had come on. My eyes were closed, but that didn’t stop the multicoloured pictures running through my head. I was standing right where I had collapsed; the same place where I had been walking and playing for my entire life, yet it seemed different. Maybe it was the colour; everything was slightly greyer than it had been before. But that wasn’t the reason I ran to the trees and waited, waited in suspense for something I already knew would happen - something that had already happened. History was not repeating itself. It was a simple recollection of the past. But the simple fact remained; I had never witnessed this event, yet I was aware of every detail that was about to take place. The day my father disappeared, that was the day I was about to relive; the day of death and despair.

To be continued …

Back to top

Orchestral Instruments

Eva Marlie

WOODWINDS

Flute

Out of the four woodwind instruments I am going to write about today, the flute is the one with the highest pitch. They are normally made out of silver, gold, or other metals. There are usually 2-4 of them in an orchestra.

(Picture: www.stanleyclarke.com)  

Oboe

The oboe is the second highest pitched instrument in the woodwind family out of these four. It looks very much like a clarinet, though a little more closed at the bottom, not like a bell. It produces high range sounds, but not as high as the flute. It makes it sound by the player blowing through a double reed.

(Picture: www.patrimoniomusical.com) 

Clarinet

The clarinet plays mid- to high-range sounds. It looks a lot like an oboe, but has a more bell shaped end, and has a single reed. There are normally 2-4 clarinets in an orchestra.

(Picture: www.shinemusic.com) 

Bassoon

The bassoon produces low- to mid-range sounds. It has a pleasant, rich, deep sound. It is a surprisingly agile instrument. It is played by the player blowing through a double reed. Then the air goes down, then up and out the top. If it was straight it would be about 8 feet long. There are usually 2-4 bassoons in an orchestra.

(Picture: www.web.band.nd.edu) 

Back to top

Poem

There is

Tara Rose

In every dark room, there is a candle

In every dark sky, there is a star

In every dark heart, there is a love

In every dark mind, there is a hope...

Believe in the light itself, that is the beginning, middle, and end...

For, in every dark window, there is a face,

A face of light,

A face of joy...

Back to top

Recipe

Sue D Nim

GARDENER’S PIE

2 cups of peas or beans soaked and cooked

(or 1-2 tins of chickpeas/kidney/cannelini/aduki beans)
2 cups of corn
2 cups of cooked vegies of your choice (green beans/cauliflower/zucchini/carrot)
1 tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups of mashed potato
2 cups gravy (see below)

Gravy
4 teaspoons oil
¼ cup unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons bouquet garni* (parsley, thyme and bay leaf – see below for definition)
¼ cup onion, chopped finely
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of water
2 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sea salt

In a saucepan heat oil, add flour and mix. Keep the heat low, adding onion and garlic, stirring constantly. Add more oil if it is too dry. Add liquids gradually - keep stirring. Bring to boil and simmer for five minutes.

In a deep oven dish mix chosen vege, corn, peas/beans with oil. Sprinkle with the salt. Pour the gravy over the vege. Spread mashed potato on top. Heat in oven until peaks of potatoes are browned (about 30 mins on 180°C).

*From Wikipedia

Bouquet garni of thyme, bay leaves, and sage, tied with a string.

Back to top

2. ^ ^{a b} Makhaye, Chris (2008-07-13). "Blasts of joy as vuvuzelas unbanned". IOL. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=2871&art_id=vn20080713120228203C272609. 

3. ^ "Are vuvuzelas a safety risk?". IOL. 2010-05-27. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=4&art_id=nw20100527160821173C206441. 

Thanks for reading the eMag. Hope you enjoyed it and are looking forward to the next issue!

And remember, keep your nose open and sniffing for more juicy news!