17 Tuesday Apr 2012
Posted in Animals, Cats, Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Gatsby, Kitten Pool
Tags
OK, folks–here are recent pics of Ms Gatsby–as of April 21:
Well, it’s tax day, but Gatsby wasn’t concerned. She simply hunkered down for dinner. She’s eating for many, after all.
So, here’s mom-to-be–note her growing belly….
Check out the Kitten Pool here.
16 Monday Apr 2012
Posted in Animals, Book Giveaway, Cats, Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Gatsby, Kitten Pool
This is Gatsby.
Gatsby: 3/27/12
She was dumped over a friend’s garden fence the last Sunday in March, a cold, wet, frightened little girl. A week of good food and her being pregnant was more than a possibility, it was a near certainty. A visit to the vet, and we knew it a waiting game was about to begin.
In the spirit of good fun, supporting animals, and promoting the reading of good books, I am creating a Gatsby Kitten Pool. Pick a date of birth and number of kittens and leave it in a comment here. (not on Facebook, please).The person who comes closest to actual birth date & litter size, wins a signed copy of my book, The Dragon Keeper’s Handbook. I will update the calendar daily and let you know if your pick is already taken, so you can try again. In the case of Gatsby going into labor before midnight but the kittens are not all born until the next day, the date of last kitten born will be the determining factor.
The current pictures were taken April 15th, to give you some idea of her size.
Gatsby: 4/15/12
Gatsby: 4/15/12
And I can also tell you that she’s eating like a little pony and there is serious kitty kicking going on.
Check here to see calendar updates and new daily pics.
04 Wednesday Apr 2012
Posted in Dragon Keeper's Handbook
17 Saturday Mar 2012
Posted in Dragon Keeper's Handbook
The Wearing of Draconic Green.
By Shawn MacKENZIE
So, it is Saint Patrick’s Day once again, a curious religious-turned-secular celebration which in its modern incarnation owes far less to fact than fancy. Still, it gives those who need it an excuse to hoist a pint and dream of leprechaun gold and other Hibernian stereotypes which have little if anything to do with a saint who wasn’t even Irish. The facts are, Patrick—aka Patricius—was, as his name attests, a well-born Romano-Briton, kidnapped from Wales and raised as an indentured shepherd across the Irish Sea. When he escaped his captivity, he became a priest, in time returning to Eire as bishop and evangelist to the heathen Celts.
Arguably the most famous bit of blarney connected with Patricius is the story of him driving all the Irish snakes into the sea. That there never were any Irish snakes in the first place proved a minor inconvenience to the hagiographers. It was the Dark Ages, after all. They were dealing in myth and metaphor, in selling the Faith to the masses with broad strokes and simple symbolic tales.
Never let the truth get in the way of a good sales pitch.
But, in the truth they so blithely ignored lay something far more insidious. To understand exactly what was going on, we must take a step back, to a time before the one God replaced the Many. A time when Druids held sway and Dragons ruled.
Learned men and women, the Druids were the moral compass of the people. They were also blessed with the ability to converse with all manner of creature, including Dragons. They looked into Dragon eyes and saw a part of the oneness of nature: as with tree and spring, deer and human, so too with Dragons. They recognized the Dragons were old before time with spirits indwelling and immortal. Like the stones beneath their feet, they could roar with joy, speak, and sing. As keepers of their people’s justice, faith, and wisdom, Druids formed an intimate bond with the Dragons of Prydain, Cymru, Brittany, Eire, and the outer isles, receiving both guidance and instruction from their long-lived associates. The Druids shared their knowledge with kith and kin, and, in the process, Dragons became the most powerful creature in all Celtic lore. They represented the entirety of creation, from the rolling solidity of hill and mountain to the sinuous turn of river and stream. To a people who honored the eternal unity of the universe, no being could be more magnificent.
When Constantine obliterated the separation of Church and State in the 4th century, any previous laissez-faire attitude towards Pagans vanished, and the Christian notion of Dragons as demons straight from Hell was fine-tuned into the strictest article of faith. To Medieval minds, draconic physique not only made them perfect models for Lucifer’s minions but also linked them to Satan in his Serpent garb, tempting humanity to sin. (Note: A look at Genesis suggests that the Serpent was actually a Dragon—certainly a legged reptile—who only lost his limbs after that little kerfuffle with the apple. Gnostic texts, particularly On the Origin of the World, are much kinder, casting him as the descendent of Zoe [Life], the “instructor,” and “wisest of all creatures.” This more pro-Dragon take may have affected the Church’s decision to label Gnostics as heretics. But that’s another story.)
To anatomy and temperament add their association with the God-less Pagans and Dragons became the peerless targets of an increasing number of fanatics. Would-be saints and tin-pot heroes were lining up around the block, scripture and swords at the ready, as Dragon slaying became a quick—if dangerous—path to fame, fortune, and heavenly reward.
This was the stage upon which Patricius played, the script which informed his legend. No real snakes in Eire? No matter. There were Druids and Dragons, beings as figuratively serpentine as Satan himself. For the Patrician mission to succeed and the Church to claim ascendancy, one way or another both had to be eliminated. So Druids and Dragons fell under siege, their sacred springs and blessed woods seized in the name of the new God. No one knows how much blood was spilt in their defense—record-keeping gets a little sloppy when fighting for one’s life—but tales from sidhe and weyr speak of the Dark Times, “when rivers ran red.” Among the survivors, a band of adventurous Dragons emigrated to the New World (“driven into the sea”), while others retreated beyond the veil, dwelling in the land of the fey until the human madness passed. For centuries, the only reminder of Ireland’s rich draconic history lay in the verdant hue of her hills. From a dracophile’s perspective, Patricius left the isle much poorer than he found it.
On March 17th, take a moment between sips of emerald lager and think back on the dear price our scaly friends paid—and continue to pay—simply for being themselves. In this, the Year of the Dragon, honor them with song and roar. Celebrate their fierce wonder with the wearing of Draconic Green.
Shawn MacKENZIE is the author of The Dragon Keeper’s Handbook (Llewellyn Worldwide, 2011), Dragons for Beginners (Llewellyn, 2012), and numerous short stories, published and not. She has been a freelance editor for twenty years and is an avid student of all things mystical and rare, wild and woolly, and all creatures great and small.
Various thoughts, ramblings, and a taste of Shawn’s fiction can be found at http://www.mackenziesdragonsnest.com and at her blog, http://www.mackenziesdragonsnest.wordpress.com/
17 Saturday Mar 2012
Posted in Blogging, Celts, Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragons, Druids, Fantasy, Myth and Lore, St Patrick's Day
The Wearing of Draconic Green.
By Shawn MacKENZIE
So, it is Saint Patrick’s Day once again, a curious religious-turned-secular celebration which in its modern incarnation owes far less to fact than fancy. Still, it gives those who need it an excuse to hoist a pint and dream of leprechaun gold and other Hibernian stereotypes which have little if anything to do with a saint who wasn’t even Irish.
16 Friday Mar 2012
Writing and editing, the two endeavors are intrinsically entwined. Even the most experienced scribe can benefit from a good editor. (A couple of very famous authors come to mind—no I won’t name names—who’ve insisted, contractually, that they not be edited. Sadly, it shows in the work, proving that, as with lawyers, writers who edit themselves have fools for clients.) We don’t need someone to simply gush and insist every word is a gem plucked from the mouths of the divine literati.
05 Monday Mar 2012
05 Monday Mar 2012
Tags
Animals, Bennington Arts Guild, Book signing, Dragon festivals, Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragons, fesitvals, Inspiration, Llewellyn, Myth and Legends, Writing, Year of the Dragon, Zodiac
March is roaring in with its leonine grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrruffffffffffness. A dreary winter’s wrapping up and you can practically taste the lanate spring in the air.
Here in the Southshires of Vermont and Williamstown, Massachusetts, the northern tip of the Berkshires, we’re leaping out of winter and into regional celebrations of the Year of the Dragon.
So…let’s kick this off with a bang!
From the Bennington Arts Guild:
During the months of March and April, the Bennington Arts Guild is celebrating the Year of the Dragon with student art. An opening reception for the Student Dragon Art Show, with free refreshments, will be held from 1:00 to 4:00 pm, Sunday, March 11, at the Guild’s Gallery at 103 South Street, Bennington, Vermont. The reception is open to the public.
Dragon hats and hinged paper dragons are now installed in the Gallery’s south window. The display can be enjoyed from outside and inside the gallery. The dragon hats were created by preschoolers at Country Corner Day Care Center. The two-dimensional dragons were created by children attending the School’s Out after-school program.
More student art will be on display during the reception, and in the months of March and April. Other schools participating in the dragon art show include Molly Stark Elementary, Mt. Anthony Middle School, and The School of Sacred Heart.
“On Sunday, March 11th, both the St. Patti’s Day Parade and the opening reception at the Bennington Arts Guild Gallery for the Student Dragon Art Show begin at 1:00 p.m. Many of the dragons marching in the parade will proceed to the reception at the gallery to share in refreshments and good cheer. We hope parade watchers will join us,” said Paula LaPorte, dragon coordinator for the Bennington Arts Guild.
[The St. Patrick's Parade should be a draconic delight!...S.M.]
In May and June, the Bennington Arts Guild will be hosting a Community Dragon Art Show. All mediums are invited. Contact Paula LaPorte for information at 802.442.4808.
Photos of student dragon creations are available by request at tniernberger@gmail.com.
And then, on a more personal note, for those of you in the area in early April, I invite you to the Milne Library in Williamstown, Massachusetts, April 4th at 7:00.
Join me for a reading/book signing in celebration of the Year of the Dragon. I shall be reading from my book, “The Dragon Keeper’s Handbook,” as well as discussing the relevance of these marvelous creatures in our modern world.
I’ll be sure to mention all these events and more as the year goes on.
Hope to see you with bells on!
23 Thursday Feb 2012
Tags
Budding Dragon Keepers, Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Inspiration, Myth and Legends, Rachel Carson, sense of wonder, story time, Writing, Year of the Dragon
A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength.
…Rachel Carson
Last week I had the pleasure of being invited to Molly Stark School to meet with Mrs. Wells’ 2nd grade class, to tell Dragon tales and talk about my scaly friends. Now, this was an ominous undertaking! I was representing Dragons—striving to help them put their best feet forward! Add to that not having worked with kids in donkey’s ears, and I was absolutely terrified of letting both Dragons and kids down. Of course, while my grown-up angst ran amok, I inconveniently forgot one very important truth:
The subject was Dragons! (Thank you, Frank Gilroy.)
Everybody loves Dragons!
Well, ok, some people don’t. Poor dears.
I don’t think it was always so. I firmly believe that all of us, in our youthful once-upon-a-times, have been enchanted by Dragons. It may have been a brief encounter, fleeting as a glimpse of Champ on a foggy day, but somewhere, somewhen, we’ve all brushed against their majesty. Unfortunately people can become so deep-rutted in the banality of adulthood that Dragons—even pocket-sized house dragons—no longer have a room in their world. True, some may know a sort of lingering regret, glimpsing Dragons in the nostalgia of wistful dreams. But most who have shut Dragons from their lives do so with a vengeance that can only be described as downright hostile. The less said about them the better.
But I digress.
A week ago I sat down with Payton, Hunter, Sophia, Bryan, Nathan, Taylor, Miranda, Dylan, Meghan, Trent, Jackson, Dale, Isaiah, and Veronica. (Oh, I hope I didn’t leave anyone out!) Oops, I did: and Ayden, Morgan, and Tucker.
Sharing “Tell Me A Dragon”….Thanks to Jackie Kelly for the pic.
As I read Dragon tales, showed pictures and flags, fielded marvelous questions, even pulled out the globe for a draconic geography lesson, curiosity rolled off their young faces like thunder on a summer’s day! Here were Dragon Keepers in the making and their enthusiasm did this old Dracophile’s heart good.
Dragons from budding dracophiles.
The long and short of it is, all my fears proved foolish specters thanks to the extraordinary sense of wonder the kids had.
I had a blast! You even sparked a couple of ideas in my head for new Dragon stories. Inspirational, all the way! (And for everyone of you who wants a house dragon of their very own, may your wish come true. It’s coming on spring, the perfect time to find HD eggs. Keep your eyes and hearts open! And be sure to ask your parents to keep plenty of milk and eggs on hand; HDs love their morning omelettes.)
May you always keep your sense of wonder, your enchantment with Enchantments.
And any time you want to talk Dragons again, just ask Mrs. Wells to drop me a line. I’ll be there on Dragon wings.
12 Sunday Feb 2012
Sadness………
I shy away from opining on the world of celebrity or pop culture, especially on those in the lime light who have burned bright and flamed out far too early. They are, tragically, far too many and frequent and have legions of followers far more adept in commentary than I. So why am I compelled to say something about Whitney Houston?
When I first heard Whitney, she struck a joyous chord, a call to the angels (however you describe them). There was hope and wonder, not only in her gift, but in her music. That she lost that in her life makes me sad in my heart.
Naturally, I wonder where her family and friends were when she was in trouble with living in this world, with her marriage and the outrageous pressures of fame. But more than that, I wonder what terrible hurt and sadness drove her down when there were so many reasons to look up.
I have no answers. Goddess knows, I have enough of my own demons and fears to last a dozen lifetimes. And I have my modest talents, too. We all have our gifts and our insecurities. They battle back and forth and give us cold-sweat nightmares and rocky Everest highs. But for a woman with such gifts, who was touched with so much and touched so many, that Whitney’s family, friends—someone!—could’t reach out years ago and see her sadness, help her, simply buggers the imagination. There are the impresarios, the agents and producers, but where are the people who grab hold of the elbow and say, “Stop!” Who ask where the pain lies and if they can do anything to salve it.
There is a celebration of the eccentric/slightly mad in our artists and writers. And yet we thrive on their schadenfreude, filling tabloid coffers with our vicarious thrills. Empathy is lost in that sense of being able feel superior to those who “have it all.”
And in the process, we push talent down, drive fear up. And in the end, there is only terrible sadness.
