Mr. Eagle Remembers A Magic Potion

 The king had been searching for his little girl. He just knew that his sister, the Wicked Witch had put a spell on his precious daughter. It seemed like he had searched the entire forest. He needed a rest so he decided to go back to the castle and sit for awhile before he went out again. He happened to notice a piece of paper near the door. When he picked it up he saw that it was an invitation to a birthday party for a little horse. "I am certainly not in the mood for a party. My little girl is missing. I can think of nothing else until I find her alive and well." He threw the invitation back on the ground and went to rest inside the castle.

Mr. Eagle had seen Oliver, the owl drop the invitation at the castle door. He wondered what his friend was thinking inviting the king to a party when he was sad because his little girl was missing.  He knew his friend was a very wise old owl, but in this case he just could not agree. He thought for awhile. He knew that Winston and Buzz had been at the RV camp and were disagreeing about saving one of the gnomes from the Wicked Witch. He decided to take Winston's magic cap with him to the RV camp and see if he couldn't perform a little magic himself. He had heard stories of his third and forth cousins that lived across the big ocean. They had seen magic long before he was ever born. The magic was called ice cream. If  Mr. Eagle was right, this magic potion just might be the answer to everyone's problems. He was going to give it a try. It didn't take long to get there. He let go of Winston's magic cap and it landed right by the garden gnomes. "I couldn't have aimed it any better. Now do your work, Winston. Make ice cream the key to make everyone happy." He grinned to himself and there it was. An old ice cream maker. His ancestors' humans were well known for being one of the very first to invent ice cream. After Winston saw his cap he was so happy! He quickly put it on, said a few words over the ice cream maker, and grinned from ear to ear. He gave Buzz the nodd that all was well. Buzz and Winston quickly loaded up the old gnome who had been sleeping in the hammock into a little side car that was hitched up to his motorcycle. They put the ice cream maker beside the old gnome and Buzz  headed towards the farmer's home. Winston rode in the side car too so everyone was safe. They were going to a party! A very special party.

People and animals were all making their way to the farmer's home. They just couldn't wait. It was way past time for a party. But the Park Ranger was confused. She couldn't figure out why everyone was traveling to one end of the forest. It looked to her like they were all headed to the farmer's home. Suddenly a little girl came rushing up to her and said, "You look like a Park Ranger. Will you help me look for a cat? His name is Felix. And another thing. Can you find somewhere for this naughty duck to live. It's chasing me and it even bit my ankle. I think it needs to live on a farm. I don't know where it is now. I think I ran fast enough to get away from it."

The Park Ranger smiled and said, "Sure, I'll help you. Maybe he went there on his own. It's just down the path a little ways. Say, do you know where everyone is going? Even the animals seem happier and the birds are chirping their happy songs. Come with me and I will show you the way."

Kylee shook her head , but said, "Okay, but I need to be home by supper time. It looks like it's getting late already."

The party was going to happen soon, but Adalynn was worried about the birthday cake she was making for Lightfoot. She had never made a cake before at least not one made for a horse. She happened to think of a young girl that loved to bake. "I wonder if Arie could help me. I bet she would. I'm going to run over there to see."

Adalynn was running short of time so she ran then jogged, then ran again until she got to Arie's house. She was in the kitchen making cupcakes! "How lucky am I?" she thought. She had to stop for a minute to catch her breath. She said, "Arie, will you help me? I need to make a birthday cake for a horse. I have never done that before. Arie grinned and said, "Me neither. I do know one thing though; it doesn't go in the oven like these cupcakes. Let me look at my cookbook and see if it has a recipe for one. She looked through the pages and said, "I can't believe it! Here is a recipe for a birthday cake for a horse. Plus it is so simple. I think I even have the ingredients. You need Oats, honey, carrots, and an apple. You don't bake it. You just smush it together in a pan," she giggled.

"Oh you are a wonderful friend. Will you come to the party with me? Bring your cupcakes too for the humans. I don't think they would like an oat cake" she laughed. Arie laughed with her. That was a good joke. She said she would love to come to the party. She would be ready in a Jiffy.....

Adalynn Finished The Invitations To The Party!

 Adalynn knew exactly what she had to do to get ready for the birthday party for Lightfoot. She had made lists and gathered materials for the invitations so she headed for the Good Witch School to get them made and delivered. She had a great idea. She would ask some of the folks that lived in the enchanted forest to help her deliver the invitations when she had them finished. That way she would have time to get the birthday cake made for Lightfoot. That bothered her a little, but she decided first things first. She was greeted with smiles from the Principal and the student teacher. They told her there was an empty desk where she could work at. It seemed like no time and she was finished. She showed her teachers her finished project and they both agreed they were ready to deliver.

Kylee had listened to Grandma Lu's stories for a couple of years now. She knew that some of the stories were true, but some of them were make believe. While she was listening to today's story she knew it was make believe. The story kind of sounded like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but instead of dwarfs Grandma Lu was talking about garden gnomes. Instead of Snow White she was calling Marlee Princess Marlee. She smiled, but something about the story really bothered her. She knew that Felix, the cat had been naughty and had gotten into Marleewood several times through the doggie door. Grandma Lu was allergic to cats and made her sneeze something awful. Kylee hadn't seen Felix for a long time and wondered what had happened to him. She had learned about the forest at the edge of town and figured that's where he had gone. He was feeling sorry for himself because his human had him stay in the pound overnight to learn a lesson.

 She leaned over and whispered in her mama's ear that she wanted to walk home and on the way hoped to catch sight of Felix. Her mama said it was okay, but be home by supper time.

As she walked out the front door of Marleewood, she noticed Oakley standing by the door. She said, "Hi" and continued on her way. She didn't notice the invitation that she was holding.

Adalynn knew that Oliver, the owl, was a true and trusted friend and very wise, so she decided that she would ask him to help her deliver invitations.

As she knew he would, he graciously said he would love to help her. He said he would deliver them to everyone that he knew that had a happy heart. He wasn't sure about Mr. and Mrs. House Finch. They always seemed to be bickering. Then he thought a party would be just the thing to make them happy again so he dropped one by their nest. The second one he thought of was Moss. He flew over and dropped one at her feet. Then he had a thought. He would fly to the castle and make sure that the king received an invitation. He was sure that he would invite his little girl, Princess Marlee.

It didn't take long before the enchanted forest seemed a happier place. There hadn't been a party in the enchanted forest for years and years. It seemed everyone was going to go to the farmer's house to the birthday party! Maddox was one of the first to cross the bridge with a basket of goodies and balloons for Lightfoot.

Moss also spread the word to the wildlife she so dearly loved. She made sure that the deer, squirrels, bears, and all of their friends got invited and told everyone to spread the word.  

When Kylee walked into the forest nearby Marleewood she knew exactly who she was going to look for. She had been taught that Park Rangers were always helpful when people needed help. She decided that's where she was going to go. She had an idea where the Ranger Station was. She and her family had been hiking in the forest and had seen it. But when she got there the building was empty. "Well, I guess I will have to look for Felix myself. I just know he is in here somewhere. I hope he is alright. I need to hurry up and find him so I will be home on time for supper. Felix! Felix! Here Kitty! Shoo little duck go back to the farm. They will feed you at the farm. Felix! Here kitty kitty! Ouch! You just bit my ankle you naughty duck!"

Adalynn Knew She Could Do It!

 The principal and the student teacher at the Good Witch school were comparing notes on how Adalynn was doing on completing her tasks to graduate. Her last task was to do a good deed of kindness. They had obtained information that Adalynn had chosen the little horse Lightfoot as her project. The Wicked Witch had put a spell on him so that whenever the farmer or anyone would get close to him he would bite or kick. They wondered if she had chosen too large a task so they decided that since she had successfully completed all of her other subjects that the student teacher would help her by blowing a gentle breath of rose petal fragrance from the flower bed that surrounded the school. "This should help Adalynn graduate." She smiled at the Principal and said, "Let's see how she does now."

Adalynn was bound and determined to give Lightfoot a birthday party. She had been making list after list of things she needed to gather to make the little horse happy and not be naughty any more. She remembered her last birthday party. It had been so much fun. "Let's see, I need balloons for sure, then of course a cake. Oh dear what kind of a cake do I get for a horse? They can't eat human food.  Well they do like apples and carrots, maybe I could find someone to help me make him a cake. Then of course, he will need some presents, and people to come to the party. Oh dear, maybe this was too big a project for me to tackle, but I so want to graduate from the Good Witch School. Okay, I will just try a little harder. I can do this."

While Adalynn was making her lists she suddenly felt a soft breeze and could smell the lovely fragrance of roses. "I know I can do this. All of a sudden I feel like I could do anything I set out to do. All I have to do is do it!" She grinned to herself and knew that soon she would be graduating from the Good Witch School plus making Lightfoot a happy little horse. She had to get busy and get invitations made and sent and food ready.

Mr. Eagle looked down from his nest and thought, "Well, little Adalynn, you are doing so well, but I think I need to help you a little bit. I am going to wait until the Wicked Witch is asleep and grab Winston's magic cap with my claw. Then she will lose most of her power. I just hope that Winston and Buzz stay out of trouble long enough for me to get that cap back.

About the time that Mr. Eagle was going to fly closer to where the Wicked Witch lived, Winston and Buzz arrived at the Gnome RV Park. Everyone was made of stone, but they both noticed that the guy in the hammock seemed to be snoring. "What's going on, Buzz? Is he like us? Do you think we can save him?" Buzz shook his head and said, "Hey, Man, I'm sorry, but there isn't room for three of us on my bike. He's going to have to stay here, but we can wake him up and tell him to find a safer place to live."

Winston shook his head and said, "No! I can't accept that. We have to get him out of here. This is just not a safe place for him. Look at his friends. They are here to stay. We have to save this old man. It's just not right to leave him. I sure wish I had my magic cap I could get him out of here pronto! Us too!"

"Mr. Eagle not only has excellent eye sight, but he was able to hear every word that Buzz and Winston were saying, said Grandma Lu. What do you think he is going to do? Do you think that Buzz will leave without helping the old man gnome? If he does, what should Winston do?"

Grandma Lu didn't see her leave, but Kylee had heard enough of the story. She was on her way to help Adalynn and Winston.

Mr. Eagle Makes A Proclamation

 The king woke up in the kitchen rubbing his eyes. He looked around and the kitchen was empty. That was very unusual. The cook and his helpers were always in the kitchen unless it was late at night. "Why am I sitting on a stool in my kitchen? Where is everyone?" He yawned and thought, "Well, I had better see what is going on." He went through the kitchen door and to his astonishment he saw several of his servants napping! Napping! He couldn't believe his eyes. There was his gardener surrounded by puppies sound asleep with a straw in his mouth. He was drinking pomegranate juice! His cook was sound asleep with a kitten on his lap. "This will not do! I must find Princess Marlee and make sure she is alright. I have a feeling my sister, the Wicked Witch has something to do with this. She is playing games that I do not appreciate. Not one little bit!

The King looked all over the castle and could not find his daughter. He decided he had better look outside. When he arrived to the clearing where Princess Marlee had fallen asleep the bed was empty. "Oh my beautiful little girl. What has happened to you? Has my sister, the Wicked Witch done something terrible to you? I will find you if it's the last thing I do!"

The Wicked Witch had kept her promise. She indeed had put sleeping powder in the pomegranate. Princess Marlee had fallen asleep in the beautiful bed she had made for her in the forest. She put a spell upon her alright. She had said she was going to make her poor. She did just that. The Wicked Witch thought it would feel good to make others as unhappy as she was, but it didn't. She found herself sitting on the floor of the forest with her cat, Sharpie. They were all alone and without a friend in the world.

When Princess Marlee woke up she found herself in tattered clothes and dirt on her face. She no longer wore a beautiful gown or a crown of diamonds on her head. She was all alone in the forest or so she thought It seemed to her like she had walked for hours and was so very lost. She looked down at her little bare feet and thought, "I need to rest. My feet are tired and sore from the rocks and twigs. Just as she decided to sit for awhile she felt a gentle touch and heard kind words. "Hello, I am the farmer's daughter. Would you like to come home with me and play with my chickens? I have a rabbit too, because the Wicked Witch changed one of my chickens into a rabbit, but he is fun to play with. What do you think? I could use a friend. How about you? I'm sure my mother has something for us to eat. Are you hungry or thirsty? What do you think? Our farm is not far and we have been invited to a birthday party for a little horse. I think that is so funny. If you come home with me you can stay overnight and we shall have lots of fun and go to the party."

Jordan said, "Grandma Lu didn't Charlie and Princess Marlee recognize each other? They were good friends remember? Princess Marlee would invite Charlie to the castle for swan rides and she would visit Charlie on the farm."

Grandma Lu said, "I'm sorry to say that they did not recognize each other. Often times folks fall on hard times. They don't have a home to sleep in or nice or clean clothes. They even lose weight because they don't have enough food to eat. Often they can't comb their hair or take a bath. In this story though, the Wicked Witch just might not be recognized by her own brother, the king, or her sister, the farmer's wife.

High in a tree Mr. Eagle grinned to himself. "Oh this is getting good. Buzz and Winston are just now discovering that some of the gnomes at the RV park are not made of stone. I need to let Moss know that Adalynn is indeed planning a party for Lightfoot. Hopefully, the Wicked Witch doesn't find out before the party starts. The King is steaming mad at his sister, the Wicked Witch and poor Waddles is still eating bugs for breakfast. This is one story that Grandma Lu will never be able to tell the children at Marleewood. It's too bad really, but what goes on in the forest must stay in the forest."

Jordan Says Kings Don't Take Naps In The Kitchen!

 Grandma Lu stopped telling her story and took a sip of cool iced tea. She grinned at her little audience and said, "Well, what do you think? Do you think that Princess Marlee is going to drink the pomegranate juice? If she does do you think the Wicked Witch put something bad in the pomegranate? I think the Wicked Witch was wearing Winston's magic cap. What do you think? There are lots and lots of things going on in the forest isn't there? Then there is poor Felix now waddling and quacking and looking like a duck. What is Moss doing? She and Mr. Eagle are pretty much in charge of everything that is going on in the forest. Is Adalynn ever going to graduate from the Good Witch school? She has to give Lightfoot a birthday party for her good deed. Is Myla ever going to get to have a swan ride and is Charlie's chicken going to forever stay a rabbit? Oh Mercy! Who has any answers?" When she looked to the back of the room she saw Marlee grinning. She asked Marlee what she thought. "Well, I think the witch put something in the pomegranate to make the Princess sleepy, but I can't figure out what else is going to happen."

"Okay, Marlee. I think you are on the right track. I think that's exactly what that witch did. The cook did make the juice for Princess Marlee, but someone else that lived in the castle loved pomegranate juice just as much as she did. The King! Oh no! That's exactly what happened. The King decided to go to the kitchen for a snack and saw the cook making juice for his daughter. He told her to make another glass for Princess Marlee. He couldn't wait to go back to his study and had a big drink of the delicious juice. All of a sudden he got very sleepy. He just quietly sat down and took a little nap."

The children all laughed and said, "That's so funny. Kings don't take naps in the castle kitchen," Jordan said. The other children said, "What about Princess Marlee? Did she drink any of the juice?"

Grandma Lu said, "Yes she did, but not very much. She finished the juice that her father had left in the glass. Then she decided to go for a walk in the forest.

As she walked through the beautiful trees she too became very tired. When she walked into a lovely group of trees there was the most beautiful bed she had ever seen. The pillows were as soft as marshmallows and the covers were sprinkled with rose petals. Oh it was so beautiful.  She was so very tired she didn't think it would hurt if she just laid down for a few minutes. After all her father had taken a nap in the kitchen!

Little did Princess Marlee know, but the Wicked Witch was hiding behind the tree. She was going to put a spell on her, but she hadn't made up her mind what she was going to do. She had lots of choices in her book. She could turn her into any animal she liked, or she could have her be a poor little girl like she used to be. Yes, that's what I'll do, but I need to go check my book to see if I have everything I need for my spell. It will be my last one, so I want to do a good job."

"Winston said, "Buzz, did you hear that? The Wicked Witch is going to put a spell on Princess Marlee. We have to do something quick. Let me think. He put his hand to his chin and thought really really hard until he had the solution.

 I think I know what happened. I bet you a nickel she found my magic cap. Somehow we have to get Mr. Eagle to get it back. Will you help me old friend?"

Grandma Lu cocked her head to one side and thought, "I must be hearing things. I thought I heard a motorcycle revving up out on the parking lot." Then she continued telling her story.

Enchanted Forest: The Magic Cap

 The Wicked Witch had changed one of Charlie's chickens into a rabbit. She had turned Felix into a duck and had put Adalynn's friend, Anna, the humming bird in a cage. She was so unhappy that she wanted everyone and all the animals around her to be unhappy too. When she found out that the seven little gnomes had all gone camping together in her forest she was really upset. They were a happy bunch. They took good care of the forest. They cleaned up after themselves. They always poured water on their camp fire when they were finished. They sang happy songs and did kind things for the little squirrels and chipmunks. They made sure that the bird baths had water in them. They put all of their trash in trash containers or bags and always had a nice clean camp ground. The Wicked Witch couldn't stand all the happiness!

 She quickly turned them to stone and went back to her ugly home in the forest and forgot all about them. She had not counted on Winston walking into the campground on his way to Marleewood. She saw him in her crystal ball, but before she could put a spell on him Buzz, the Biker Gnome, whizzed by, reached out, grabbed Winston, and put him on the handlebars of his motorcycle. Quick as a fox they were out of the forest and on their way to Marleewood!

Buzz was a careful driver. He knew he wasn't supposed to carry anyone on his handlebars, but this was an emergency. He carefully pulled into the parking lot and chose a safe and pretty place to park his bike. There were all kinds of roses blooming that the children and their parents had planted for Grandma Lu. No one could see them or the bike. Buzz said, "Okay, Winston. What's your story? Your home is a long ways from here. Don't you realize you could have been turned to stone like those campers or worse yet that witch could have turned you into a duck like poor Felix? Why did you tell me to take you to Marleewood? What or who is here that is so important?"

Winston took a deep breath and said, "I have a friend here that is visiting Grandma Lu. It's the first time that they have ever met each other. They have just talked on their phones. Faun decided that she would do a little traveling and that's why she's here. Oh listen! If you are really quiet you can hear Grandma Lu telling the children the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs through the open window. She is pretending that Marlee is Snow White, but is calling her Princess Marlee. You didn't realize it, but I was wearing my magic cap when I was in the forest. It got caught on a branch of a tree. It protected me against the Wicked Witch, but if she sees it and wears it I can't even think of the bad things that she could do. What if Grandma B's little granddaughter decides to walk into the forest? What then? 

The little gnomes then heard Grandma Lu say, "Princess Marlee went to answer the door since the butler wasn't available. It was a nice lady giving away pomegranates.

 Princess Marlee loved pomegranate juice. She called her cook and asked her to make her some juice to drink. She then thanked the pretty lady for the fruit. As she turned to find the cook she grinned and thought. 'What a silly hat that lady was wearing.' Oh I must go to the kitchen to see if Cook has my juice ready. I just love it."

The Enchanted Forest: Felix Has A Feather On His Nose?!

 Felix was feeling so free! He had gotten out of what he now considered jail. A home he used to love and think that he was loved, was now just a place to eat dry cat food and sleep. No one told him he was special or beautiful. No one gave him special tidbits of people food any more. And the worst part was that he was given a metal food dish and a plastic water dish. He softly growled his displeasure as he zig zagged in and out of the trees and away from the street lights. He had seen the three cats in the window, but he knew they wouldn't snitch on him. What business was it of theirs anyway? He had been punished for breaking into Marleewood just because Grandma Lu was allergic to cats. Well, he knew approximately where the Wicked Witch lived. It was somewhere deep in the Enchanted Forest. He figured that he could get her to put a spell on his humans. That would serve them right. He soon realized that he was on the right trail. He could hear her laugh. He didn't much like the sound of it. It was kind of creepy sounding actually.

 He soon found himself face to face with the woman. She was holding a bird cage up to the moon and laughing at a poor little hummingbird that lay inside the cage. Felix ordinarily didn't like birds and liked to chase them, but he sure didn't like to see a wild bird inside a cage. What was she saying to that little bird. "Anna Anna Puddin and Pie Put a birdie in a cage  Anna Anna now you taste the bitter sage. Never again will you swoop and fly. Now you cannot warn Miss Moss. Felix the cat will soon be lost, she chuckled. I will fool his plan. I won't put a spell on his humans, but upon him, the naughty little feline.

"What? She is going after me? Now what? I have to get out of here as fast as my four furry legs will carry me. Wait! I can't feel my legs. I am not running. I am waddling. I only have two feet. I have no claws! What is happening? There is a feather on my nose. It's not a nose it's a bill! I don't have a bill. I have a beautiful nose. Oh I want to go... quack quack. 

"Ha ha my pretty little duck. You used to be a naughty little cat that was always up to mischief. Well, I am the queen of mischief, my pretty. You shall live in a cage and lay eggs for my breakfast. You shall eat bugs and grass if I feel like letting you out of your cage. The feather on your bill is for you to always remember that I am your master. You no longer have a soft bed to sleep on and a human lap to sit on. You belong to me!

Mr. Eagle had seen it all. Moss had been delayed in shooing Felix out of the forest because she had Myla wanting her to grant a wish and Adalynn to help do a good deed. She had gotten side tracked and now Felix was in a cage eating bugs for breakfast. Myla hadn't yet gotten a swan ride and Adalynn hadn't given Lightfoot a birthday party. Things were falling apart in the forest. Myla said, "Adalynn, how can you always be so happy? I am sad that I am not getting to have a swan ride, but you are smiling. You are not giving Lightfoot his birthday party. Maybe you won't graduate into the Good Witch School."

Adalynn grinned at her friend and said, "Because I know if I work really hard at doing good things for people and the wildlife in the forest all will be well. Just wait and see. I think it will all work out."

It was really bad timing for little Winston to be in the enchanted forest. He was attempting to get to Marleewood to see his friend, Faun. He could hear the Wicked Witch laughing and knew he had to get to safety as soon as possible. Up ahead he saw a clearing. He couldn't believe his eyes. There gathered together were folks just like him, only they were camping! It was a Gnome RV Park right in the middle of the forest. Maybe they could help him get out and into safety. For the first time since he had taken the short cut through the forest he felt hope in his little gnome heart that he would shortly be reunited with his friend.