October/November 2009
Volume: 2 Issue: 4
Cover art by Noyona Biswas
raindropsmag@gmail.com
www.raindr0psmag.com
Contents 1.
Editorial
2
2.
Giggles and his Rainforest friends
3
3.
Elements
5
4.
Limerick's Lyrics
7
5.
Katy and the witches
8
6.
The mystery of the golden vase
11
7.
Passpartout
12
8.
Travelogue
13
9.
Crafty
15
10.
Foody
16
11.
Grandpa Tidbit's blog
17
12.
Tidbit Tales
19
13.
Petter’s Diary
21
14.
Cartoon
22
Drop No: 1
Editorial Hi everyone, This issue is a really spooky one! We decided to have a “Halloween theme” and hey presto! This issue is brimming with spooky stuff. Foody is cooking up a storm in her kitchen. Hope it doesn't turn out to be a hurricane of Ewwws!'... (Remember Tidbit warned you about this a couple of issues ago?)...Crafty's corner, Limerick's Lyrics and the story of Katy and the Witches all add to the special effects. This issue is definitely not for the faint hearted! Have fun and “Booo” to all of you.
We have a special contest for you in this issue...Do try and spot a SKULL-ON-BONES in this issue. When you spot it, send an e-mail to us at raindropsmag@gmail.com with your name, e-mail address and the location of the skull. All correct spottings will get a sneak peak of the Rainboogle Island library. So get your eyes working and go spotting!
The theme for the next issue is going to be Christmas/New year...So we would love to have your creations centred on this theme. But whatever the theme of the creations that you decide to share with us, we welcome and appreciate them..
Warmly, The Raindrops Team
Drop No: 2
A story feature... Giggles and his Rainforest friends by Eesha Srinivas
Drop No: 3
A story feature... Giggles and his Rainforest friends by Eesha Srinivas
“So again”, cried Howler...”What on EARTH bit my paw?” “Eeeyah! Something just bit my ear off!” “My, My!” said Mayuri. “Stop being cheeky!”, thundered Ginger. “Oy!!!” she shouted as Giggles prodded her with his paw. “Well”, said Giggles, “But who is biting me?” Ginger's expression changed instantly. “W-we'll a-ask t-them” and she called out into the river, “Who is biting us?”. “We are!!!” chorused about twenty five wicked voices. “Oh no!” moaned Ginger. “Piranhas!”. Giggles went wild and he kicked into the darkness. He didn't kick very far and hit Howler on the ear. “OWWAAH!” Howler bumped into Ginger. Ginger's outstretched paw slapped a piranha in the process. Now the piranhas were really furious! “You are under arrest!' roared one. “ULP!” cried Howler. “Where?” asked Giggles. “AT THE PIRANHA SEAWEED JAIL!” thundered the piranha.”I do believe things have taken a turn for the worse”, sighed Ginger, two hours later, while staring out of the jail's strong, seaweed bars. Piranhas moved up and down. One piranha headed to the jail to give them dinner. “What is it?” asked Ginger. “Seaweed, crab&flesh!”, said the piranha, grinning wickedly. “Ick”, said Giggles. “Aargh!” moaned Howler. “Sqauwk!” said Mayuri. “Shhhh!” hissed Ginger. The piranha left, after which the four friends poked at the seaweed. “Oh, that beastly Ameebha!” said Ginger. Giggles moodily shaped some seaweed into a snake with his paws. Soon, it was time for their first night at the jail. But suddenly, Giggles thought of someone. And that someone was not far away. And with a bit of planning, they could get a lot of help from her.” The journey continues...
Drop No: 4
Elements
by PanchBoothBaba
In this issue we see Glimpses of the element - Fire. Fire is unique in that it is the only element that does not exist in its natural state (Water, Earth, Wind and Space/Ether do). Fire is a transformative force in that its physical form can exist only while consuming some other element. Fire converts energy of other objects into other forms and can be both, destructive and creative. In nature we see three forms of fire – fire itself, lightning and the Sun.
Fire
by Aditi
Fire is a beautiful thing. I watched the flames dancing on their bed of dry twigs. And after a whole day of rain and freezing cold it was wonderful to sit in that small room next to a dancing fire.Its dance became more vigorous as it fed on the air and twigs in a blaze of yellow, orange, blue and purple. Then it would die down to turn into a fire with only blue flames that moved feebly. Finally the flames disappear and red glowing embers would be all that are left. After it was given a breath of air it would burst into life again. It was beautiful to watch. Fire is something that is beautiful and useful when under control and wild and dangerous when not under it.
Drop No: 5
Elements Fire
by Eesha Srinivas
What gives you warm heat? What helps you cook when you want to eat? What dries off your feet? Did you guess it? Yes, it’s the fire, which burns without tire, which warms your feet, which helps you to eat! which turns night into day. and helps you to play! which sends out a signal, to light up a tunnel! which keeps you alive and helps you thrive! But remember...fire is not for play! Beware! it can destroy a town in a day!
Drop No: 6
Limerick's Lyrics The potion
by Eesha Srinivas
Boo! I am a witch, and to my bench I am taking... 8 jars of potion ingredients, and some potions in-the-making! First, in go some beetle eyes Then come the little guys. Let's pop in some apple cider, Dead lizards, teeth and a pinch of powdered spider. Scratch! watch out for a bull's horn! Add some slime, ice and a piece of candy corn. "AARRGGHH!" what is that stinky smell? Oh! It's my potion and I don't feel very well!!!
Drop No: 7
A story feature... Katy And The Witches
by Rithana Srikanth
My name is Katy. I am kind, but always like to play tricks, especially on my big sister, Angela. One Halloween night, I set up a string to trip my sister. When she tripped and fell down the stairs, I was scolded badly and was not allowed to trick-or-treat that night. At about 7:00, everyone in the neighborhood went trick-or-treating, leaving me behind. Meanwhile, three witches had been wandering around looking for a house to stay in. Since it was Halloween, people would be out and they could go in without being seen. When they came to my house they thought it looked very nice. They whispered to each other and they all agreed it was the perfect house. They started to head to the front door. Inside, I was sitting on the sofa when I heard a noise outside. I jumped. I thought it was some robbers and felt a bit scared. But even though I am kind of scared sometimes, I can also overcome my fear. I remembered that I had recorded a time when my friend had said, "Boo!" So I went to get it. I pressed a button. Out came the recording! Outside, the witches jumped and ran away. I grinned. "They won't come back again," I thought, peering out the window. But I was shocked at what I saw. Instead of a group of robbers, I saw a group of witches! I sat down to think. "I don't believe in witches," I said to myself. "Maybe it was just some people in witch costumes." I came up with a very clever idea. Soon, the witches came back. The leader of them, whose name was Gretchen, said, "We should have not been scared so easily. Let us go back inside." Another witch named Nina said, "But the person who said 'Boo!' could still be inside." The third one, Ogresina, said, "Don't be a scaredy-witch, Nina. It was only a silly kid playing a tape." "Yes," said Gretchen. "We can go past that girl easily." "Well, what are you clumsy witches waiting for? Let's go!" said Ogresina, who was the bossiest witch of them all."I'm not clumsy," argued Gretchen. "Shut your mouths and get going!" hissed Nina. Slowly, they made their way to the garage. Gretchen was the first one to go inside. The others followed. Nina saw something on the floor. She bent to pick it up. It was a tarantula that I had put there for them to find. "I can take care of this," Nina thought. The others got closer to the tarantula that Nina was picking up. Instantly it started crawling over her arm. Nina shrieked and threw it away. By mistake it hit Ogresina. "Don't throw it on me, idiot!" she yelled, and threw it on Gretchen. But none of them noticed that I was watching all that was going on from a window. Gretchen threw the spider at Nina, but she ducked just in time. "Come on," she said. "Let's get the kid!" Drop No: 8
Together, they all stormed into the house. "Where are you, you little creep!" Gretchen shouted as they walked into the kitchen. "I'm up here. Come and get me!" I yelled. All three witches started to go up the stairs to get me. They felt something sticky on their feet and looked down in horror. Yikes! I had put glue on the stairs! Somehow, they managed to get free and continued up the stairs, being careful not to get into any glue. When they reached the top, they separated. Gretchen peeked in the living room. No Katy. Ogresina looked in the bathroom. No Katy. Nina glanced in the bedroom. "I found her!" Nina yelled. "Come to the bedroom!" The other two witches came running. Together, they walked slowly toward me. I pretended to look scared. I knew what was going to happen. Suddenly, the witches slipped. Oh, no! I had spread soap for them to slip on! I had a bunk bed in that room. I climbed on the top bunk and piled blankets on top of myself. Meanwhile, all three witches got up. "Where the heck did the kid go?" asked Gretchen. "I think I saw her go on the top bunk," replied Nina. "The kid's got the place booby-trapped," said Ogresina. "We better watch out," reminded Gretchen. "Every time we think we've got her, a trap springs right in front of us." "Let's go get her!" Ogresina shouted. "Climb up the bunk!" All of them started climbing up the ladder. But on their hands and feet, there was a liquid. Suddenly, they fell off. I had rubbed oil on the ladder! Immediatly, I jumped off the bunk and dashed out of the room. Then, I went downstairs to make sure my traps were ready. Upstairs, the witches got up. "Where did the kid go?" asked Nina."I saw her go downstairs," Ogresina told her. "Come on." They went to the top of the stairs and looked down. "How did she get downstairs?" wondered Ogresina out loud. "She would have to get stuck in the glue." "The same way we're going to get down," said Gretchen. "Follow me." They all slid down the railing.................but they were in for a surprise. "Ow!" "What was that?" "Is that another trap?" "That hurts!" "What's poking me?" "What did that kid set up?" I had stuck nails onto the railing! Suddenly, they heard a voice. It was my voice."Down here, you dummies!" All of them were very mad. Finally, they got to the bottom and jumped off. They looked around. "Ouch," complained Nina. "I ripped my pants, and it's all because of you, Gretchen." "Me?" asked Gretchen. "What did I do?" "You told us to go down that stupid railing," Nina reminded her. "Shut up," said Ogresina. "Let's get that little brat." Just then, I walked right in front of them and gasped. What was I going to do? "Gotcha!" all three witches yelled at once, and tried to grab me all at the same time. But they all fell in a heap in front of me. I just stood there laughing at them. Then I slowly held out my hand..........and in my hand was something they did not like. "Slimy snake guts!" "It's that horrid tarantula again!" "Let's get out of here!" All of them raced upstairs, not even bothering about the glue. They ran right through it! The witches dashed into the bedroom and closed the door. Meanwhile, I carefully removed the nails and went upstairs. Then, I locked them in the bedroom! After that, I ran to another room at top speed. I grabbed the phone. Suddenly, I saw something on the ground and picked it up. It was a wallet. I carefully opened it. Inside, I saw Nina's driver's license. It was Nina's wallet! Drop No: 9
I peeked in one of the pouches and saw a card there. I took it out. On it was the phone number of the witch police. I realized that this was the number I should call. It was 510-659-3804. I dialed the number as fast as I could and waited for a few minutes. A deep voice boomed on the other end. "Hello." "Hello. Is this the witch police?" "Yes. May I know who's speaking?" "My name is Katy. Three witches came to my house and caused a lot of trouble. Luckily, I have them all locked up in my bedroom now." "May I have your address, please?" "My address is Number 12, Autumn Lane, San Francisco, California." "Yes, young lady, we'll be there before you know it." "Thank you," I said and hung up. Soon, a car zoomed up to my house. Printed on the side were the words "Witch Police." The officers came out and I showed them where I had locked the witches up. I unlocked the door and the officers burst in. They put the witches in handcuffs and led them away. Just then, Nina screamed, "Where's my wallet?" "Right here," I said, waving the wallet in my hand. "Give that back," Nina said angrily. "Okay," I said. I threw it right into the trash can behind Nina. "Bull's eye." I grinned. "Hey!" Nina shouted. "Oops, my fault," I said, hiding a smile. "Get 'em out of here," said the chief of the police. I sighed. Finally, my adventure was over - except for one thing. Now I had to clean up! After I finished cleaning up, my parents and sister came back. "How did you like not going trick-or-treating for one night?" my dad asked me. "It was so boring," I replied. But inside, I knew that I had the most exciting time in my whole life!
THE END
Drop No: 10
The mystery of the missing golden vase by Eesha Srinivas Uma and Geet were so astonished that for a moment, they couldn't speak. Then they smiled happily at each other, tied the thief to the truck and clutching the golden vase, sprinted back to the station and home which were not far off. They dashed into their house, to find the police and their mother inside. “Where have you?!” their mother gave a sudden gasp when she spotted the golden vase, under Uma's arm. “Where on earth did you find it?: she asked them. Then Geet and Uma began to narrate the entire story about how they had found the striped piece of cloth, how they caught the bus to the police station only to find that the police didn't believe them, how they had seen the bottle of poison being tipped over their mother's mug of coffee, how they had ran out and found the vase being loaded into a truck, how they had followed it by train, and how they had found the vase in a pond. Their mother was really proud of them and the police suggested that Geet and Uma become detectives. Uma agreed, but suddenly, the guard (from the train) darted in, saying as he handed the dog who had earlier been injured, to the gleeful Geet... ”All detectives need a dog! Happy mystery solving!”
THE END
Eesha
Drop No: 11
Passpartout's Page Hi everyone, This month I've found a fun web-site – www.Frannysfeet.com. Based on a television show, this web-site has downloads, a fun 'Grandpa's globe' and a shoe shop! You can customize your own shoe shop. Clicking on “shoebox adventures” allows you to go on different adventures. Just click on a pair of shoes! If you complete the adventure, you get a scrapbook sticker. Do try the loafers, beach sandals and flippers. The best part is you can save your shop and stickers across multiple sessions. So go ahead and enjoy yourselves on adventures with Franny! Aurevoir, Passpartout.
With Franny in the South Pole
With Franny in Mexico Drop No: 12
Travelogue DELHI – The Legacy lives on…
by Careena
Delhi (the capital city of India) is rich in culture, set deep in history with lots of monuments, museums, galleries and gardens. Delhi comprises of two contrasting, blended parts: New Delhi and Old Delhi. New Delhi, the capital and the third largest city of India is a mix of ancient and modern cultures. It is located along the west end of the Gangetic plain. Old Delhi reflects the city’s Mughal past, with red fort mosques monuments and forts. Here one will also discover lively and colorful bazaars. The imperial city of New Delhi displays the curved architecture of the British Raj. Delhi has become the most vibrant and creative art centre in India with more than twenty five galleries. When we entered Delhi we were greeted with a pleasant breeze blowing through the city as it was spring time. The roads were very clean and broad and the traffic - very orderly. I loved the greenery in Delhi as tall trees surround on both sides of the road. The air one breathes in Delhi is fresh as pollution is now under control. Delhi truly deserves to be the capital city of India. The security here is very high. At all important monuments there are policemen, some carrying AK47 rifles. lotus temple Our stay at hotel YWCA was very comfortable. We tried the local cuisine and enjoyed the heavy Mughlai food. The chats, chana baturas and kulfi here were simply delicious and better tasting than what we get back at home (in Bangalore)! We did a lot of sightseeing in Delhi. We took the Government “Delhi Tourism“ bus and guides. We went to some historic spots like Jama Masjid on our own. We took the underground metro to Chandni Chowk and then walked to Jama Masjid. The modern and stylish metro runs in the middle of the ancient Shahjahanabad.
Illustrations by Dinkar
Qutub Minar Drop No: 13
Travelogue DELHI – The Legacy lives on… contd... Our guide explained the following as we drove past them: Parliament house, Rastrapathi Bhavan, Old Fort, Foreign embassies, National Science Centre, Trimurthi house, Hyderabad house and Jaipur house. We went into each of the following monuments and spent sometime in understanding the history behind them. India Gate, Bahai Temple, Birla Mandir, Humayan’s Tomb, Jama Masjid, Qutab Minar, Red Fort, Gandhi Samadhi, Raj Ghat and Akshadham (we spent a day here ) We really enjoyed these magnificent buildings. One afternoon we went shopping to Dilli Haat. It is like a traditional Rural Haat or village market. We enjoyed seeing the craftsman display their work and had our lunch there. I want to go back to Delhi again as we loved every minute of our stay there. Keep the good work up Delhi!
Illustrations by Eesha
Drop No: 14
Crafty's Corner
Egg carton spider
A simple, spooky and fun project for Halloween. Materials: 1) Cardboard egg carton 2) Red, black and white paint 3) String (black) or black pipe-cleaners 4) Glue or cello tape
Make it! Tear off one section of the cardboard egg carton (the portion which holds one individual egg). Paint eyes, nose and mouth. You could also use google eyes. Attach eight pieces of string ( or bits of pipe cleaner) to make the legs of the spider. Tie a sting to your spider and hang him up! You can make as many of these as you want for decorating. They also make nice party favors for a Halloween party. Most importantly, Recycle Bean approves of this since it involves recycling! This project was an inspiration from our featured web-site in this issue – www.Frannysfeet.com
Drop No: 15
Foody's Kitchen Halloween dinner bash
A complete three course meal for two Course 1 – Hot pumpkin soup Finely chop pumpkin (about two cups), a large stalk of celery and two tomatoes. To this add five or six pods of garlic and pressure cook till tender. Puree with a blender and sieve to get a thick soup. Put this in a pan, add salt and bring to a boil. Serve hot with half a cup of milk (or cream) and a dash of pepper. Course 2 – Baked potatoes Bake two potatoes in their skin till the skin is charred. Now using cream cheese as glue, stick on two olive eyes for each potato. Don't forget to add a green pepper mouth and a baby corn nose! Serve hot with pumpkin seeds side dish. Course 2 – Pumpkin seeds side dish Whisk together some cream cheese and salt along with roasted pumpkin seeds, olives and parsley. Serve cold or at room temperature. Course 3 – Spooky lizard slime drink In two tall glasses, mix some bloated subja seeds with some green jelly. Add lemonade to fill the glasses. Garnish with spooky lemon ice-cubes (see inset) and serve. (And maybe you could even grind some cucumber slices and pop ' em in!) BOO! To all and Bon Appetit, Foody.
Spooky lemon ice-cube
s:
Fill an ice tray with lem onade. To each of th e compartments of the ice-tray, add the insid es of a cardamom pod. Free ze. When frozen, the cardamom insides look like freaky insects...Y uk! (Cardamom ice-cubes idea source - Disney Adventures) .
Drop No: 16
Grandpa Tidbit's blog RANDOM THOUGHTS ON RAINDROPS
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens; Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens; Brown paper packages tied up with strings; These are a few of my favorite things. (Part of the lyrics of a song from the movie - Sound Of Music)
Raindrops art by Ayaana and Garima
Drop No: 17
RANDOM THOUGHTS ON RAINDROPS “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens....These are a few of my favorite things”. Do you remember this classic song from the movie “The sound of music?”. Over the years, poets have waxed eloquent on rain drops. The rains drop like manna from heaven. The Bagavath Geetha extols rain. It is from rain that all life and all beings rise; for it is rain that makes food arise from the earth. The Tamil poet says 'Nallor oruvar ularel, avar poruttu ellorkum peyyum mazhai' which roughly translates to ...."Even if there was just one good person left on earth, on account of him, there would be rain on earth to benefit others". As if echoing this very sentiment, an English humorist says - 'The rain, the gentle rain, it pours the same on the just and the unjust fellah, But a little more on the just, as the unjust keeps the just's umbrella!!' The man in Cheerapunji (a place in India which records the highest annual rainfall) may say that the rain is a nuisance, but small children everywhere welcome the rain. I still remember my childhood days when I even welcomed the prospect of school if only it involved walking there in a downpour. Years later, in Bangalore (India), while studying in the Institute of Science, I used to start out from the hostel and go for a walk in pouring rain. And a few hostel mates would come with me too, all singing in the rain! Oh, if only I could recapture that carefree abandon of youth! But, as Adi Sankara says, 'Vrddhas thavat chintaa sakthaha' – The old is beset with needless worry! So as they say “Smile at the rain!” and try to always make your presence as refreshing as a fresh shower of rain. Affectionately, Grandpa Balakrishnan Potomac MD
Drop No: 18
Tidbit Tales
Horrific Halloween
Whether it is trick-or-treating or dressing up in ghoulish costumes, bringing out the the garlic and silver bullets, carving out those pumpkins or throwing some salt over your shoulder or just having a horrifying time like the other Raindrops, how did all this begin? Was Halloween always celebrated like this? Let's try and trace the facts behind all this fun... Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. Traditional activities include trick-or-treating, bonfires, costume parties, visiting "haunted houses" and carving jack-o-lanterns. Halloween seems to have its origin in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain (pronounced "sah-win").The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture. Samhain was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and prepare for winter. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped and the deceased would come back to life. The festival would frequently involve bonfires. Halloween masks and consumes were worn in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or appease them to prevent them from causing havoc such as sickness or damaged crops.
Drop No: 19
Trick-or-treating, is an activity for children on or around Halloween in which they proceed from house to house in costumes, asking for treats such as confectionery with the question, "Trick or treat?" The "trick" part of "trick or treat" is a threat to play a trick on the homeowner or his property if no treat is given. Trick-or-treating is one of the main traditions of Halloween. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of "souling," when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. A jack-o'-lantern (sometimes also spelled Jack O'Lantern) is typically a carved pumpkin. The top is cut off, and the inside flesh then scooped out; an image, usually a monstrous face, is carved onto the outside surface, and the lid replaced. During the night, a candle is placed inside to illuminate the effect. The term is not particularly common outside North America (the term will-o'-the-wisp is also used) although the practice of carving lanterns for Halloween is. There are various tales in folklore to explain this practice. Halloween thus seems to be a borrowed medley of different traditions from different cultures. Like in a witch's cauldron, these have been brewed together to become the fun, spooky festival it is today!
Drop No: 20
Petter’s Diary by Eesha Srinivas Hi! This month we are featuring a crow named Victor! Victor lives in a community called Evergreen, in Auroville – India. Evergreen is a veritable community of animals with horses, ponies, dogs, a rabbit and a big house of hens. Bettina and Sarah are two lovely humans who also live and work in Evergreen. Victor has lived in Evergreen ever since he was a baby crow. Rare – a tame crow! He would love to perch on Bettina's son Yashan's shoulder and peck his ear. Sometimes Victor would get hungry and so we would dig for 'worms' in the horse manure. The 'worms' were actually maggots, but Victor loved them. There was this funny incident when there was a dead rat and Victor was pecking at it. Sarah picked it up by the tail to take it away because we were all getting grossed out! But first we wanted to take a picture of her with the rat. All of us wanted Victor to be in the picture too. So Sarah called out to Victor. Victor came, got scared by the rat, hanging by his tail and flew away just as Bettina clicked a picture. Victor was caught in mid-flight! We don't see Victor very often in Evergreen these days. We are guessing he is happily married to his girl-friend (of a few months now) and is busy building his own community!
Drop No: 21
Bam Boo blues
Drop No: 22 23
Special days in October and November 1) October 24th - Diwali (A festival of lights celebrated all over India), 2) October 31st - Halloween