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The Sherwood Crier The Insider Newsletter of Sherwood Forest Faire

What’s Inside Sherwood Summer Camp p.1, Mysteries & Marvels p. 1, In the Limelight p. 2, Vendor’s Corner p. 2, Beach

Invasion p. 5, Elf ’s Corner p. 9, Poetry Page p. 5, UnClassifieds - scattered throughout in blue

Summer Campby Corene Roberts

This past July, Sherwood Forest Summer Camp came alive! Sunday, July 8, we welcomed over 40 campers and their families into our faire. During registration, Robin Hood thwarted the evil Guy of Gisbourne’s attempt to tax the families by challenging him to a sword fight. Robin Hood quickly defeated Sir Guy and as penalty, Guy had to give his silver to the campers. Then, after a tour of the faire and meeting of all of the Craft Masters,

we politely kicked the parents out.

Then the camp festivities began! First, the campers were introduced to their clans and the Lords and Ladies who ruled them. Our youngest, the Sea Dragons were ruled by Lady Rae, Lady Caitlin and Lord Winston. The not-so-young Blue Knights were ruled by Lady Stacy, Lady Amelia, and Lady Elisa. Lord Arne, Lady Hilary, and Lord Terry ruled Red Knights. The Green Druids and the Brown Druids, our eldest campers, were ruled by Lady Kim and Lady Valand and by Lord Mike, Lord Jeff, and Lady

E respectively.

Mysteries & Marvelsby Mab Middlin

“Oh, how lovely a swim would be!” I think as I fan myself in the oppressive afternoon heat, “I think I’ll wander over to Sherwood and take a dip in the pond.” I grab my parasol and hurry out the door. “Wait,” I think, and turn back to grab a length of soft fabric hanging on the back of the door, “I must have something with which I can dry myself.” The sun is brutal today, but the humidity is curling my hair, so at least I don’t need a visit to the beauty shoppe before the sing-a-long at the Summer Camp

festivities tonight with Gil.

“Ah yes,” I whisper excitedly to myself, “we will have so much fun singing with those sweet little darlings.” The sing-along also means I’ll be able to spend more time with my wonderful Gil Faire, so my step quickens in time with my heart. I reach the gates of Sherwood in surprisingly short order and head directly for the pond, which I am thrilled to find deserted. “All to myself,” I say with great content, “it wouldn’t do for the Ace Reporter of

photo by David “Gunslinger” Stockton

cont’d on p. 6 cont’d on p. 7

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One spring day in 2004, Susan Hickey strolled the lanes of Scarborough Faire and heard the familiar melody of a song. Susan followed the sound and she found Gregg Csikos, and at the same time, she found true love and eventually, life as part of the Rambling Sailors. On that beautiful spring day in 2004, Gregg was singing Bessie Quinn, a song Susan herself wrote, and after performing it for some years, she had decided to release it into the public domain to see how it might come back to her. Wow,

quite a significant return on that long ago release.

Gregg had been performing at Renfaires for over ten years before he and Susan met. He went to his first Ren faire in 1990, and immediately realized THIS was what he wanted to do with his life! Two acts inspired him the most back then: the Flaming Idiots and Gibbon the Troubadour, so for a while, he couldn’t decide whether to be a juggler or a

singer. We are very lucky he chose the latter! Gregg began as a cast member at Scarborough Faire, and

later, he started the shanty group the Corsairs.

Susan began with a degree in Communications, and we are equally lucky she chose to leave that career behind. Instead...she became a sailor! Mike Waters played the part of a pub owner who was an old sea captain at the Georgia Renfaire, but it turned out that he really WAS an old sea captain. Mike got Susan her first job on a historic schooner, the Stephen Taber out of Rockland, Maine. Susan spent the next five years working on boats in any way she could. Though she was hired as a deckhand, the

Be it spiritual, emotional, or physical, Medicine Stones is truly a shoppe for whatever ails you!

Macushla Hayden, the proprietress, is there to welcome you. She is a Reiki Master, Crystal Healer, and a Chakra Healer with a wide range of knowledge in the healing energy of stones and herbs. Her husband, Gary, is the old wise empath with a compassionate heart who listens and finds solutions to problems whether they be health-related, spiritual, technical or

personal.

Enter Medicine Stones and you will find much to delight your senses. There are herbs and herbal blends,

usable as teas and potions for physical healing, spiritual and

magical assistance; herbal incense; natural herbal handmade ph balanced lye soaps; healthy, moisturizing face and body skin care products that contain 100% of the naturally occurring glycerine; books about crystals and minerals, healing, and herbs; and even a small selection of pet soaps. For your adornment, you will find Macushla’s well-known handcrafted gemstone jewelry: wire wrapped raw and tumbled minerals

and stones straight from the mines.

Healing information is posted throughout the shop, and Macushla and her staff are on hand for

In The LimelightThe Rambing Sailors

Vendor’s CornerMedicine Stones

cont’d on p. 3 cont’d on p. 4

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one-to-one consultation. Macushla uses her “Gifts from the Creator” to help people by scanning their body and prescribing a stone or herb according to the issues she discovers in the scan. Macushla also is very passionate about nutrition and healthy living.

Gary and Macushla are High Priest and High Priestess in the Wiccan Path, trained and i n i t i a t e d in the GreenCraft

Alexandrian tradition from Europe. If both Gary and Macushla are out of the shoppe at the same time you will be sure to find them at the Seven Sisters Stone Circle with Teri

Van Horn, Sherwood’s official Faire Wedding Coordinator, facilitating

a Wiccan or pagan wedding or handfasting.

Before Macushla came to America, she studied sales psychology, salesmanship and marketing in Belgium. When she and Gary met in 2003, she spoke only a small amount of British-style English and had no idea what that Texan, Gary, was saying to her. Macushla spent the next three years learning the English language and how to express herself in

both speech and writing.

Macushla began her American career in retail marketing in 2006 as “Macushla’s Arts and Crafts,” and her focus was semiprecious gemstone jewelry. Macushla started with a 10x10 tent and 3 tables of handmade jewelry and her first show was at

the Refugio County Fair. Macushla has always had an affinity with stones and rocks, and from

her studies of the metaphysical properties of stones, Macushla developed her own personal perspective on gemstones and their uses for

humankind.

M a c u s h l a ’ s mother made her own herbal potions and syrups to heal sick family members and this knowledge was passed on to Macushla. In Belgium, Macushla held many educational workshops in crystal healing, herb classes, nature, Wicca, and she brings this vast knowledge and experience to any and all who enter

her shoppe.

In May 2008, Macushla participated as a vendor in her first Native American Pow-wow in Fredericksburg, Texas. Macushla found kindred souls with the Native Americans who understood what she was trying to say about the stones’ properties. Occasionally Macushla’s views regarding a stone’s properties will differ from that of a Native American but Macushla has learned that personal tradition and culture is the primary reason for the differences. At Medicine Stones we always say “your own personal perception and your ancestors’ teachings are always correct for you, the

individual.”

The Native Americans recognized Macushla as a “wise-one.” The name “Medicine Stones” was recommended by a spiritual Medicine Man from the Chiricahua Apache tribe when he met Macushla on one of her first Pow-wows. In 2009, Macushla was given her name “ Stone Woman” by a Kiowa Elder/spiritual healer

Medicine Stones cont’d from p. 2

cont’d on p. 4

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who is the head of the “Black Legging Society.” The Native Americans started to invite Gary and Macushla to Pow-wows across Texas, Oklahoma and Indiana. Medicine men and women, and spiritual healers look to Macushla to share knowledge and

wisdom about stones and herbs.

Gary and Macushla’s lives took a drastic turn when Gary fell off a roof and destroyed his shoulder, and he could no longer work as a carpenter. However, Gary and Macushla refer to the accident as a truly beneficial, life changing event. “Doing Medicine Stones full time is where we need to be, both for the benefit of others and our personal education and spiritual growth.”

The staff of Medicine Stones also includes:

Teri Van Horn - a reiki master/teacher and healer and the Sherwood Forest Faire Wedding coordinator; Lynn Rose Demartini - a homeopathic practitioner, a licensed massage therapist and a registered holistic nurse with an

impressive amount of training in many health fields; and

Marci Fox - a licensed massage therapist and reiki practitioner who listens well and cares deeply about the welfare of each person with whom she deals.

Visit Medicine Stones this spring at Sherwood and renew your spirit!.

You can find Gary and Macushla at their shoppe at the Sherwood Forest Faire in the inner circle booth #211. Or, visit them now at their web site: www.medicinestones.net or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Medicine-Stones/117866194923065 where Macushla has a page that will give you more health related information. You can also call them

at (361) 543-3336.

captains soon discovered they had a gem on board... someone who was pleasant and could sing to the passengers. Susan’s first solo album, Water Meets Sand, came out of her seafaring days, and features

several of her crew mates and captains.

As the Rambling Sailors, it was Gregg’s idea to focus on sea songs, a natural for Susan who has always loved the h e r o i c energy, the

stories, and the work ethic implicit in those sea songs. Maddie Prior from Steeleye Span inspires her, but her first influence was Mary Travers from Peter, Paul & Mary. For Gregg, Gibbon The Troubadour, The Mystic Seaport Chanteymen, Tom Lewis and Andy M. Stewart were

all sources of inspiration.

The best part of Gregg’s childhood was being in the Boy Scouts. “My dad was the scout leader and we went camping every month, had weekly meetings and it was a lot of fun. My favorite part of camp was when we’d have the campfire at night and tell stories and sing songs. I didn’t realize at the time that I was preparing for my career, because Susan and I pretty much spend all year every year camping out, telling stories and singing songs.

It’s a great life!”

There are plenty of

Medicine Stones cont’d from p. 3 Rambing Sailors cont’d from p. 2

cont’d on p. 5

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The First Annual Sherwood Beach Invasion

by Scott Rhamey

The First Annual Sherwood Beach Invasion was a rousing success! We all had a wonderful time! I just wanted to let everyone know, the Surfside Parks and Recreation Department contacted me this afternoon. They wanted to extend their

gratitude for the way we conducted ourselves and cleaned up after ourselves. They have invited us back, and have posted in the local paper about our invasion, our consideration in calling ahead, and and the way we respected

the habitat. Apparently, we left the beach in better shape than before we got

there and this was the CLEANEST group that Surfside has had the PLEASURE of hosting in a very long time! Since our group was representing Sherwood, this is a very nice recognition from the

local authorities and from Parks & Recreation.

I appreciate everyone for treating Surfside like we do our faire. I hope that more of our family turns out for the next invasion... but I am still in awe with the attendance of the first. . The sight from the

water was amazing. Thank you all!I really think this is a feather in our cap! It truly

shows what kind of community we share.

opportunities to enjoy the sea shanties of the Rambling Sailors. They start the year at Sherwood Forest Faire in February, a faire that greatly excites the Rambling Sailors because it’s the first time they’ve had the chance to be at a faire from its beginning, and they hope to grow with it. Right after Sherwood is Scarborough, what they consider as their home faire. Then they head to Wisconsin for Bristol, and then three weeks at the wonderful Maryland Faire: a port town that really loves sea music is very exciting for the Rambling Sailors. Finally, they finish up at Charlotte for the Carolina Ren Faire, just before Thanksgiving, and then home to St Augustine for a bit before starting

over again.

Check out their website http://ramblingsailors.com for more information and for an up-to-date

performance schedule!

photos by David “Gunslinger” Stockton

photos by David “Gunslinger” Stockton

Rambling Sailors cont’d from p. 4

Poetry PageThere Is Something

By Thorna

There is something about going to the joust, something about walking through the trees, and

seeing things most humans never get to see.There is something about those Seven Sisters, that Great Chess Board, the Trip, and the balconies, all

being places I want to see!There is something about Robin Hood, Lady Rhoslyn, wild NyxxA, and all the other souls that

dwell within that make my heart call them kin.There is something about this Forest called Sherwood, something I treasure so, that has a firm

grasp upon my soul.Let me be honest, I hope it never lets go.

There is something about the brotherhood of it all, that makes hard work worth every hammer fall.

There is something about Sherwood Forest that I can’t yet fully explain, but know that I’ll never leave

the comforting confine of the tree-line.

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The week was packed full of classes, tutoring, theatre rehearsals, pool time, and surprise evening activities. Campers were taught by our wonderful Masters:

Autouloucous and Lord Jonah taught our eager campers the fine art of theatre.

Tiger spent his week pounding red hot steel with his campers around forges for blacksmithing.

Lady Rebecca had the campers hammering out pouches, masks, and mug holders in leather-working. Lady Andrea kept the campers clean with her soap

making. Tobar Tinker molded his campers into the workings

of clay in pottery. Master Warren taught the campers how to shoot

arrows in archery. Lord Dave kept the campers busy dipping candles

and hiding treasures in candle making. Lord Oskar Hasselhoff taught the campers the

lesson of the sword in his sword play class. Uilliam MacArtuir kept our campers knowledgable of the land around us with his nature walks. Lady Cat Dancing taught the campers the delicate art of

stained glass. Lady Kaiden kept the kids safely guarded the pool

when it was time to cool off,. Lady Amanda was our wonderful and very busy nurse who kept our campers and counselors in good

health.

Drummers, Fairies, Singers, Magicians, and a Fa l c o n e r all graced us with surprise

evening performances. Watching the children dance in the rain while the drummers drummed was s p e c t a c u l a r . They picked up instruments and

were swept away with the urge to join in with the magic that was being created. Mad Man Maverick ente r ta ined the campers with magic and fire. Though one camper ended up with a sword through her neck and another was punished with the guillotine, don’t worry, no animals were harmed during the show. The Sherwood faeries and Faire-to-Middlin’ brought amazement and joy to the campers’ hearts. There was m u s i c , singing, dancing, and s’more-making. The Falconer and his Birds of Prey had the children cheering for more. And, the campers deemed the fire whip show “epic” and “greatest

show ever.”

This summer camp was so much more than your average summer camp. The children left speaking in accents, they took home hand-made crafts, and discovered life-long friends. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of kids or a more excellent crew of adults. Special thanks to our volunteers, Shawn, Liz, Cheyna, James, and Tracy for all of your hard

work during this camp.And as the saying goes, “Yes, Your Grace. Of course, Your Grace. Always Your Grace’s way.” It is my way to have many more summers committed to bringing the trades and crafts of the Renaissance

back to life.Your Grace,

Corene Roberts, DirectorSherwood Forest Summer Camp

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the Crier to be seen in nothing but her shift.” I remove my gown, hang it on a nearby bush, and run

gleefully into the water.

“Well, that was delightfully cooling,” I say, as I wrap myself in the soft fabric, “I think a wee nap will make the perfect end to my swim.” The heat is not so strong here under the trees by the pond, and I lay down under a tall oak and drift off watching the

dappled sunlight through the canopy of leaves.

A shriek disturbs my drowsing, “she’s drowneded in the pond!” and I awake with a start as something lands hard on my stomach. “What is...hey...aaaaaaaaaaa,” my words suddenly stilled as the breath is knocked out of me. I feel a small fist pound on my chest and someone begins to blow air into my mouth. “Stop,” I gasp, “stop” but my words are nigh inaudible. The small fist pounds once more just as air finally makes its way back into my lungs, “get off me!” I shout, “get off me this

instant!” “Blimey,” a small boy exclaims as he leaps backward off my chest, “she’s alive! “You saved her,” several young voices shout excitedly in unison, “she was dead and you saved her!” I prop myself up on one elbow and glare at the boys in high dudgeon, “silly boys,” I gasp, “I was NOT dead!” “Was, too,” one boy says, “we learned

CeePeeArgh today and that’s what saved you!” “Ok, ok, you saved me,” I say with a sigh, “you can leave me to recover now.” The boys look at me and I can see the disappointment in their eyes, I guess they expected a recently dead person to be more interesting. They run off. “Hmph,” I think, “perhaps they’re planning to revive more of the

undead.”

I brush twigs and leaves from my shift as I struggle to my feet, “I guess they’re teaching young boys to torture Ace Reporters now,” I grumble under my breath, “CeePeeArgh, indeed!” The sun has dipped just below the tree line now and I must hurry if I am

to meet Gil at the appointed time. I dress quickly, gather my drum and my flute, and hurry toward the Seven

Sisters.

Something shimmers and glitters in front of my eyes. I brush my hand across my face, but the shimmering and glittering increases as I walk, until it’s as if I’m walking through a twinkling fog. “What’s this about?” I think as I look about me suspiciously, “I’ll bet the Fae are near.” My head whips up as I hear a laugh from somewhere above. “Aha!” I shout, “I see you there!” Hanging upside down on a branch directly above me is Gual. He shakes his head and small sparks burst from the tendrils of hair that hang about his face. Gual reaches into a bag slung round his silver neck and with a grand sweep of his arm, tosses a shower of faery dust down onto me. Obviously, he has matched his aerial trek to my earthly one by leaping from tree to tree. “Hey, Gual,” I look up at him with a big smile, “why are you raining on my parade?” “You looked to be in need of a little glam,” Gual calls down to me, “and glittering fae aura is just what you need.” “Why, thank you,” I say,” a girl just isn’t right without her aura.” I run my tongue around my mouth as I hurry on through the glittering fog, “dang,” I think, “ I’ll never get this stuff out of my

teeth.”

“Ah, there it is,” I call up to Gual, “the Seven Sisters is just ahead.” Gual throws his head back and utters a long, seductively sweet trill that sends a tickle up my spine. A chittering answers Gual’s trill and

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squirrels rush out of the underbrush toward the new voice; Hazelnut Nuttela spreads her arms wide to welcome her tiny minions. I look about me anxiously, remembering the pond of sweet, sticky goo into which she landed me the last time we met. “Ah well, a pond of goo ‘tis naught,” I assure myself, “since my Gil is near to pull me free.” Gil stands waiting for me next to one of the sacred stones and a smile lights my face as my eyes rest upon him; many children gather around the fire roasting sweet confections speared on the ends of

slim branches.

A grey mist creeps out from nearby thicket and swirls around Gil’s feet. “What’s this,” I exclaim with some alarm. Suddenly, I notice a seemingly disembodied smile in the gathering darkness just beyond Gil’s shoulder. A silver crescent hovers above the smile, and I realize I’m looking once

more at Nyxxa, the night faerie and erstwhile goddess of the night. “Gil,” I call out, “let us

begin!” Gil strums his guitar and magical music fills the air. The disembodied smile broadens

as my flute joins the melody Gil weaves and suddenly all manner of

faeries appear...

spellbound by the music. The grey mist begins to sparkle

and it weaves about the faeries’ feet as they dance.

We play on into the night while faeries and children alike spin and twirl and dance around the fire. Gil

looks into my eyes and we share a secret smile. “I think we are a resounding success” Gil says to me, “what say you?” “Yes, my love,” I answer, “they are swept away by our music, but honestly, I really think we are only faire-to-middlin.” Our hearts swell and our spirits become as one, intertwining with music

and with joy and with love.

unClassifieds***********

Now Open for Business!! Balthezar’s Medical Emporium and Gift Shop. We use only the finest medicines made from

local ingredients. All leeches for blood letting are lovingly massaged before attachment to ensure they are in happy moods and our trained anesthetist will usually only require one good whack to put you out for any operation. Ask about our brain surgery special on Thursdays.

Mysteries & Marvels cont’d from p. 7

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Elf ’s Cornerby Tamuri’l the Avarial Elf

HEAR YE!! HEAR YE!ALL MEN, WOMEN and FABLED of our Beloved Woods!! Please gather round for ye latest update of our hard working Volunteer Marketing Department!! We

hath much news to relay!!

*the Elf walks from the cooling shade of the trees and gingerly unrolls a scroll that is almost too hot to

touch*

July hath been sweet with the spreading of our news!! Round Top was a huge success for the 4th of July with ye Marchers gaining the 3rd place ribbon. McDade graciously accepting our antics in their smaller Watermelon Festival Parade and we wowed the crowd, as is our wont! I also tell of a huge placing in the Bastrop Homecoming Parade with over 43 Marchers and a guest appearance by our own

Centaur...adding another blue ribbon to our already many-feathered cap!

With 3 Parades under ye, it be not enough! Over 100 Sherwoodians descended upon and conquered our lovely beaches with the hard efforts of Julia Still... sun-kissed skin and peals of laughter and playing in the surf kept everyone cool during the famous sweltering summer temperatures of our

great kingdom of Texas.

A spectacular win for Sherwood was achieved by none other than our beloved Rob Roy at the Keep Austin Weird Festival...how could it have been

otherwise??

*the Elf tips her wings in awe of the Sherwoodians’ ability to stand the heat*

We grow closer to our upcoming Celtic Festival and ye all be sure to mark ye Calendars! Until then, my

Comrades... until then...

*the Elf dabs gently at her brow and silently walks into the embrace of the dark, cool shade awaiting in

her beloved Woods*

photo by Jimmy Peace

photo by Jimmy Peace

photo by Scott Rhamey

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Heartfelt thanks to:Gregg & Susan Csikos, Harriet “Gypsy Songbird” Crockett, Autouloucous Crookfinger, Gil Faire, Gary & Macushla Hayden, Jimmy Peace, Scott Rhamey, Corene Roberts, Joe

Spitler, David “Gunslinger” Stockton, Tamuri’l the Avarial Elf, and Thorna.

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Poets, Artists, Writers, PhotographersIf you have something you’d like to submit for the Crier, email me at

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Sherwood Forest FairePO Box 10816

Houston TX 77206visit us online at

www.sherwoodforestfaire.com

email us atinfo@sherwoodforestfaire.com