by Judy Pierce
As the princess and her dog settled themselves next to Ozette, a strange hush fell over the gathering. Ozette grabbed her chest. The Heartstone was thrumming wildly. The air was filled with tree sprites. The hum of their wings seemed to blend into a vibration that filled Ozette with that same sense of joy, harmony and peace that she’d experienced when Gizmo threw the fairy dust on Boardmore and Smiley.
She looked at Gizmo. The baby squirrel was staring starry eyed. She looked around the forest and saw the trees looking intently at her, their kind, loving faces almost overwhelming her with emotion.
At that instant, Ozette heard a voice whispering. It sounded like her grandmother, the Divine Miss Piddlewinks.
“Come, my beloved child. Come this way,” it said.
Ozette stood, her paw over her Heartstone. All eyes followed the white squirrel as she slowly made her way to the golden acorn tree. The tree shimmered with a bright golden light as she approached. The Heartstone was still thrumming on Ozette’s chest.
When Ozette reached the tree, two branches reached down to embrace her. She felt something lick the tip of her nose. Ozette closed her eyes, her heart filled with joy as she felt the presence of her beloved grandmother. The white squirrel stood silent, basking in the love she felt flowing from the tree.
Just as quickly as it had begun, the Heartstone stopped vibrating. She heard her friends gasp, and she instinctively stepped away from the tree. Her eyes grew wide in disbelief. The tree was glittering with every kind of nut she’d ever sampled and many she’d never even seen. Succulent, heart-shaped, jewel-red berries hung ripe and fragrant. Ozette stepped back, almost tripping on her feet to get a better view. As she looked at the trunk of the tree, the bark began changing before her eyes. Ozette nodded, realizing that the face she saw in the golden acorn tree was that of her beloved grandmother.
Instantly, the forest burst into song. Every creature, plant, body of water, stone, tree–all of creation–raised its voice in jubilation. All of nature was singing with joy, the joy of being alive. Gizmo walked up to Ozette, held her paws in his. His radiant face was filled with love as he whispered, “My Mozette.”
Recipes
Ozette and her friends love eating healthy foods, so they have lots of energy for the important things in life–like playing tag, sledding and parachuting. They love sharing their recipes and hope you will enjoy making these delightful dishes.
Vegetableini Souper
This recipe makes a lot but freezes well.
Ozette loves organic vegetables in her soup. You can vary the veggies and the amounts to suit your taste. Ozette and her friends like to use organic veggies. Fresh veggies are great but frozen work well too. Ozette found some frozen veggies when a snowbank melted and they were still rather tasty. Wonderful on a frosty day.
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup peas
1 cup green beans
1 cup slices mushrooms
salt, pepper to taste
3 white potatoes, chunked
10 cups of water (you can vary this depending on how thick you like your soup)
Place the ingredients in a large pot and simmer for at least 30 minutes. You can cook it all day in a crock pot too. It is even better the next day
Ten minutes before serving, sprinkle in 1 tsp of Italian seasoning and ½ tsp. Turmeric
Turn off heat and add miso (optional) to taste.
Chocletto Seedettes
These are a delicious dessert using two of Ozette’s favorite things–dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds.
Melt a 3.5 oz bar of dark chocolate (at least 60 percent cocoa) over very low heat. Add ½ cup pumpkin seeds. Spread in a shallow pan and refrigerate until hard. Cut into small pieces. You can also make these using nuts, sunflower seeds or dried fruit. Don’t forget to share.
Neener Neener Walnutto Bread
This tasty bread is good toasted with a little butter or peanut butter. Makes a great snack or breakfast.
1/2-cup butter or margarine
3/4-cup sugar
2 eggs slightly beaten
3 medium size bananas (about 1 cup mashed)
1 cup regular all purpose flower
1/2-teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon soda
2-cusp whole-wheat pastry flower
1/3-cup hot water
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Melt butter and blend in sugar. Mix in beaten eggs and mashed bananas. Stir until smooth. Sift flour with salt and soda. Add dry ingredients alternately with hot water. Stir in chopped nutmeats. Pour into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake in a moderately slow oven at 325 degrees for one hour and 10 minutes. Let cool before cutting.
Egplantini
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Serves 4
Wash an eggplant and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Brush with olive oil and a little salt. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake about 15 minutes, checking often. The slices should be light brown. Turn over and bake 15 minutes longer. Using an 8x10 baking dish, place a layer of eggplant on the bottom of the pan. Pour a layer of your favorite pasta sauce on top, then take with about ½ cup grated Mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with the cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Serve with whole wheat spaghetti.
Yield: one 9”x 5” loaf (10-12 servings)
Pumpkin Breadettes
1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (you can use white unbleached, but Ozette thinks the whole wheat pastry flour is more nutritious)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs Ozette likes free-range eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup pureed pumpkin
31/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecan
Preheat oven to 350°.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs lightly with a fork or whisk. Add butter, sugar, pumpkin, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix until almost blended. Stir in pecans.
Pour batter into a greased a9”x 5” loaf pan. Bake for an hour, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Then remove from pan and let set on a wire rack to cool completely.
Salad Supremeo
4 servings
You can vary this salad by adding veggies that you especially love. When Oliver makes this, he likes to add cut up apples or pears right before he serves the salad, so they do not turn brown.
3 cups organic spring mix
½ of a diced avocado
½ cup cherry tomatoes
½ cup broken walnuts
½ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
Toss together just before serving
Dressing
You can use your favorite dressing on this salad, but the ever-creative Oliver usually serves this salad with this dressing.
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1-2 teaspoons. Grated horseradish
½ cup mashed fresh tomatoes (or more if you like)
1-3 tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix together and serve on salad. Refrigerate leftovers.
Super Basil Salt
Every growing season in Farlandia, Princess Abrianna and Oliver plant lots of basil. They love trying different varieties and making super basil salt to gift to their friends. Ozette loves this in place of regular salt, especially on popcorn, although she does hate it when popcorn kernels get stuck in her teeth. You can do this with any herb or herb combo y
ou like for seasoning soups, main dishes, salad dressings.
In Farlandia, they like to do this the old-fashioned way. Take a clean glass jar and put a layer of salt (preferably sea salt) on the bottom. Tear basil leaves (there are many varieties of basil so experiment) and place a 1/4-inch layer on top of this. Then add enough salt to cover the basil. Continue layering. Your final layer should be salt. Put a lid on the jar and let it set until the leaves have dried. Put the salt and basil in a blender and blend until the salt and dried basil are ground together.
If you want to use your salt immediately, you can preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Take ½ cup basil leaves and ½ cup sea salt and place them in a food processor. Pulse until well mixed. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until dry: about 25 minutes. Check often. Let it cool and pulse it again in the food processor (or use a blender) until it is a fine power.
Thank You
Now that you have finished the book, won’t you please consider writing a review? Reviews are the best way readers discover great new books. Judy would truly appreciate it.
About the Author
Originally from the state of Washington, Judy lives in the mountains of western North Carolina with her husband and three rescued Bichon Frises. She has worked in environmental education, feature writing, advertising and university teaching. Judy’s writing is influenced by her love of nature and work with Bichon Frise rescue and orphaned squirrel rehabilitation. When she’s not writing, she loves to feed the white and gray squirrels, chipmunks and birds that visit her yard, raise and use herbs, bicycle, hike, and camp. She is the author of Tales from Farlandia: Ozette’s Destiny published by Pants on Fire Press.
Acknowledgements
Over twenty years ago, I volunteered to help a woman who had a license to rehabilitate orphaned and injured wildlife. I had no idea that this was the beginning of my love affair with squirrels, those birdseed-loving rodents who have such rich, complex lives. They have been some of my best teachers and continue to enrich my life as I watch their antics.
I am forever grateful to people who devote their lives to protecting both wildlife and domestic animals and for the animal stories they have shared with me.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the readers of my stories. Your encouragement, reviews, attendance at book signings and loving support have kept me motivated.
Once again, Natalia Nesterova has created a cover worthy of a queen, and Silvia Hoefnagel’s interior chapter illustrations capture the magic that is Farlandia. Thank you both for bringing my characters to life in such enchanting ways.
Many thanks to the folks at Pants on Fire Press for their faith in Ozette and me: David Powers, the publisher, Cris Francet, marketing and publicity, and Leah Watkins, my editor.
My husband, Jim, deserves a standing ovation for his patience, willingness to read endless drafts of my manuscript, take over daily chores and eagerness to move us to Brevard, North Carolina, so we could watch white and gray squirrels raid our squirrel feeders every day.
Also by Judy
Tales From Farlandia: Ozette's Destiny (Book One). Ozette, a rare and beautiful white squirrel, must flee Earth World when she is wrongly blamed for the destruction of their sacred forest simply because she is different. Clutching only a golden acorn, which was gifted to her by her beloved grandmother, Ozette escapes to Farlandia, a magical kingdom where her grandmother has said the young squirrel will find her destiny. Awards: 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist (Children's/Juvenile Fiction). Accelerated Reader Quiz No. 163448 EN - 4 Points.
Princess Stacey's Magical Adventure. This book was written for Stacey Mowle, a young girl in the UK suffering from neuroblastoma. All profits from the sale of this book will go to The Stacey Maule appeal, to raise funds to bring Stacey to the United States for treatment. Stacey, a special girl with a sincere desire to be crowned a princess, is offered a unique opportunity to travel to the magical kingdom of Farlandia. With the help of a zealous elf named Oliver, Stacey and her loyal dog Cody soon find themselves in the presence of Queen Ozette, a rare white squirrel, and Gizmo, Ozette’s precocious adopted baby squirrel. As she becomes acquainted with the extraordinary creatures that reside in Farlandia, Stacey learns more about herself and the unique qualities she possesses, qualities that just happen to be essential for royalty. With unicorns to transport her and fairies as her guides, Stacey finds herself in a wonderland as she explores the habitats and the lives of creatures she has always admired. Join Stacey on this magical adventure to find out what it really means to be a princess. Come and explore the home and inner workings of Ozette’s Queendom and witness the strength and courage of a young but courageous girl who is fortunate enough to venture into territory that happens to be reserved only for those who possess a pure and virtuous heart. Farlandia awaits your arrival.
Middle Grade Catalog
The Kringle Chronicles: Catching Santa. High-tech gadgetry and ancient magic has done little to aid in the centuries old search for Santa's rogue assistant, Servant Rupert. But Servant Rupert has been searching for someone too –the fabled Pole, the one person who can see Santa. But the search hasn’t fared well for Servant Rupert. To make matters worse, his agents have contacted Santa’s forces wishing to defect. A risky plan is quickly set in motion by Santa’s Special Forces to divulge the location of Jakob Jablonski, the Pole, in hopes it will lead to the capture of Santa’s forever naughty helper. Wasting little time, Servant Rupert recklessly contacts Jakob. In the ensuing mayhem Jakob is drawn into the mystery of Santa and his dastardly rogue assistant when proclaimed a Pole by Servant Rupert. He quickly demands that Jakob catch Santa...or he will turn everyone Jakob cares for into coal! Jakob and his band of friends, partnering with elf spies and rogue agents of Servant Rupert, begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot involving more than just catching Santa. Ages 9 and up. Awards: 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Award Winner (Children's/Juvenile Fiction). Accelerated Reader Quiz No. 150476 EN - 9 Points.
Paranormal Properties. The Weir family has just arrived in Dusk, North Carolina, one of the most haunted cities in America, to scope out some of the town’s 127 reported “paranormal properties,” which just happens to be the name of their own ghost hunting show: Paranormal Properties. What Jake Weir doesn’t know, and what his parents could never imagine, is that Jake can see ghosts! And hear them. And talk back to them! This talent comes in handy when he runs into Dusk’s oldest, most famous ghost: Frank Barrone, a one-time lounge singer made famous by his booze-soaked ballad, “Barroom Eyes.” Frank was gunned down by a local mobster in 1951 and has been searching for his killer ever since. When he learns that Jake can see and hear him, Frank makes young Jake a deal: if Jake will help Frank find his killer, Frank will help his parents find a ghost to film for their upcoming Halloween Special on Public Access TV. Ages 9 and up. Awards: 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Award Winner (Children's/Juvenile Fiction). Accelerated Reader Quiz No. 163449 EN - 5 Points.
Tales Of An Alien Invader. Meet Felix Winters, an eleven-year-old Bopton sent on his first scouting mission to Earth. His assignment is simple: blend in, observe his surroundings, and ultimately decide the fate of humanity.
But blending in is harder than he imagined, as, upon enrolling in a local middle school, he becomes the target of a trio of boys led by Curtis Jenkins, a bully with a sick sense of humor. It's only thanks to a surprising newfound passion for baseball and the friendship of two fellow outcasts that Felix feels like he might have a chance. As he immerses himself further in the daily life of a preteen-and the ups, the downs, and the struggle to fit in that comes with it-he realizes something troubling, something that was not a part of the plan. He may be becoming a little too human.
His mission becomes even more complicated when he stumbles upon a startling discovery that forces him to face the facts: Felix Winters doesn't have everyone fooled.
The Starburst Juju. Pepper, a 15-year-old girl living in the aftermath of an economically collapsed earth, prepares to witness the
annual abduction of humans by extraterrestrials. When its Pepper’s parents who are taken, she learns that they are not the humble human schoolteachers she thought she knew, but two of the most powerful inventors throughout many worlds. Desperate to find them, Pepper will do anything to get them back, even if it means finding the otherworldly Starburst Juju, a stone that can free her parents from alien confinement. Accelerated Reader Quiz No. 163694 EN - 11 Points.
The Vampire Cat. Bernard was an ordinary everyday lazy house cat who lived with his family, the Browntingales, until one night while Bernard was out scavenging, he encounters the vampire, Maximillian Von Strangfelt, and his life changed, forever. The adventure begins for a cat that is very different from all of the other animals. With his unusual eating habits and a sense for fairness, being different is not easy for Bernard. Realizing that he can no longer stay with the Browntingales he goes on a quest for a new home, friendship and his place in the world.
Like us on Facebook for giveaways and for all the latest information on all things Pants on Fire Press.