On June 7th I attended a Fijian feast at the Methodist Church that I attend. I walked there about 8 miles that day. It is on Montgomery St. where I had attended a Mom's group when my son was about 2. The food was prepared in honor of the Baptism of a 1 year old Fijian baby. Their traditional food is to east many starches and not so many vegetables. They do not even know about organic foods.
I will one day teach them about that and visit Fiji som eday with my 2 sisters who I have know for about 1 year now. They served a lot of fish from Hawaii, beef mixed with some peppers and carrot strips, a tapioca type of bread, taro root bread, curry beef, watermelon and plenty of cakes. About 80 people were there and I was one of the few Caucasians.
I am part Hawaiian too and there were many children running around as well as babies.
It is interesting that the women have very large feet like I do...
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
COYOTE TAILS
I hiked over to Spring Lake Park about 8 miles around the Rincon Valley area. I spied a very thin coyote which was evasive...He reminded me of several cototes that I have seen at Sears Point rock art site- inscribed and etched in stone.
In comparison I have seen very healthy and friendly wolves who are attracted to people- in Yellowstone and in California wildernesses.
Native American people consider the coyote to be a superstitious creature - they do not eat them. Coyotes are known to cause bad luck and they are also known to inflict disease upon people. Similar to Kokopelli - they have been mythological characters for over 50,000 years.
When my family went to Albuquerque one hot summer we saw coyotes at the Petroglyph National Monument. We also saw a cute cat petroglyph and took a photo of it.
My son loves cats and I also prefer the calmness of cats..
In comparison I have seen very healthy and friendly wolves who are attracted to people- in Yellowstone and in California wildernesses.
Native American people consider the coyote to be a superstitious creature - they do not eat them. Coyotes are known to cause bad luck and they are also known to inflict disease upon people. Similar to Kokopelli - they have been mythological characters for over 50,000 years.
When my family went to Albuquerque one hot summer we saw coyotes at the Petroglyph National Monument. We also saw a cute cat petroglyph and took a photo of it.
My son loves cats and I also prefer the calmness of cats..
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
CELTIC FESTIVAL
Last weekend I attended the Celtic Fest at St. Michael's school , an old restored house and quarters in Roseland. It was wonderful to hear the music and watch the various dancers doing old Irish jigs and dancing. Many types of instruments were played in the bands including harmonicas, accordians, small guitars, fifes, flutes, and drums.
The gathering was underneath some redwoods and fig trees, and there was a lovely garden too. The dancers were dressed in 19th century costumes. I enjoyed being present with this ethnic entertainment.
The gathering was underneath some redwoods and fig trees, and there was a lovely garden too. The dancers were dressed in 19th century costumes. I enjoyed being present with this ethnic entertainment.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
A SPRING DAY AT SPRING LAKE
One Saturday I visited Spring Lake Park to hike around the lake and back through Howarth Park. There is a peacefulness about the park. I helped the park planners with the concept of the visitor center in the 80's, and I helped the crew conceive of the storytellers cavern which is made of basalt.
There are many geese that visit the park throughout the winter and spring. The baby goslings are very cute as they follow each other around in the lake and play and flap their tiny wings.
I also noted a white egret atop some trees. The small swimming lagoon is still not open yet. The lagoon and the lake is fed by an underground spring located toward the east of the lagoon. I will be leading hikes there very soon, and you will know me a Frannie Oakley in costumes like Annie Oakley. I am a distant relative of Annie Oakley.
There are many geese that visit the park throughout the winter and spring. The baby goslings are very cute as they follow each other around in the lake and play and flap their tiny wings.
I also noted a white egret atop some trees. The small swimming lagoon is still not open yet. The lagoon and the lake is fed by an underground spring located toward the east of the lagoon. I will be leading hikes there very soon, and you will know me a Frannie Oakley in costumes like Annie Oakley. I am a distant relative of Annie Oakley.
SANTA ROSA PARADE OF ROSES
May 10th I walked downtown to view the parade of roses and I saw some nice looking rose floats which reminded me of the Pasadena parade of roses. The parade participants were themed in various decades, and there were many people lining the sidewalks - some people even came from San Francisco. There was a group of people throwing pizza pies as they strolled from Mary's Pizza shack. Others were clowns, and of course shriners dressed like Arabian knights. Several horse groups were groomed with rose flowers. The horses pranced and danced. I walked about 8 miles down to the southern part of town.
There were some acrobats and bikers with dogs in carts lined with various roses. All in all it was a fun and sunny day'
There were some acrobats and bikers with dogs in carts lined with various roses. All in all it was a fun and sunny day'
CINCO DE MAYO
May 5th I went to the Cinco de Mayo festivities at Roseland... It felt like I had visited Old Mexico. I overheard conversations about how the French over took the Spanish to control Mexico during the 1800's. There were so many people dressed up and dancing with the Mariacho bands. I walked down Sebastopol Road which was my old stomping grounds when we lived in that neighborhood many moons ago.
The communal food, happy families, and giggly girls reminded me of how different our American community is from that of Mexico's.
The communal food, happy families, and giggly girls reminded me of how different our American community is from that of Mexico's.
Monday, March 30, 2009
KEEP A WATCH OUT FOR KOKOPELLI
Kokopelli is a mythical god and trickster to Native Americans in both North and South America. He is especially well known in the Southwest - He is seen as a dancer in the Pueblos. He can cause disease or on the other hand cure you. He has been around since prehistoric times. I recorded a Kokopelli roack art symbol of him at Tempe, Arizona. At the time their had been no other symbols of him found i the Hohokam area.
If you look at Hohokam pottery books you can see that he is always disguised as a beetle or humpbacked flute player. And he is phallic on some rock art and on pottery. He functioned as a Kachina in many Southwestern tribes. He could bring fertility to women and his humped back was filled with charms to bring more rain and fertility to the crops - very important in the desert Southwest.
He is certainly well known in many cultures of North and South America. The Hohokam believed he function as an evil and powerfully good God. This is very similar to the belief of Coyote in North American tribes. Keep a look out for him in your life.
If you look at Hohokam pottery books you can see that he is always disguised as a beetle or humpbacked flute player. And he is phallic on some rock art and on pottery. He functioned as a Kachina in many Southwestern tribes. He could bring fertility to women and his humped back was filled with charms to bring more rain and fertility to the crops - very important in the desert Southwest.
He is certainly well known in many cultures of North and South America. The Hohokam believed he function as an evil and powerfully good God. This is very similar to the belief of Coyote in North American tribes. Keep a look out for him in your life.
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