Wednesday, June 30, 2010

PETALUMA ADOBE STATE PARK

A MEXICAN GENERAL NAMED VALLEJO OWNED ONE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS PRIVATE ESTATES DURINGTHE MEXICAN PERIOD OF 1834 - 1846 HERE. HE HAD SHEEP, CATTLE, HORSES, AND OTHER FARM ANIMALS. THIS RANCHERO WAS OPERATED BY SOME MEXICANS AS WELL AS MANY NATIVE AMERICANS WHO WERE BASICALLY ENSLAVED HERE. THEY HAD THEIR OWN QUARTERS AWAY FROM THE ADOBE. THEY TRIED TO EAT THEIR NATIVE FOODS BUT WERE GIVEN LITTLE FOOD FROM THE MEXICAN RULERS. SO THEY DID SOME HUNTING AND MADE SOME ACORN SOUP AND TRIED TO EAT MANY OF THEIR NATIVE PLANTS AS INDICATED BY SOME EXCAVATIONS DURING THE 90'S. THIS RANCH PROVIDED SOME FOLKS IN THE BAY AREA FOR BEEF, TALLOW, CANDLES, AND WOOL FROM THEIR SHEEP, AS WELL AS SHEEP SKINS. THE AREA WAS OVERGRAZED SO THAT TODAY THERE IS LITTLE VEGETATION AND NOT MUCH NATIVE VEGTETATION ON THE GRASSY SLOPES. THE CREEK DOES HAVE SOME OAK, MADRONE, MANZANITA AND OTHER NON NATIVE GRASSES. IT IS A CLEAR CREEK.

IN MY SON'S FOURTH GRADE CLASS WE HAD A LIVING HISTORY OVERNIGHT STAY THERE. THE MOM'S HELPED OUT WITH THE CHORES AND FOOD MAKING. WE DRESSED AS MEXICANS AND I INSTRUCTED THE KIDS IN WEAVING WITH SMALL CARD LOOMS. LIKE OUR TRIP TO ANGEL ISLAND THE KIDS WERE TO TAKE TURNS STANDING GUARD DURING THE NIGHT. THIS MEANT THEY HAD TO ROTATE SHIFTS DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. THEY ALSO HELPED TO COOK A MEXICAN MEAL. THEY LEARNED HOW TO MAKE CANDLES BY DIPPING THEM. THE ALSO LEARNED ABOUT HOW THE MEXICANS MADE ADOBE BRICKS AND HOW THEY FURNISHED THIS RANCH BUILDING AND WHAT THEY ATE. AT NIGHT THE TEACHERS PLAYED SOME MEXICAN MUSIC AND WE DANCED AND HAD A GOOD TIME.

CLEAR LAKE STATE PARK

THIS LAKE IS IN THE SOUTHEAST POMO AREA WHERE THEY HAD A NUMBER OF PREHISTORIC VILLAGES. THERE HAVE BEEN PETROGLYPHS AND A PICTOGRAPH FOUND THERE. IT HAS A CLEAR VIEW OF MT. KONOCI, A SPIRITUAL MTN. THAT THESE FOLKS DID NOT DARE CLIMB. IT HAS A PARTICULAR TYPE OF OBSIDIAN THAT THEY USED AND TRADED. CLEAR LAKE IS CALIFORNIA'S OLDEST NATURAL LAKE. THE POMO USED A SULPHER NATURAL SPRING IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE LAKE FOR SWEATS AND HEALING. THE SMELL OF THE SULPHER IS LIKE THE HOT SPRINGS IN CALISTOGA. IF THE SHAMANS COULD NOT HEAL THEIR FOLKS IN THEIR VILLAGES THEY WOULD CARRY THEM TO CALISTOGA'S HEALING SPRINGS.

APPARENTLY CLEAR LAKE HAS SOME GOOD FISHING AS MANY BOATS USE THE AREA.

RATTLESNAKE ISLAND IS IN CLEAR LAKE AND WAS WHERE THERE WERE SOME PREHISTORIC SITES. THE SOUTHEASTERN POMO ARE PROFESSIONAL DANCERS WHO TRAVEL THE POWOW CIRCLES TO MAKE MONEY. THEY ARE THE FEW NATIVE POMO WHO KNOW SOME OF THEIR INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE. DANCING HEALS PEOPLE'S SPIRITS.

TENDING OF SEDGE BEDS

THE POMO WEAVERS TEND THEIR SEDGE BEDS BY REMOVING WHOLE PLANTS AND BY REMOVING STONESAND , STICKS, AND ROOTS, AND DEBRISFROM THEIR PLANTS. THEY REMOVE LEAF LITTLE AND OTHER DEBRIS SO THAT THE RHIZOMES UNDER THE GROUND GROW STRAIGHTER AND HAVE FEWER GNARLS IN THEM. THEY ALSO LET SOME OF THEIR BEDS REST FOR TWO TO THREE YEARS SO THE RHIZOMES REPLENISH THEMSELVES.

THE TENDED SEDGES LOOK SIMILAR TO UNTENDED PLANT ABOVE GROUYND, BUT THE RHIZOMES WHICH THEY USE FOR BASKETMAKING ARE LESS GNARLED AND EASIER TO REMOVE. ELSIE ALLEN NOTED THAT BY PRUNING THE WHITE ROOT IN THE GROUND IT PREVENTS THE ROOTS FROM BEING SO TANGLED AND IT IS EASIER TO DIG THE ROOTS THE NEXT YEAR. SHE SAYS THAT SEDGE ROOT IS A VITAL PART OF THE HARMONY OF NATURE AND PRESERVING OF THE SOIL. WHEN THEY DIG THE ROOTS THEY LEAVE ABOUT HALF OF THEM IN THE SOIL FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX ROOT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MILLENIA.
IT IS NOT A CULTIVATED PLANT BUT IS A VERY SCIENTIFIC WAY OF TENDING THE NATIVE ROOT.

KAT ANDERSON

BALE GRIST MILL STATE PARK

I HAVE HIKED AROUND THE BALE GRIST MILL PARK IN NAPA AND DISCOVERED SOME VERY MUDDY TRAILS IN WINTER! IT IS AN INTERESTING MILL THAT ISN'T OPERATING ANYMORE. HOWEVER THEY SELL WHOLE GRAIN BREAD THERE ON WEEKENDS. THE TRAILS GO THROUGH SOME VERY PRETTY MIXED OAK AND DOUG FIR WOODLANDS WITH CREEKS AND SMALL HILLS.

YOU CAN SEE THE OLD MILL BUILDING FROM THE HIGHWAY WHICH GROUND CORN AND WHEAT. THIS 1846 MILL WAS THE SOCIAL CENTER OF THE REGION AND STOPPED OPERATING IN THE EARLY 1990'S. THEY HAVE A PIONEER CEMETERY THERE AS WELL.

FORT ROSS STATE PARK

THIS FORT WAS THE SOUTHERNMOST SETTLEMENT OF THE RUSSIANS. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN AGRICULTURAL BASE FOR ALASKA BUT IT FAILED - THE SOIL JUST WASN'T THE BEST. THE RUSSIANS WERE HERE FROM 1812 TO 1840, ABOUT 30 YEARS. MANY SCHOOLS STAY OVERNIGHT HERE AND THEY REENACT THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE DURING A LIVING HISTORY EVENT. ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE BEEN STUDYING THIS SETTLEMENT FOR WELL OVER 10 YEARS. THERE IS A CEMETERY IT WAS THE FIRST PLACE IN CALIFORNIA TO BUILD SHIPS. IT BECAME A MULTI-CULTURAL VILLAGE OF RUSSIANS, NATIVE ALASKANS, CALIFORNIAN PIONEERS, AND CREOLES - MIXED RUSSIANS AND NATIVE AMERICANS (KASHIA POMOS).

OUR FAMILY HAS BEEN THERE MANY TIMES AND IT HAS MANY TYPES OF WEATHER FROM HOT TO WINDY AND COLD (ALL IN ONE DAY). IT IS A FUN PLACE TO LOOK AT AS YOU CAN SEE THE BEDS AND ARTIFACTS THAT THEY USED IN THE 1830'S. WE HAVE BEEN THERE WHEN THEY HAD REENACTED THE WEAVERS, THE MAKING OF TOOLS WITH A BLACKSMITH, AND FIRING OFF CANONS!

THEIR IS A SMALL RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH THAT WE WENT TO ONCE. THE LANGUAGE IS VERY DIFFICULT. THE BEACH IS FUN TO EXPLORE. THEY HAVE A LARGE MUSEUM THAT SHOWS HOW THEY BROUGHT GOODS AND PEOPLE FROM THE SHIPS TO THE SHORE. IT WAS A SET UP LIKE A LARGE CABLE AND PULLEY AND THE PEOPLE RODE ON A SMALL CHAIR TO GET TO THE FORT. THE MUSEUM ALSO SHOWS WHAT THEY WORE AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS SETTLEMENT. IT DESCRIBES THE WAY PEOPLE BUILT THE FORT - IT HAS BEEN RENOVATED. IT WAS BUILT OF REDWOODS MOSTLY WITH A LARGE REDWOOD PROTECTIVE FENCE AROUND IT.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

ANGEL ISLAND

WHEN MY SON WAS IN FOURTH GRADE I WENT WITH HIS CLASS TO ANGEL ISLAND. WE CAMPED OVERNIGHT AND IT WAS A HEAVY HIKE FOR THE KIDS TO BRING THEIR SLEEPING BAGS, ETC TO THE OLD FORT THERE. THEY WERE REENACTING THE SOLDIERS WHO LIVED AT CAMP REYNOLDS. THEY WERE GIVEN SPECIAL ACTIVITIES AND SO WERE THE MOMS. LUCKILY IT WAS FAIRLY COOL THERE. THE TEACHERS MADE SURE THAT WE HAD PLENTY OF FOOD AND WATER. ONE NIGHT WE HIKED UP TO A MOUNTAIN WHICH WAS REAL RIGOROUS. AND YOU COULD SEE THE ENTIRE BAY AREA. THE KIDS LEARNED HOW TO USE DIFFERENT TYPES OF UTENSILS FOR COOKING, AND THEY KEPT WATCH AT NIGHT FOR SHIPS COMING TO THE SHORE, JUST LIKE THEY DID IN HISTORIC TIMES. ONE OF THE PARKS PEOPLE FIRED THE CANON THERE!

WE TOURED THE 1863 HISTORIC HOUSE AS WELL. THIS IS WHERE THEY MADE BREAD. OUR FOURTH GRADE CLASS THEN MARCHED BACK TO THE LANDING. WE THEN TOOK OUR CARS TO HEALDSBURG.

ANDERSON MARSH STATE PARK

THIS IS A STATE PARK THAT IS NEARBY CLEAR LAKE. IT IS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN POMO TERRITORY. I TEST EXCAVATED SOME UNITS THERE WITH STATE PARK ARCHAEOLOGISTS IN 1985 AT A LARGE PREHISTORIC VILLAGE. IT HAD SOME CUPULES AND WE FOUND PREHISTORIC TOOLS DATING TO ABOUT 10,000 YEARS AGO. THIS AREA HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY OCCUPIED FOR THAT LONG. IT IS A VILLAGE LOCATED NEARBY A LARGE MARSH AS WELL AS A SPIRITUAL MOUNTAIN CALLED MT. KONOCTI. THE POMO BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD NEVER CLIMB THIS MOUNTAIN. THE ARTIFACTS WERE VARIOUS OBSIDIANS WHICH WE IDENTIFIED BY COMPARING THEM TO SAMPLES FROM SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY. WE HAD SOME TOOLS OBSIDIAN HYDRATED TO DETERMINE THE AGE OF THEM. THERE WERE A FEW GROUND STONE FRAGMENTS AS WELL.

I WROTE UP A LARGE REPORT FOR STATE PARKS DESCRIBING OUR METHODS AND ALL OF THE ARTIFACTS AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS SITE. THERE WAS A HUGE REPORT FROM CALTRANS THAT I USED FOR MY COMPARISONS AND TYPES OF ARTIFACTS.

CLEAR LAKE IS CALIFORNIA'S OLDEST LAKE DATING TO PLEISTOCENE TIMES. THE ABORIGINAL HUNTERS PROBABLY SPEARED MASTODONS AND MAMMOTHS, GIANT PANTHERS, BEAVERS, AND DEER FOR MEAT AND COLLECTED MANY NATIVE SEEDS, GRASSES, AND PLANTS.

AHJUMAWI LAVA SPRINGS

THIS IS AN ISOLATED STATE PARK THAT IS LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF MT. SHASTA. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BOAT TO GET TO THE PARK. ONCE YOU ARE IN YOUR BOAT YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE MANY FISH DAMS AROUND THE EDGE OF THE PARK. THESE ARE BUILT OF STONES AROUND THE LAKE AND CATCH SMALL FISH DURING PREHISTORIC TIMES. THERE ARE MANY PETROGLYPHS THAT ARE ON THE ROCKS THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND. WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I CAMPED HERE THE ISLAND HAD TONS OF MOSQUITOS BUT THE VIEW OF MT. SHASTA AND MT LASSEN WAS GREAT. THE LAKE WAS VERY CLEAR AND COLD. ONLY ONE OTHER FISHER MAN WAS ON THE LAKE WHEN WE WERE THERE.

THE ISLAND IS FULL OF CUPULES, OAK TREES, AND VARIOUS SHRUBS AS WELL AS LAVA ROCKS. THESE ROCKS ARE 5000 YEARS OLD. THERE ARE ALSO OSPREY, EAGLES, AND BLUE HERONS. I'M SURE THERE ARE NATIVE AMERICANS WHO STILL FISH THERE! THEY PROBABLY ALSO USE THE FISH DAMS - WHICH ARE UNIQUE TO THIS LOCATI0N.

SUMMER SOLSTICE AT SEARS POINT

I RERECORDED SEARS POINT SITE ON THE GILA RIVER AND NOMINATED IT TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN THE 80'S. THIS ENTIRE SITE WAS A PREHISTORIC CEREMONIAL SITE THAT WAS USED BY THE YUMANS, HOHOKAM, AND OTHER TRIBES FOR OBSERVING THE CELESTIAL CONSTELLATIONS AND HAVING VISION QUESTS, DANCING, AND LONG DISTANCE TRADING. THERE ARE SHRINES, BASALT BLUFFS COVERED WITH PETROGLYPHS, AND GEOGLPHS AS WELL AS INTAGLIOS - AREAS OF THE PATINATED DESERT THAT ARE SCRAPED CLEAN OF THE BLACK GRAVEL THAT INDICATED THE ALIGNMENT OF CERTAIN PETROGLPHS WITH THE WINTER AND SUMMER SOLSTICES.

MANY IF US FROM BLM STAYED HER AND WOKE UP AT 5 AQM TO WATCH WHAT HAPPENED HERE DURING THE SUMMER SOLSTICE ONE YEAR. THERE IS A PETROGLYPH CALLED EARTH MAGICIAN AND AS THE SUN RISES IN THE MORNING IT SHOOTS THROUGH THE CREVICE OF TWO DISTANT MOUNTAINS AND THEIR IS A BRIGHT LIGHT THAT SHOOTS UP TO THE SKY. THE POINT WHERE THE SUN RISES MATCHS A LINEAR INTAGLIO WHICH LINES UP TO THE EARTH MAGICIAN GLYPH. A SCIENTIST FROM NASA TOOK A MOVIE OF THIS AS WELL AS OTHER CONNECTIONS OF THE GLYPHS WITH SOLAR EVENTS. HE HAS MADE A DOCUMENTARY OF THESE MOVIES. IT IS INDEED A RARE SITE. APPARENTLY IT IS STILL BEING USED BY YUMANS FOR VISIONARY PURPOSES, AS IDENTIFIED BY INTERVIEWING SOME NATIVES. IT IS A VERY HOT SITE WITH FEW TREES (ONLY MESQUITE AND PALO VERDE). THERE ARE SOME DESERT WELLS LOCATED AROUND THE AREA.

THE MUSEUM OF MAN'S KEN HEDGES ALSO GOT INVOLVED BECAUSE OF THE IMMENSE AREAS OF PETROGLPHS, A PREHISTORIC CORRIDOR OF STONES LINED UP TO A SIGNIFICANT BLUFF; A DANCE FLORE OF SELECTED BLACK PEBBLES ABOUT 15 X 15 FEET IN DIAMETER, SOME SHRINES, AND ONLY A FEW POSSIBLE TEMPORARY CAMPSITES. THEIR OBSIDIAN AND CHERT FLAKES/DEBITAGE THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE SITE AND ALONG THE TRAILS.

AN UNUSUAL PETROGLYPH THAT IS A SNAKE SYMBOL IS LIKE A MEDICAL CADUCEUS. IT IS LOCATED AT THE NORTHERNMOST BLUFF WHERE THERE IS A CAVE OF RATTLESNAKES. ONE SCIENTIST NOTED THAT THERE IS A MAGNETIC ATTRACTION AT THIS POINT AS WELL (?).

POINT REYES

WE HAVE TAKEN BIKE TRIPS TO THE BEAR MOUNTAIN ROAD AT POINT REYES THAT LEADS TO THE END OF THE TRAIL OVERLOOKING THE OCEAN. IT IS ONLY A 7 MILE TRAIL. IT IS WELL TRAVELED BY MANY PEOPLE ON FOOT AS WELL AS THOSE WHO RIDE THEIR BIKES.

THE TRAIL IS MOSTLY SHADY BUT IT HAS SOME HILLS SO YOU NEED AN ALL TERRAIN BIKE. YOU CAN FIND ELK ON THIS TRAIL AND IT FOLLOWS BEAR CREEK, A NICE COOL AREA WITH A FEW SMALL DRAINAGES AND MOSTLY REDWOODS.

ONCE YOU GET TO THE OCEAN YOU CAN TAKE A TRAIL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CLIFF AND GO THROUGH A TUNNEL TO REACH THE BEACH. IT IS A FAIRLY RUGGED SURF AT THIS POINT. IT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR SWIMMIMG. THERE IS A GREAT VIEW ON THIS BLUFF. YOU CAN SEE BOATS THAT ARE OUT IN THE OCEAN CATCHING FISH. THE VIEW OF THE OTHER COASTLINE IS NOT VISIBLE FROM HERE.

WE HAVE ALSO GONE TO THE PT. REYES LIGHTHOUSE TRAIL WHICH IS A STEEP TRAIL DOWN 300 SOME STEPS TO A VERY WINDY BLUFF. IT IS A GREAT VIEW ND THE HIGHTHOUSE IS A MUSEUM NOW. IT IS A RUGGED STAR STEP CLIMB UP TO THE PARKING AREA. YOU CAN WAQTCH SEA OTTERS BY THE LIGHTHOUSE AND SEE THE PELICANS FLY BY.

Monday, June 28, 2010

MY HOBBIES

MY HOBBIES ARE GARDENING, BIKING, YOGA, HIKING, LISTENING TO NATURE, IDENTIFYING PLANTS, SEWING, KNITTING, PAINTING ROCKS AND PASTELS. I HAVE LOVED TO SEW ALL OF MY OWN CLOTHES SINCE MY EARLY CHILDHOOD. MY CHILDHOOD WAS FILLED WITH FUN THINGS TO DO ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMERS. MY BROTHER AND I WERE ENROLLED AT A NEAT MUSEUM LORE CLASSES TO LEARN ABOUT ALL THE SCIENCES - INCLUDING PALEONTOLOGY, ARCHAEOLOGY, BOTANY, EDIBLE PLANTS, NATURE PAINTING, ASTRONOMY, PHYSICS, INSECT BEHAVIOR, ORNITHOLOGY, EXHIBIT BUILDING, AND ARCHAEOLOGY/PALEONTOLOGY LABORATORY PRACTICES.

I ALSO LOVE TO SING AND I AM IN THE HEALDSBURG CHOIR. I LIKE TO PLAY MY DULCIMERS AS WELL. I HOPE TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY MY ZITHER SOON. I HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS LISTENING TO MUSIC.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE HAD MANY GARDENS MOSTLY IN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTH
DAKOTA. WE ALSO WENT FISHING OR TRIED TO FISH ON THE KLAMATH RIVER, IN SOUTH DAKOTA, IN ARIZONA. WE BOTH LOVE TO SWIM BOTH IN THE OCEAN AND IN NATURAL LAKES. WE HAVE GONE BOATING IN RIVERS, ON LAKES AND IN THE OCEAN (CARIBBEAN AND IN HAWAII) ON PONTOON BOATS.

ORIGIN OF CORN IN NATIVE AMERICA

CORN WAS FOUND AT PREHISTORIC VILLAGES IN MEXICO AT 6000 BC. IT WAS A MINIATURE VARIETY. ARCHAEOLOGISTS ALSO FOUND GOURDS AND PUMPKINS IN VILLAGES THERE DATING TO 7000 BC. WHEN I WORKED IN MEXICO THEY HAD MANY DIFFERENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SPECIALISTS WHO WERE ABLE TI IDENTIFY PREHISTORIC SEEDS AND PLANT TYPES THAT THE NATIVES ATE THROUGHOUT ABOUT 9000 YEARS! THESE REMAINS HAVE BEEN FOUND IN CAVES IN THE VALLEY OF MEXICO. SOME HAVE BEEN FOUND IN SMALL VESSELS EXCAVATED IN SITES. IT IS INTERESTING THAT THE CITY OF TEOTIHUACAN HAD MANY IRRIGATION WATERWAYS PLANNED THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THEIR FARMERS LIVED IN SMALL CAMPS OUTSIDE OF THE MAIN CITY AND WORKED THE FIELDS MAKING SURE THEY HAD ADEQUATE VEGETABLES, BEANS, AND OTHER NATIVE FOODS TO BRING TO THEIR MARKETS.

SOME OF THE OTHER TYPES OF CRAFTSMEN WERE OBSIDIAN CARVERS FOR SCULPTURES AND VARIOUS TOOLS, LEATHER WORKERS, SEAMSTRESSES, STONE MASONS.

PRAIRIE CREEK REDWOODS STATE PARK

WHEN MY SON WAS LITTLE WE WENT CAMPING IN MANY STATE PARKS WHERE I DID ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYS. ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO HIKE IN THE SUMMER IS IN PRAIRIE CREEK REDWOODS STATE PARK IN FERN RIVER CANYON. THIS IS A 100 ' DEEP CANYON WHERE THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF FERNS - IT IS CONSIDERED A SPIRITUAL CANYON TO THE TOLOWA, KAROK, YUROK, WIGOT AND OTHER NATIVES. THE FERNS ARE DESCENDANTS OF PLANTS FROM 200 MILLION YEARS AGO.

WE USUALLY TAKE PHOTOS OF ALL THE ELK AS YOU ENTER THE PARK. AND THE BLACKBERRIES ARE GREAT TOO. THE ROAD TO THE CANYON IS VERY DUSTY AND WINDY. WE'VE CAMPED BY THE OCEAN AND STAYED IN SMALL HOTELS AS WELL.

HIKING IN THE CANYON IS SO COOL - YOU JUST TAKE YOUR WATER SANDALS AND YOU CAN SPEND AN HOUR INVESTIGATING WALKING ON ALL THE REDWOOD TREES AND SPLASHING IN THE PUDDLES AND STANDING UNDER SOME SMALL WATERFALLS. THEN YOU CAN TAKE TRAILS ABOVE THE CANYON, AND SPEND A HALF DAY OR SO ON THESE DRY PATHS. THERE ARE DEER, BEAR, ELK, SNAKES, AND OTHER ANIMALS ABOVE THE CANYON.

THERE IS A UNIQUE TYPE OF BUNCH GRASS THAT GROWS AT THE MOUTH OF THE CANYON THAT THE NATIVES USED FOR MAKING BASKETS. IT IS A QUIET PARK THAT DOESN'T GET TOO CROWDED.

WE USUALLY ALSO GO TO FERNVILLE, A SMALL TOURIST TOWN ON THE COAST WHERE ARTISTS GATHER. IT WAS AN OLD LUMBER TOWN AND HAS MANY TOURISTS, RESTAURANTS, AND A BIG OLD HOTEL.

HEARST CASTLE

WE HAVE TRAVELED TO HEARST CASTLE MANY TIMES - USUALLY FOR CHRISTMAS. WE HAVE SEEN THE ELEPHANT SEALS AND THE SEA LIONS DOWN SLOPE FROM THE CASTLE. PEOPLE TEND TO GET TOO CLOSE TO THE SEALS. THEY WANT TO TAKE CLOSE PHOTOS AND THE ANIMALS DO NOT LIKE HAVING PEOPLE THAT CLOSE - THEY SOMETIMES CHARGE THEM!

THE CASTLE IS SO BEAUTIFUL IN WINTER - THE INTERPRETERS HAVE IT DECORATED SO NICELY. EACH TIME I VISIT IT I SEE A DIFFERENT PIECE OF ART. OUR FAMILY USED TO GO TO THIS MUSEUM DURING THE CHRISTMAS BREAK AND WE EVEN TOOK MY MOM THERE ONCE. I ENJOYED THE THE VIEW THE MOST, AS WELL AS THE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR POOL. WE HAD A GREAT TIME LOOKING AT ALL OF THE ANTIQUES THERE. THEY EVEN HAVE SOME ZEBRA AND VARIOUS ANIMALS THEY TEND FOR ON THEIR HUGE PROPERTY. THE MOVIE ABOUT THE HEARST'S LIFE IS ALSO EXCELLENT.

I THINK I ENJOYED LISTENING TO THE GUIDE'S DISCUSSION OF WHERE THE CARVED WOODEN BEAMS AND SCULPTURES WERE FROM AND HOW THEY WERE RESTORED.

MOST OF THE HOUSE HAS BEEN RESTORED MORE THAN ONE TIME. THEY TRAVELED TO SO MANY COUNTRIES AND THEY COLLECTED SO MANY THINGS AND HAD THEM SHIPPED TO THE SHORE BELOW THEIR MANSION..

WE STAYED AT A NICE MOTEL WITH AN INDOOR POOL AND HAD FUN WALKING IN THIS NICE LITTLE TOWN THAT HAS A LOT OF CUTE SHOPS.
THIS IS NOT THE ONLY MANSION HE OWNED ..I THINK HE HE OWNED SEVERAL OTHERS IN THE U.S. OH WELL, IT MUST BE NICE TO BE RICH..!

SOUTHWESTERN POTTERY DESIGNS

THE PREHISTORIC SOUTHWESTERN POTTERY WAS PAINTED WITH GEOMETRIC DESIGNS OF ALL KINDS. THEY WERE QUITE ELABOARATE IN STLES AND THEY PURPOSELY MADE A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN CALLED A DAU. THIS DEFECT LET GOOD SPIRITS IN AS WELL AS LET OUT THE EVIL SPIRITS. THEY ALSO USED DESIGNS OF NATURE AND VARIOUS ANIMALS. VARIOUS TRIBES USED DIFFERENT TYPES OF METHODS TO MAKE THEIR CERAMICS. EACH VILLAGE USED DIFFERENT DESIGNS THAT DEFINE WHO THEY ARE. THEY PRODUCESOME DESIGNS THAT THEIR ANCESTORS USED. THEREARE SO MANY SOUTHWESTERN TRIBES STILL MAKING POTTERY - IT IS ACRAFT FOR BOTH MEN AN WOMEN.

IN THE HOHOKAM CULTURE I STUDIED SO MANY CERAMICS AND DISCOVERED THAT THEY USED RED PAINT ON TAN CLAY FOR THE MOST PART. THEIR GEOMETRICS WERE CIRCLES AND ZIGZAG DESIGNS. THEY ALSO COMMONLY USED DANCERS REPEATEDLY ACROSS THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE POT. MOST OF THEIR POTS WERE FIRED IN AN OUTDOOR KILN.

THEY USED TO PAINT QUAIL, VARIOUS BIRDS, DEER, COYOTE, SNAKES, LIZARDS, AND SMALL MAMAMMALS. THE POTTERY IS VERY DISTINCT FROM OTHER SOUTHWESTERN POTTERY. IT IS NOT AS DELICATE AS THE OTHER TRIBES. THEY ALSO PAINTED KOKOPELI REPEATEDLY ON THEIR POTTERY.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

WEED - A LUMBER TOWN IN SISKIYOU, CA

WE WORKED ON THE KLAMATH FOREST IN THE LATE 70'S AND WE WORKED ON TWO DISTRICTS JUST NORTH OF THE TOWN OF WEED. WEED IS LOCATED 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF MT. SHASTA, THE
SECOND TALLEST MOUNTAIN IN CALIFORNIA. ABER WEED BOUGHT THE LUMBER MILL IN 1897 WHICH OCCUPIED 280 ACRES. BY 1940'S WEED WAS THE WORLD'S LARGEST LUMBER TOWN AND SAWMILL, CUTTING MOSTLY DOUGLAS FIR AND VARIOUS PINE TREES. THEY HAD A SIGNIFICANT RAILROAD ASSOCIATED THROUGHOUT NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TO HAUL THE CUT WOOD TO THIS SAWMILL AND OTHER SMALLER SAWMILLS. MANY OF THESE OLD RAILROAD TRAILS ARE NOW USED FOR CROSS COUNTRY SKIING. THE SAWMILL ENDED IT'S OPERATION IN THE LATE 1980'S.

THE MINER'S IN THE KLAMATH CAME TO MINE FOR GOLD DURING THE 1850'S LEAVING HUGE CAN DUMPS ALONG THE RIVERS AND HUGE PILINGS OF THEIR DREDGINGS ALONG ALL OF THE DRAINAGES. SOME OF THEM BUILT CABINS, WHILE OTHERS STAYED IN TENTS. THEY ALSO BUILT WOODEN SHOOTS TO HAVE WATER COME FROM HIGHER ELEVATIONS DOWN TO THE RIVERS WHERE THEY MINED. THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF CAMPS THAT WE LOCATED, RECORDED, PHOTOGRAPHED FOR PRESERVATION BASED UPON AERIAL PHOTO SEARCH AND INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL SENIORS.

GLASS MOUNTAIN IN KLAMATH NATIONAL FOREST

IN THE LATE 1970'S MY HUSBAND AND I SUPERVISED TWO OTHER ACHAEOLOGISTS ON THE KLAMATH NATIONAL FOREST. WE SURVEYED A TIMBER SALE WHICH I USED FOR MY MASTER'S THESIS. IT WAS THE LAVA TIMBER SALE. WITHIN THIS AREA WE FOUND A HUGE MOUNTAIN OF BLACK OBSIDIAN CALLED "GLASS MOUNTAIN". THIS MOUNTAIN HAD BEEN USED DURING PREHISTORIC TIMES AS A RICH SOURCE OF OBSIDIAN. IT WAS UNUSUAL IN THAT IT HAD MANY BROKEN PIECES OF OBSIDIAN WHICH HAD BROKEN OFF FROM THIS 20 FOOT TALL MOUNTAIN OF GLASS DURING EITHER HISTORIC OR PREHISTORIC FIRES.

WE RECORDED RECORDED MANY PREHISTORIC KNAPPING STATIONS AND HISTORIC CAN SITES AROUND THIS LARGE GLASS MOUNTAIN. THE LOGGERS BUILT THEIR TRAIN TRACK NEARBY THE MOUNTAIN AND WE RECORDED THE ENTIRE TRAIN TRACK AS ONE HISTORIC SITE USED DURING THE 1930'S. WE ALSO RECORDED AND PHTOGRAPHED MANY DUMPS FROM THE LOGGERS AND DATED SOME OF THE TIN CANS. MY THESIS DESCRIBED A MULTI - LEVEL SURVEY METHOD USED TO LOCATE AND RECORD BOTH HISTRORIC AND PREHISTORIC SITES. WE HAD WORKED ON THE KLAMATH THE PREVIOUS YEAR ALONG THE KLAMATH RIVEWR - A MUCH STEEPER TERRAIN.

CANCUN TRAVELS

IN THE 1980'S I TRAVELED TO CANCUN WITH MY HUSBAND, MY MOM, MY BROTHER, AND HIS WIFE AS WELL AS MY PARENT'S IN LAW.

IT WAS A TRIP OF A LIFETIME AS WE FLEW FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO GUADALAJARA. THEN WE GOT STALLED IN THERE AIRPORT. WE WENT ON TO CANCUN AND MET OUR RELATIVES FROM THE EAST COAST. ONCE WE GOT SETTLED IN A MOTEL WE WALKED AROUND THE TOWN TO SIGHT SEE. IT WAS QUITE HOT AND HUMID. WE WENT SNORKELING IN A NEAT CORAL REEF AND SAW SOME BEAUTIFUL FISH. WE DECIDED TO ALSO TAKE A BOAT TRIP TO THE ISLA DE MUJARAS WHERE THERE WERE MANY TURTLES AND THE WATER WAS QUITE WARM. EVERYONE WAS RIDING MOTOR SCOOTERS THERE. WE LOUNGED AROUND THERE BY THE SEA. ONE DAY WE DROVE TO TULUM A BEAUTIFUL COASTAL PREHISTORIC VILLAGE. THERE WERE PAINTED WALLS AND HUGE PYRAMIDS TO CLIMB. THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT WHEN WE WENT. WE TRAVELED THROUGHOUT THIS SITE IN ORDER TO VIEW SO MANY PYRAMIDS. IT HAS A REFRESHING BREEZE BY THE OCEAN.

ANOTHER SITE WE VISITED HERE WAS CHICHEN ITZA. IT HAS A HUGE OBSERVATORY AND MANY DIFFERENT PYRAMIDS AS WELL. THE NATIVE MEXICANS BUILT THESE BUILDINGS USING VERY CRAFTY SKILLS AND ALIGNED THEIR VILLAGES ACCORDING TO THE CONSTELLATIONS. THEY WERE QUITE INTELLECTUAL ABOUT FINDING OUT INFORMATION FROM THE STARS AND THE HEAVENS. THEY HAD MANY SCULPTURES THERE MADE OUT OF STONE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THEIR RUINS.
PEOPLE COME TO SEE THESE RUINS FROM ALL DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

MY HUSBAND AND I TRAVELED BY BUS AND STAYED AT UXMAL IN A NICE HOTEL. IT WAS HERE THAT I HAD A BAD CASE OF DYSENTERY. LUCKILY SOMEONE FROM THE HOTEL GOT ME TO A PHARMACY WHERE THEY GAVE ME A SHOT. THEN I JUST HAD CAMOMILE TEA AND WHITE CRACKERS FOR SEVERAL DAYS. AT UXMAL THERE WERE ARCHAEOLOGISTS WORKING AT THE BASE OF A TALL PYRAMID. THEY HAD MANY IRRIGATION CHANNELS BUILT OF STONE AND WE TRAVELED AROUND SOME OF THEM TO SEE THE SITE. IT WASN'T QUITE AS ELABORATE AS THE OTHERS. OUR HOTEL WAS QUITE BEAUTIFUL HOWEVER. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE DRANK THE WATER AT CHICHEN ITZA. THEY SAID IT WAS OK FROM THE TAP. IT DID NOT AGREE WITH ME!

Friday, June 25, 2010

SUDDEN OAK DEATH

SUDDEN OAK DISEASE WAS RECOGNIZED IN 1995 NORTH AND SOUTH OF SAN FRANCISCO AND IN SOUTHWEST OREGON. IT IS A PATHOGEN FOUND IN CALIFORNIA AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DISEASE CALLED PHYTOPHTHORA RAMORUM AND IS FOUND IN GERMANY AND IN DENMARK.

IT ATTACKS OTHER PLANTS SUCH AS RHODODENDRONS IN CALIFORNIA AND IT IS A HUGE DANGER TO THE OAKS. I THINK SOME SCIENTISTS WILL BE ABLE TO FIND A SOLUTION TO STOP THIS DISEASE SPREADING IN THE FUTURE.

I HAVE SEEN IT KILL OAKS IN LESS THAN A MONTH.

CRATER LAKE CAMPING

OUR FAMILY USED TO HIKE AND TRAVEL UP TO CRATER LAKE IN OREGON. WE BROUGHT OUR OWN FOOD AND PITCHED A TENT VS. STAYING IN THERE HUGE OLD LODGE. IT IS A FUN OLD LODGE THAT HAS A BIG FIREPLACE. EVEN IN THE SUMMER IT IS COLD AT CRATER LAKE. WE HAVE MADE THIS TRIP A NUMBER OF TIMES. WE HAVE GONE ON THE HIKE DOWN TO THE LAKE WHERE THERE ARE BOATS THAT TAKE YOU AROUND THE LAKE. THERE ARE MANY WATERFALLS AND YOU CAN WALK AROUND THE LITTLE ISLAND IN THE CENTER OF THE CRATER. WE USUALLY GO ON MANY HIKES AROUND THE CRATER. IT IS A VERY WINDY PARK AND WE STILL LOVE TO HIKE IN THIS UNUSUAL PLACE.

THE ENVIRONMENT HAS SOME WOLVES, ELK, DEER, BOBCATS, AND BEAR, SO YOU MUST PROTECT YOUR FOOD FROM THESE ANIMALS AS YOU CAMP!

WE HAVEN'T SEEN MANY OF THESE ANIMALS BUT THEY HAVE BEEN NOTED THERE. IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO HIKE AND MANY FOREIGNERS COME THERE FROM ALL AREAS.

WIND CAVE HISTORIC LIVING HISTORY TOURS

WIND CAVE HISTORIC PARK IS WITHIN THE SOUTH DAKOTA GRASSLANDS WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM AND WHERE THE ELK THRIVE. THEY GIVE YOU KNEE PADS AND YOU CLIMB THROUGH THE CAVE WITH A CANDLE LIGHT AND IN THE MIDDLE THE GUIDE HAS YOU BLOW IT OUT. AND THEY HAVE YOU THINK HOW ISOLATED YOU ARE WITHOUT LIGHT. IT IS KIND OF SCARY. THEN THEY LIGHT YOUR CANDLE AGAIN. THE TRIP LASTS ABOUT 1 1/2 HOURS. MY SON HAS GONE ON THIS TOUR AS WELL - HE LOVES CAVES!

THEY SHOW YOU WHERE SOME OF THE PREHISTORIC ANIMALS USED TO LIVE IN THE CAVE. THEY TEACH YOU THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STALAGTITES AND STALAGMITES. THE GUIDES ARE GREAT AND LOVE THEIR UNDERGROUND JOB!

AUCTIONS IN SOUTH DAKOTA

WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I WORKED IN SOUTH DAKOTA AS ARCHAEOLOGISTS, WE DECIDED TO HAVE SOME FUN AND WENT TO WEEKLY AUCTIONS IN A BIG WAREHOUSE ON FRIDAYNIGHTS. THERE ALWAYS SOME BIG MYSTERY BOX THAT THAT WENT FOR ONE DOLLAR. OUR ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD OF BED, DRESSERS, VACUUM CLEANER, AND CLOTHING XCAME FROM THAT AUCTION. WE EVENTUALLY MOVED BACK TO PHOIENIX AFTER 3 SUCCESSFUL YEARS DOING ARCHAEOLOGY IN AND AROUND THE BLACK HILLS.

OTHER PEOPLE CAME TO THE AUCTION TO TO HAVE SOME ENTERTAINMENT VS, TO BUY SOMETHING. WE ALSO FOUND A SCHOOL WHERE WE PLAYED VOLLEYBALL. AT ONE TIME WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT SPEND OUR ENTIRE LIVES IN SOUTH DAKOTA, BUT DECIDED IT WAS JUST TOO UNCULTURED FOR US.

CAMPFIRE GIRLS

MY MOM PLACED ME INTO CAMPFIRE GIRLS AS A 4TH GRADER. WE LEARNED HOW TO SEW, TO COOK, AND HOW TO CAMP. WE WENT TO CAMP IN A NEAT CABIN FULL OF GIRLS. WE HAD FUN COOKING OUR POTATOES IN A CAMPFIRE SEALED WITH ALUMINUM, AND THEY COOKED CHICKEN FOR US. WE HAD SOME FUN ITH OUR FLASHLIGHTS UNDER OUR BLANKETS.

WE ALSO MADE SOME FUN INDIAN CLOTHING FOR THE PARADE IN TROY. I LOOKED JUST LIKE AN INDIAN!

I WAS AN ACROBAT AS A YOUNG GIRL

IN TROY, OHIO I TOOK ACROBATICS IN A SMALL DOWNTOWN STUDIO. I WAS A A BATON TWIRLER AND WE LEARNED HOW TO DANCE AND PRODUCED SOME SHOWS FOR OUR PARENTS. MY MOM MADE MY OUTFITS. AND I REMEMBER BEING A TOMBOY, BUT ALSO WAS INTERESTED IN BALLET AND TAP DANCING AS WELL AS MAKING DRESSES FOR MYSELF AND MY DOLLS.

I THINK I WAS IN THESE CLASSES FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS.

BEING A TOMBOY IN TROY OHIO

AS A TOMBOY IN TROY OHIO I USED TO DIG IN OUR BACKYARD AND PLAY UNDERNEATH OUR OLD HOIUSE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS. IT WAS LIKE A KIDS PLAYHOUSE. AND WE WOULD GO TO ONE BLOCK CLOSE BY WHERE THE ENTIRE BLOCK WAS NOT DEVELOPED. IT LOOKED LIKE A JUNGLE FULL OF TREES AND IT HAD ROPES OF VINES AND WE WOULD PLAY ALL DAY THERE. IT WAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN THIS SMALL CITY. WE ALSO GOT POISON IVY A LOT AS A KID. I REMEMBER MY MOM PLACING SHEETS OVER MY SKIN WITH OATMEAL BATHES TO DRY IT UP. I LOVED THE OUTDOORS AND DURING THE SUMMER SHE WOULD RING A LOUD COWBELL TO CALL US IN TO DINNER.

IT WAS A GREAT TOWN TO GROW UP IN AND I HAD ABOUT 3 SPECIAL GIRLFRIENDS. WE HAD SLUMBER PARTIES ONCE IN AWHILE. WE ALL HAD SPECIAL TIMES TOGETHER. I REMEMBER THAT TOWN VERY WELL AND I REMEMBER MY UNCLE VERNON LIVING ONLY 2 HOUSES DOWN FROM US. HE HAD A HUGE HOUSE THAT I USED TO DO KARATE IN.

I USED TO PLAY WITH THE BOYS AT SCHOOL ACXROSS TRHE STREE- WE PLAYED FOUR SQUARE AND WE LOVED TO RUN AROUND AND SWING VERY HIGH AND JUMP OUT OF THE SWINGS!

HOW I LEARNED TO SELL FROM MY DAD

WHEN I WAS YOUNG IN GRADE SCHOOL I TRAVELED WITH MY DAD ON HIS SELLING ROUNDS DURING THE SUMMER. HE SOLD VITAMINS, RALEIGH'S PRODUCTS, UNIFORMS, AND EXPENSIVE SHOES TO NURSES AND VARIOUS PROFESSIONALS IN DAYTON, OHIO. HE WOULD HAVE THE PRODUCTS IN A SUITCASE AND SHOW THEM VARIOUS STYLES AND LET THEM TRY THE SHOES ON AND DISCUSS THE BENEFITS OF THE PRODUCTS AND WHY PEOPLE LIKED THE PRODUCTS. HE WAS AN EXCELLENT SALESMAN AND ALWAYS KEPT HIS CUSTOMERS SATISFIED AND HAD REPEATED CUSTOMERS FROM HIS VITAMINS AS WELL AS HIS SHOES. WE WOULD DRIVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DAYTON AND I'D LISTEN TO HIS SALES PITCH. HE HAD A GOOD RAPPORT WITH HIS CUSTOMERS. HE HAD AN MA IN PSYCHOLOGY AND USED IT IN HIS SELLING.

HE AND HIS BROTHER AND FATHER OWNED A LARGE WESTERN STORE IN TROY, OHIO WHEN I WAS YOUNG. IT WENT BANKRUPT AFTER THE HORSE RIDERS WERE LESS COMMON. I BELIEVE IT HAD BEEN HIS GRANDFATHER'S STORE. HE AND MY UNCLE TRIED TO OPERATE IT BUT THEY DECIDED IT WAS JUST TO MUCH AFTER ABOUT 10 YEARS OR SO. MY MOM HELPED OUT IN THE ACCOUNTING OF THE ITEMS THEY HAD. THEY HAD SADDLES, WESTERN SHIRTS, COWBOY BOOTS, LEATHER JACKETS FOR MEN AND WOMEN, INDIAN SKIRTS AND LEATHER BELTS AS WELL. THEY ANNOUNCED IT ON RADIO AS WELL. PEOPLE CAME FROM AROUND THE COUNTY TO BUY THEIR APPAREL THERE.

IN ANY CASE MY DAD AND I HAD FUN WITH HIS OWN SALES BUSINESS AND I REMEMBER THAT WE ATE OUT A LOT VS BRINGING OUR LUNCHES. DAYTON WAS A BIG TOWN WHERE MY MOM WORKED FOR THE GOVERNMENT. MY BROTHER AND I BECAME FAMILIAR WITH THE TOWN AS WE SOMETIMES BOTH WENT WITH HIM ON HIS SALES ROUTINE. HE SOLD RALEIGH'S PRODUCTS IN TIPP CITY AS WELL AND OUR ENTIRE FAMILY WOULD GO THERE AS A FUN DAY ON SATURDAYS AND THEN EAT OUT. WE WERE NOT AN AFFLUENT FAMILY, BUT DID HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO EAT OUT OCCASIONALLY.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

MY FAMILY'S TRAILER CAMPING EXPERIENCE

OUR FAMILY USED TO LIKE TO HAVE A 10 X 10 FOOT TRAILER THAT WE TOOK WITH OUR CAR TO THE OHIO LAKES AND OLD MAN'S CAVE IN SOUTHERN OHIO. THIS WAS A FAMILIAR PLACE TO ALL FOUR OF US. WE LOVED CAMPING AND MY BROTHER AND I ENJOYED THE SMALL TRAILER. I SLEPT UP IN THE UPPER LOFT. THE TRAILER HAD A SMALL STOVE AND A REFRIGERATOR. THE WEIRD THING WAS THAT IT HAD A STEP DOWN AREA AS YOU ENTERED IT. WE ENJOYED CLIMBING AROUND THE OLD MAN'S CAVE AND IT WAS ONE OF OHIO'S LARGEST OPEN CAVE. WE FREQUENTLY WENT SWIMMING AT THE LAKE AS WE GREW UP.

DURING THE SUMMER OUR FAMILY WOULD TRAVEL TO VARIOUS OUTDOOR STATE PARKS AND ONE OR TWO SUMMERS WE WENT OUT WEST WITH THE TRAILER. ONE SUMMER WE TRAVELED TO COLORADO AND MY DAD TRIED TO PULL THE TRAILER UP PIKE'S PEAK. ABOUT HALF WAY UP HE DECIDED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND TURN AROUND. WE JUST KEPT THE TRAILER AT THE ENTRANCE AND HIKED AROUND THE GARDEN OF THE GODS. THE SANDSTONE CLIFFS AND CIRCULAR ROCKS WERE SO BEAUTIFUL. WE ENJOYED DOING A LITTLE BIT OF HIKING AND I THINK WE STAYED IN A TRAILER PARK THERE.

ONE SUMMER WE TRAVELED WITH OUR TRAILER TO MESA VERDE TO VIEW THIS WONDERFUL NATION PARK. THE PARK HAS A NUMBER OF AREAS WHERE YOU CAN HIKE INTO THE CLIFF SIDE DWELLINGS OF SANDSTONE AND IN THE KIVAS. ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT THERE WERE 24 TRIBES THAT LIVED WITHIN THE NATIONAL PARK FROM 500 AD TO 1300 AD. THE SANDSTONE BUILDINGS WERE BUILT IN 1200 AD AND THE ANCESTRAL PUEBLOAN PEOPLE LIVED IN THESE HOUSES FOR ABOUT 100 YEARS. THE TRIBES INCLUDED ANASAZI, UTE, HOPI, AND NAVAJO, ETC. THERE ARE ABOUT 4000 SITES IN THIS PARK! FOR WHATEVER REASON - POSSIBLY INVADERS ATTACKED THEM OR LACK OF WATER- THEY MOVED SOUTH. THEIR MAIN CULTIVATED CROP WAS CORN. THEY KNEW ABOUT AND ATE ALL KINDS OF NATIVE PLANTS.

THIS EXPERIENCE LED ME INTO THE DISCIPLINE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AS I ENJOYED LEARNING ABOUT HOW PREHISTORIC PEOPLE SUSTAINED THEMSELVES FOR SO MANY MILLENIA WITHOUT GROCERY STORES AND IN DESERTS. I DECIDED AT THAT POINT THAT I WANTED TO GROW UP TO BE AN ARCHAEOLOGIST AND BE SCHOOLED IN THE WEST.

OUR FAMILY TOOK MANY MOVIES OF OUR TRAVELS WHEREVER WE WENT, AND I HAVE GROWN UP TO BE A PHOTOGRAPHER AS WELL.

SANTE FE ARTISANS AND ATMOSPHERE

I HAVE BEEN TO SANTE FE SEVERAL TIMES. ONCE AS I TRAVELED AND DUG IN NEW MEXICO. A SECOND TIME I WENT WITH MY FAMILY AND MOM TO TRAVEL FROM ALBUQUERQUE TO MANY OF THE PUEBLOS IN NEW MEXICO. THE TOWN OF SANTE FE HAS AN ARRAY OF CHURCHES, SHOPS, MUSEUMS, AND JEWELRY STORES AS WELL AS TRADES PEOPLE SELLING THEIR CRAFTS AROUND THE SQUARE. MY MOM BOUGHT A NICE RING FROM AN EXPENSIVE SHOP THERE. SHE LIKES TO WEAR MANY RINGS.

WE VIEWED A NICE FOLKLORE MUSEUM IN SANTE FE WHICH HAD REPLICAS OF MANY SMALL MEXICAN VILLAGES. I REALLY LIKED IT.

THE FEEL OF SANTE FE IS LIKE MEXICO WITH AN EXPENSIVE TWIST. THERE ARE SO MANY MEXICAN RESTAURANTS THERE AS WELL. THERE ARE SO MANY JEWELRY SHOPS AND INDIAN SCULPTURE SHOPS THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT HOW PEOPLE COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER. APPARENTLY THE CITY ALLOWS PEOPLE TO BURN FIRE WOOD IN THEIR HOUSES AS IT SMELLS LIKE MESQUITE AT NIGHT. IT IS AT AN ALTITUDE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE SOME HEAT AT NIGHT, BUT NOT IN THE SUMMER. THE AIR QUALITY SEEMS SOMEWHAT POOR BECAUSE OF THE POPULATION EXPLOSION THERE. I LIKE THE TOWN ANYWAY..

PETROGLYPHS IN HAWAII

WHEN OUR FAMILY VISITED TO HAWAII WE STAYED AT MANY BED AND BREAKFAST PLACES AND WENT TO MANY PETROGLYPH SITES. WE HAVE TRAVELLED THERE AT LEAST SIX TIMES. SOME WERE VERY INTERESTING ON THE BIG ISLAND AT VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK. THEY HAD PATINATED GEOGLYPHS AND STICK - LIKE FIGURES THAT WERE SCATTERED ON THE CLIFF EDGE WHERE THEY HAD BUILT A WOODEN TRAIL OVER THE LAVA. THE PETROGLYPHS INCLUDED SOME CUPULES WHERE THE HAWIIAN MOMS USED TO PUT THEIR BABIES UMBILICAL CORD IN - FOR GOOD LUCK??
WE HIKED INTO A LARGE CRATER WHICH WAS MADE SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS AGO BY A METEORITE HITTING THE ISLAND!

THIS PARK IS VERY HOT TO WALK IN (NO TREES) AND HAS SULPHER SMELLS FROM THE SUBTERRANEAN FISSURES. WE COULD ONLY GET SO CLOSE TO THE LAVA TUBES SINCE THE AIR AND STEAM WERE SO HOT! WE COULD SEE THE HELICOPTERS TOURING THE HOT LAVA AS IT POURED INTO THE OCEAN. THAT WOULD BE IDEAL TO VIEW THAT.

WE ALSO TOURED THE KAHOLA COAST WHERE THERE ARE MANY LARGE RESORTS. THEY EVEN HAVE SOME PETROGLYPHS BY A LARGE RESORT WHERE YOU CAN WALK ON THE PATINATED LAVA. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW OLD THESE ARE EITHER. YOU CAN TAKE A TOUR OF THIS LARGE RESORT BY BOAT!! (WHICH WE DID).

AT LAPAKAHI STATE PARK WE SNORKELED UNDER THE CORAL REEF AND THE FISH ARE SO BEAUTIFUL; AN OCTOPUS WAS ALSO ON THE CORAL. WE ALSO SAW THE PREHISTORIC EVIDENCE OF THEIR FISHING VILLAGE. THEY HAD TRAIL SIGNS WHERE THE NATIVES GATHERED SALT; A BIG GAME AREA ON THE SAND; AND SOME NEAT PETROGLYPHS THERE AS WELL. WE REALLY ENJOYED THE CALMNESS OF THIS PARK AS WE WERE THE ONLY ONES THERE!

MY FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL COACH

AS A COACHING STUDENT FOR 3 YEARS WORKING PART TIME I EXPERIENCED MANY DIFFERENT COACHING INSTRUCTORS WHO HAD THE DISTINCTION OF A MASTERS CERTIFIED COACH. MY FAVORITE TEACHER WAS MARGARET KRIGBAUM WHO ALWAYS HAD SUCH INTERESTING TOPICS AND GAVE US GREAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OUR RESPONSES TO HER QUESTIONS. I REALLY NEEDED HER CLASSES WHEN I WAS TAKING CARE OF A FAMILY MEMBER DURING HER DEMENTIA AND ALZTHEIMER'S. IF NOT FOR THESE CLASSES I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GONE CRAZY. I USED THE SKILLS OF THE COACHING WORLD TO BECOME A GREAT OUTDOOR RETREAT COACH AND REALIZE HOW TO ACHIEVE MY GOALS.

MARGARET AND SOME OF THE OTHER COACHES IN OUR CLASSES HELPED TO DEVELOP US IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND BECOME MORE AUTHENTIC TO WHO WE WERE AND USE OUR INNATE SKILLS IN OUR LIVES. I BECAME AN EFFECTIVE LECTURER AND DEVELOPED WORKSHOPS FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING BNI, KIWANIS, ROTARY, CANCER GROUPS, AND ELDERHOSTEL.

MARGARET TAUGHT US HOW TO FIGURE OUT OUR ESSENCE - WHICH IS HOW WE FEEL ABOUT OURSELVES AND HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES TO OTHERS. IT IS WHAT THE NATIVE AMERICANS KNEW FROM BIRTH - THEY WERE TAUGHT TO FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

NURSERIES IN THE SONOMA COUNTY AREA

I HAVE VISITED MANY NURSERIES IN THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY WITH MY SON AND OTHER MOMS WHEN WE HAD OUR KIDS. THE BEST NURSERY BY FAR WAS THE ONE IN SEBASTOPOL WHICH IS CALLED THE SONOMA HORTICULTURAL NURSERY. THEY NOW CHARGE A FEE. IT HAS SOME BEAUTIFUL AZALEAS, RHODODENDRONS AND OTHER FLOWERING TREES AND EXOTICS. THE PATH IS VERY COOL IN THE SUMMER AND THEIR ARE BENCHES AROUND THE SMALL LAKE. IT IS A VERY PEACEFUL PLACE.

THEY HAVE A NICE GARDENER OR TWO AND THE OWNERS ARE FRIENDLY.

WE ENJOYED GOING THERE WITH A BAG LUNCH SEVEERAL TIMES WITH SOME MOMS.

ANOTHER FUN NURSERY IS THE EMPIRE NURSERY WHICH IS ON OCCIDENTAL ROAD. THEY HAVE A SMALL POND WITH KOI AND A PAGODA TO SIT AND MEDITATE. THEY ALSO HAVE A LARGE COVERED AREA WITH SOME PICNIC TABLES THAT HAS A LARGE BUDDA THERE. IT SEEMS THAT THE PLANTS THEY HAVE FOR SALE ARE MANY VEGETABLES AS WELL AS BEDDING PLANTS, AND MANY TYPES OF FRUIT TREES. THEY ALSO HAVE MANY CERAMIC POTS AND GARDEN ORNAMENTS.

FLOWER SHOWS AT THE FAIR

I'VE BEEN TO THE LARGE FAIR IN SONOMA COUNTY AND I THOROUGHLY ENJOY THE LARGE FLOWER SHOW THAT THEY HAVE AT THE FAIR. IT ALWAYS HAS APPEALED TO ME; AND I HAVE KNOWN SOME OF THE NURSERIES INVOLVED IN THE SHOW, AS THEY ARE VERY DIVERSE IN THIS COUNTY. I THINK LAST YEAR'S THEME WAS DINOSAURS. IT WAS A GREAT DISPLAY OF LARGE DINOSAURS PROBABLY MADE OF PAPER MACHE AND WIRE STRUCTURES IN A JUNGLE-LIKE ENVIRONMENT.

THE FLOWERS AND TREES INVOLVED WERE LARGE BANANA-LIKE TREES AND PALMS; BROMELIADS, AND SOME ORCHIDS. OTHER DESIGNS LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE IN SOUTH AMERICA WITH MOSS ON THE TREES AND GRASS COVERED HILLS AND INCLUDED SOME PAPER MACHE SNAKES.

THE FLOWER SHOW IS ALWAYS MY FAVORITE THING TO VIEW AT THE FAIR. MY NEXT FAVORITE SHOW AT THE FAIR IS THE CRAFTS BOOTH!

TRAIN TOWN IN SONOMA & SKUNK TRAIN

WHEN MY SON WAS LITTLE WE USED TO GO TO TRAIN TOWN MANY TIMES AND THEY HAVE A MERRY-GO-ROUND THERE AS WELL AS. THEY HAVE SOME ANIMALS YOU CAN FEED ON THEIR STOP OVER IN TRAIN TOWN. THEY HAVE A SERIES OF CABOOSES THE CHILDREN LIKE TO WALK AROUND IN AND SEE WHAT BEING AN ENGINEER IS ALL ABOUT. MY SON USED TO LOVE TRAINS AS A CHILD.

THE FUN PART ABOUT THIS MINIATURE TRAIN IS THAT IT IS JUST SO SMALL THAT THE CHILDREN FEEL AS IF IT WAS BUILT FOR THEM.

WE ALSO TOOK A TRIP TO THE SKUNK TRAIN THAT HEADS OUT OF WILLITS AND GOES TO FORT BRAGG. IT IS POWERED BY STEAM AND DIESEL AND SMELLS IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF THE TRAIN. WE STAYED MOSTLY INSIDE DURING THE TRIP. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL VIEW THAT WINDS THROUGH THE REDWOODS. THEY MAKE A STOP AT A POINT MIDWAY. THEN THEY ADD WATER TO THE STEAM ENGINE. THE KIDS LOVE TO WATCH THIS AND RIDE IT! FORT BRAGG IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN SHOP FOR ALMOST ANY TYPES OF ARTS AND CRAFTS. THEY EVEN HAVE A LARGE INDOOR MARKET WHERE THE ARTISTS MAKE GLASS ORNAMENTS, WELD STEELE GARDEN ART, ETC.

MY INTEREST IN SECOND HAND STORES

SINCE I WAS A YOUNG GIRL MY FAMILY WAS NOT WEALTHY SO WE SHOPPED FOR THINGS AT SECOND HANDSTORES. I GOT IN THE HABIT OF DOING THIS ALL MY LIFE. IT BECAME LIKE A TREASURE HUNT FOR ME - I HAVE FOUND ALL KINDS OF FUN THINGS AT THE GOODWILL AS WELL AS THE SALVATION ARMY. THESE HAVE INCLUDED REDWOOD SCULTURES, MEXICAN ART WORK, AS WELL AS DRESSERS AND COUCHES, CLOTHING, AND CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS. IT IS FUN JUST TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE COMING IN. I HARDLY EVER GO TO BIG DEPARTMENT STORES. EVEN MY MOM LOVES TO STILL LOOK AT THE SECOND HAND STORES TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE.

MY MOM USED TO BUY ME VERY FUN CLOTHING WHEN I WAS A GIRL FROM A PLACE WHERE THEY HAD SECOND HAND COSTUMES FROM MOVIESTARS. IT WAS FUN FOR HER TO GO THERE, AND I BECAME INTERESTED IN DESIGNING CLOTHING AS I WAS AN ARTIST ALL MY LIFE.

MY VIEW OF WHALES IN MAUI

WHEN I WENT TO MAUI WITH MY MOM AND FAMILY ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO WE STAYED IN A BED AND BREAKFAST OVERLOOKING THE ISLAND. WE COULD SEE THE KILLER WHALES JUMPING OUT OF THE SEA FROM A BIG DISTANCE AWAY. THEY WERE JUST AS BIG AS THE CRUISE SHIPS. WE VISITED IN FEBRUARY WHEN THE WHALES HAVE COME UP FROM THE MEXICAN BAY AND HAVE SO MANY FAMILIES THAT THEY ARE SEEN JUMPING AROUNDFROM ANY BEACH IN MAUI. WE ALSO TRAVELEDTO HANA ON A ONE LANE GRAVEL ROAD WHERE WE WENT TO SEE SOME NICE WATERFALLS AND BEACHES AS WELL AS A NATIONAL PARK. IN THE NATIONAL PARK WE WERE ABLE TO HIKE AND JUMP IN A COUPLE OF PONDS THAT WE FREEZING.. SOME OF THE KIDS TOOK A JUMP OFF THE ROCKS.

WE DID NOT SEE THE WHALES IN HANA. THEY DO HAVESOME WONDERFUL BEECHES THOUGH. IT IS A VERY ISOLATED VILLAGE. WE STAYED THERE SEVERAL DAYS AND IT WAS QUITE HUMID.

MY HUSBAND AND SON WENT ON A BOAT RIDE TO SEE SOME GIANT TURTLES AND WHALES TO A SMALL ISLAND.

MY FAVORITE MUSIC

I LOVE MUSIC THAT IS JAZZ LIKE AND I HAVE A NUMBER OF CD'S THAT ARE JAZZ. I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME GOOD JAZZ CONCERTS OUTDOORS HERE IN SONOMA COUNTY. I ATTENDED ONE IN COTATI AND MET A PERUVIAN WHO PLAYED SOME TYPE OF LATIN AMERICAN JAZZ AND SOME TYPE OF ANDEAN FLUTE MUSIC.

I ALSO HAVE SOME CD'S THAT ARE OF JAZZ FROM THE US MUSICIANS SUCH AS KENNY G' IT STARTED FROM THE SOUTH AND WAS AFRICAN AMERICAN IN NATURE.

MY FAVORITE JAZZ STATION HERE IS 93.7! VERY CALMING...

MY SKILLS IN DESIGNING CLOTHES AND JEWELRY

WHEN I WAS IN FOURTH GRADE I LEARNED TO SEW AT THE YMCA IN THE SUMMER. FROM THEN ON I MADE MANY OF MY OWN CLOTHES AS WELL AS A LONG COAT, A SLEEPING BAG AND SKI WEAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY CREATIVE. I BECAME AN EXCELLENT SEAMSTRESS. AROUND HIGH SCHOOL I BECAME INTERESTED IN JEWELRY MAKING. IN COLLEGE I TOOK A SUMMER CLASS IN MAKING SILVER JEWELRY. BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I TOOK THIS CLASS. IT WAS FUN TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE THINGS WITH OUR HANDS. WE HAD TO FIND GOOD THINGS TO DO WITH OUR HANDS.

MY HUSBAND MADE A KAYAK WHICH HE GOT FROM A KIT BY MAIL. WE USED ON THE KLAMATH RIVER AND ON A COUPLE OF LAKES.

MY EARLY DREAMS

WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10 I USED TO DREAM ABOUT BEING A FAIRY AND FLYING FROM CLOUD TO CLOUD. I HAD THIS DREAM CONSTANTLY. I DIDN'T KNOW WHY. BUT IT JUST FELT LIKE MY SLEEP WAS ALL ABOUT FLYING LIKE A BIRD. THEN WHEN I WAS 16 MY FATHER DIED AND MY DREAMS AGAIN WERE LIKE FLYING AS A BIRD. IT JUST MADE ME FEEL I WAS VERY LIGHT AND COULDTRAVEL VERY FAST AS AN AIRPLANE. I NEVER ASKED ANYONE ABOUT THEIR DREAMS HOWEVER I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DREAM ABOUT FLYING FOR SOME REASON. IT IS PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY THINK ABOUT IT SUBCONSCIOUSLY. IU REALLY DON'T KNOW.

LET ME KNOW

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

GAINING SUPPORT FROM A MOTHER'S CLUB

WHEN I BECAME A MOTHER I HAD NO SUPPORT FROM MY FAMILY OR MY NEIGHBORS. IT SEEMED LIKE I WAS SO ISOLATED AND I EASILY FOUND A MOTHER'S CLUB OR TWO. I EVEN TOOK SOME MOTHERING CLASSES AT THE JC AS WELL AS AT A PARENTING SUPPORT NONPROFIT. IT WAS SO DIFFICULT OF A TRANSITION FOR ME AS I ONLY BABYSAT ONE CHILD AT 10 YEARS OLD. I HAD NO IDEA HOW ISOLATING IT WOULD BE FOR ME - SO I WENT TO A CHURCH WHERE THEY HAD A MOM'S GROUP. IN UKIAH THEY HAD A WELL FORMED MOTHER'S GROUP AND I GOT IN TOUCH WITH THEM FROM A MOM I MET AT A SUPPORT GROUP. WE BOTH NEEDED MUCH SUPPORT AS WE HAD BEEN FULL TIME WORKERS BEFORE HAVING BABIES.

WE ALL LEARNED FROM EACH OTHER IN ORDER TO GAIN SUPPORT AND REASON WITH EACH OTHER AS TO WHY WE HAD DECIDED TO BECOME MOMS IN THE FIRST PLACE. INHEALDSBURG I WENT TO ANOTHER FEW CHURCHES TO MEET OTHER MOMS WITH FULL TIME JOBS OF RAISING A FAMILY. IT WAS FUN AFTER WE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER. WE EVEN WENT TO JAZZERCISE TOGETHER AND WE GOT OURSELVES UP OUT OF THE HOUSE IN ORDER TO GATHER TOGETHER AND EVEN HAVE PLAY DATES WITH OUR KIDS. IT WAS A BIG TRANSITION GOING FROM A FULL TIME ARCHAEOLOGIST RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL TO WORKING WITH LITTLE KIDS AND BABIES. I JOINED A CLASS WHERE WE MASSAGED OUR BABIES. IT WAS FUN GATHERING IN EACH OTHERS HOMES AND SEEING THEIR TOYS AND HAVING THE BABIES PLAY AND INTERACT -- SORT OF LIKE SMALL CHIMPS!

MY FAVORITE PEOPLE TO GIVE A MASSAGE

I HAVE HAD MANY MASSAGES FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES. IN ONE OF MY PAST LIVES I HAVE BEEN A MASSEUSE AS WELL. THE CHINESE PEOPLE ARE BY FAR THE BEST IN GIVING MASSAGES. I HAVE HAD MANY AT CODDINGTOWN MALL AND AT OTHER SPAS, EVEN IN CALISTOGA. THEY HAVE A CERTAIN WAY OF KNOWING WHERE YOUR STRESS POINTS ARE AND THEY CHOP AND SLAP YOUR NECK AND BACK TO STIMULATE YOUR NERVES AS WELL AS BREAK UP THE TENSION IN THE NECK AND SHOULDER AREAS.

THEY MUST HAVE SO MANY SCHOOLS IN CHINA WHERE THEY TEACH MASSAGE AND ACUPRESSURE. THEY ALSO MUST HAVE A LOT OF STRESSED PEOPLE AS WELL. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT AR5E STRESSED FROM THEIR 9 - 5 JOBS THAT THEY HAVE A LOT OF MASSEUSES.

MY MOST FAVORITE PLACE TO TRAVEL

I LOVE TO TRAVEL TO KAWAII AND HIKE THE OLD TRAILS AROUND THE COAST AS WELL AS TO SWIM IN WARMER OCEAN. THERE ARE SOME VERY NICE BED AND BREAKFASTS THERE. IT IS ONE OF THE LEAST TOURED ISLANDS AND HAS A BEAUTIFUL KOKEE STATE PARK AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN WHERE THERE IS RAIN ALMOST EVERYDAY. THEREARECHICKENS ALL AROUND THIS PARK. THEY HAVE MANY GARDENS THAT ONE CAN VISIT AND MANY OF THEM HAVE ORCHIDS AS WELL AS PARROTS. THEY HAVE HAD MANY TERRIFIC HURRICANES AND THEIR TOURIST PLACES HAVE SUFFERED AS WELL. THE NATIVE SURFERS AS WELL AS THE TOURISTS LIKE TO SURF IRREGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER. IT IS AMAZING TO WATCH THEM SURF THESE GIANT 20 ' TALL WAVES. SEEMS RECKLESS TO ME. I HAVE BEEN CHURNED OVER BY SOME OF THE SMALL WAVES. SO I AM PRECOSCIOUS ABOUT SWIMMING WHEN THEIR IS A STORM OF ANY KIND.

ON THE NAPALI COAST THERE IS A NICE WILDERNESS TRAIL CALLED THE KALALAU TRAIL THAT PASSES SEVERAL HEIAUS OR SHRINE SITES. IT GOES ALONG THE 1000' SEA CLIFF AND YOU HANG ONTO A ROPE WHILE WALKING ON A LARGE METAL ROPE TO CROSS A BIG RIVER. WE BROUGHT OUR BACKPACKS THERE AND STAED OVERNIGHT. THEN AFTER IT RAINED WE HIKED UP THE TRAIL PASSING ALONGTHE WET JUNGLE AND GETTING MANY MOSQITO BITES. WE NEVER DID MAKE IT TO THEWATERFALL, AS IT WAS A VERY MUUDY TRAIL AND WE STEPPED ON MANY FROGS.

AT THE HANALEI COAST WE STAYED AT A NICE B & B. HERETHE SURF WAS PERFECT ANF MY HUSBAND BODY SURFED. THE RAINS HAD FLOODED SOME OF THE ROADS.

THERE ARE MANY NATIVE FISHERMEN WHO ENJOY CATCHING SMALL AND LARGE FISH IN THE OCEAN BY POLES AS WELL AS BY NETS. THE ISLAND HAS MANY WATER FALLS AND HAS SOME BEAUTIFUL SMELLING FLOWERS THAT THE NATIVES SELL TO TOURISTS WORLDWIDE. THEY ALSO GROW MANY PAPAYAS AS WELL AS BANANAS AS IT IS JUNGLE LIKE.

THEY HAVE A GOOD TRAIL ALONG THE SOUTHERN END OF THE ISLAND AT POIPU BEACH AND WE SWAM AND SNORKELED WITH A GIANT SEA LION WHO LIKES TO COME TO THAT SHORE.

THE FOOD IS BASICALLY LIKE THE CHINESE FOODS. THEY ALSO HAVE MANY LUAS THAT ARE EXPENSIVE. I DO NOT LIKE TARA ROOT OR POI THE NATIVE FOOD CROPS.

MY FAVORITE MEAL

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED ITALIAN COOKING AND MY FAMILY LOVES IT THE MOST TOO. I USUALLY FIX WHOLE WHEAT SPAGETTI, ORGANIC SAUCE WITH MUSHROOMS, AND HAVE ORGANIC GARLIC BREAD. ONCE I WAS SELLING ALVARADO STREET BREAD WE BAKED THE PIZZAS ON THE GRILL WHICH MADE THE CRUST NICE AND CRUNCHY.

I HAVE ALSO MADE MY OWN NOODLES FROM SCRATCH USING AN ITALIAN NOODLE MAKER. WE HAVE MADE BOTH WHOLE WHEAT AND SPINACH NOODLES. I ALSO ENJOY MAKING AND EATING TURKEY LASAGNE WITH WHOLE WHEAT NOODLES AND PARMESEAN CHEESE.

I ALSO ENJOY EATING OUT AND GOING OUT FOR ITALIAN FOOD THAT IS NOT TOO SPICY.

I ALSO LIKE TO COMBINE RAVIOLLI WITH CHICKPEAS AND MIX IT WITH SOME VEGIS.

MY FAVORITE BOOK

MY FAVORITE BOOK IS WRITTEN BY BARBARA SHER AND IS CALLED WISHCRAFT. SHE USES HER COACHING AND MFT SKILLS TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT HOW TO USE YOUR FAVORITE CHILDHOOD PASTTIMES AND HOBBIES TO MAKE YOU A HAPPY ADULT. IT IS AN INTERESTING BOOK THAT I HAVE DISCUSSED TO MY AUDIENCES WHO WERE RECEPTIVE TO MY COACHING PRESENTATIONS. IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO FIND OUT THAT WE MUST USE OUR GOD GIVEN TALENTS IN LIFE TO BE HAPPY AND NOT BE JUDGMENTAL ABOUT WHAT OTHERS SAY WE SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T DO. SHE HAS A WAY OF SPEAKING POSITIVELY ABOUT HOW WE MUST PURSUE OUR GOALS.

SHE ENCOURAGES US TO KEEP A WISH LIST OF WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO VS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO...SUCH AS BE A GOOD EMPLOYEE. THE WAY WE STAY MOTIVATED IS TO SET SOME GOALS FOR EACH DAY AND POSSIBLY HAVE A BUDDY TO KEEP YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING OR WANT TO DO..

MAKE A LIST OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE ENJOYED DOING - KEEO IT HANDY AND DO ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASES YOU EACH DAY.

ONE WAY TO BE FULFILLED IS TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH FOLKS YOU ENJOY SPEAKING TO EACH WEEK.

BARBARA'S DOCUMENTARY GAVE ME THE INSIRATION TO BE A COACH!

MY BELIEF IN LEADING RELAXING ECOADVENTURES

I HAVE BEEN LEADING ECO-ADVENTURES FOR OVER 17 YEARS WITH ELDERHOSTEL AS WELL AS ON MY OWN COACHING RETREATS. AND THESE PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN ME FAVORABLE TO EXCELLENT REVIEWS AS YOU CAN SEE ON MY WEBSITE. I START WITH A SAGE CLEANSING AND WE DISCUSS WHAT THE TOUR WILL BE ABOUT AS WELL AS WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR. MY WEBSITE TELLS YOU WHAT TO WEAR AND FOOD, SNACKS, ETC. TO BRING.

I HIKE AT AN APPROPRIATE SPEED THAT LET'S PEOPLE ENJOY THE NATURAL SURROUNDINGS. I LET PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL SURROUNDINGS. THEY USUALLY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT WHY OUR AREA HAS SUCH BROWN-YELLOW GRASS AND IF THIS AREA WAS EVER COVERED WITH FORESTS IN PREHISTORIC TIMES. THE ANSWER IS YES. DUE TO LUMBERING AND HISTORIC PIONEERS WHO WANTED FUELS FOR THEIR WINTER FIRES , MANY OAKS AND OTHER TREES WERE CUT. THE RIVERS IN PREHISTORIC TIMES USED TO SUPPORT MANY SALMON, TROUT, AND OTHER SMALL FISH TO EAT. TODAY THE RIVERS DO NOT HAVE SALMON AND THE FISHERMEN GO TO THE LAKES OR OCEANS HERE. PEOPLE ASK ABOUT THE WEATHER AND WHY THE LIVE OAKS STAY SO GREEN. WE GET OVER40 " OF RAIN IN THE WINTER AND SPRING AND THE LIVE OAKS NEVER LOOSE MANY LEAVES. OUR PICTURESQUE COUNTRYSIDE ATTRACTS MANY TOURISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

WE TAKE BREAKS EVERY 30 TO 40 MINUTES AND I LEAD DISCUSSIONS ON DIFFERENT TOPICS AT THESE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN SIT OR LAY DOWN TO REST AWHILE. WE ENJOY EACH OTHER'S COMPANY. I ENJOY BEING AN INTERPRETIVE HIKING GUIDE - IT IS WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO EVEN WHEN I WAS IN UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL. MUSEUM WORK GETS TOO REPETITIVE. I ENJOY THE SMELLS, AND THE NEW FLOWERS AND BULBS THAT APPEAR THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT SEASONS.

MY COACHING WORK HAS LED ME TO DISCUSS WITH MY HIKERS WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION FROM MY TOURS TO IMPROVE THEIR COMMUNITIES OR TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES.

MY FAVORITE COLOR

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THE COLOR PURPLE FROM WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10. I USED TO KNIT CLOTHES FOR MY BARBIE DOLL. ONE ENTIRE OUTFIT WAS PURPLE. I ALSO LEARNED HOW TO SEW AT A YOUNG AGE AND I MADE MANY OF MY OWN CLOTHES AS WELL AS MADE LEATHER MOCASSINS WHEN I WAS YOUNG.

THERE IS AN OLD BOOK THAT SAYS YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE 80 BEFORE YOU WEAR PURPLE. I NEVER NEW WHY I WAS ATTRACTED TO THAT COLOR, BUT I GUESS IT RUNS IN MY MOTHER'S FAMILY AS ALL OF US LIKE PURPLE- EVEN ALL OF MY AUNTS AND COUSINS!

I 'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WORKS - AND WHY IT RUNS IN FAMILIES?

Monday, June 21, 2010

MY FAVORITE SYMBOL IS THE DRAGONFLY

I HAVE A FAVORITE SYMBOL THAT IS CALLED THE DRAGONFLY. I ONCE MADE IT IN MY ART CLASS IN HIGH SCHOOL IN DAYTON. I MADE A GIANT DRAGONFLY ABOUT 5 FEET LONG AND I USED PAPER MACHE, THEN PAINTED IT WITH VIBRANT COLORS. IT HUNG FROM THE ART CLASS CEILING AFTER I FINISHED IT.

I LOVE WATCHING DRAGONFLIES HOOVER OVER MARSHES AND WATER. THEY HAVE AWAY OF CATCHING THE WIND IN THEIR WINGS AND GLIDING WITH THE WIND. I USED TO BE A STUDENT AT THE MUSEUM IN DAYTON, OHIO, AND WE WOULD DRAW PASTELS OUTSIDE AS WE SAW NATURE BLOOM IN IT'S GLORY.

MY DRAGONFLIY HAD MANY SHADES OF PURPLE; AND I USED TO EVEN PAINT PURPLE DRAGONFLIES ON STONES FOR SELLING. I HAVE SEWN DRAGONFLIES ON MY PURPLE ROBE... MOST PEOPLE HAVE FAVORITE ANIMALS AND FAVORITE THINGS IN NATURE.

ONE OF MY BEST GIRLFRIENDS IN HIGH SCHOOL ALSO CAME WITH ME TO THE MUSEUM, SHE BECAME AN ARTIST ALL HER LIFE.

MY SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCES AS FRANNIE OAKLEY

THIS SUMMER I WORKED FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION FOR HOWARTH AND DOYAL PARK AS FRANNIE OAKLEY. THE KIDS WERE ABOUT 5 - 10 YEARS OLD. I SHOWED THEM A LOT OF PICTOREIALS THAT HAD TO TELL MY STORYY ABOUT WHAT THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE HPEOPLE USED TO EAT AND HUNT. I ALSO SHOWED THEM PICTURES OF WHAT THEY MIGHT HAVE MADE AS BASKETS AND SOME SAMPLES OF THEIR FOODS AND MEDICINALS. WE TALKED ABOUT OUR ETHNICITY, HOW WE WANTED TO LEARN TO BE MORE FRIENDLY WITH EACH OTHER, AND ABOUT THE WAY THE NATIVES USED ACORNS AS A SPIRITUAL FOOD. I ALSO SPOKE WITH THEM ABOUT HOW THEY COULD CREATE HEALTHY EATING HABITS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT NATURE WAS TELLING THEM.

I TOLD THEM HOW NOT ONLY MEDICINE LADIES PRAYED BEFORE PICKING A PLANT BUT HOW EVERYONE USED TO PRAY BEFORE THEY PICKED A PLANT. THE POMO AND OTHER TRIBES WOULD GO ON A SWEAT BEFORE MAKING A BASKET AND THEY WOULD GO ON A FAST AS WELL. THEY COLLECTED THEIR ROOTS POSSIBLY MONTHS BEFOORE THEY ACTUALLY WOVE THEM. I SHOWED THEM PHOTOS OF HOW THE COILED AND TWINED BASKETS LOOKED, AS WELL AS HOW THEY CAUGHT FISH USING SOAPROOT.


I SPOKE ABOUT ANNIE OAKLEY'S HISTORY AS WELL. MANY OF THEM HAD NOT KNOWN WHO SHE WAS. AND MANY CHILDREN DO NOT KNOW THAT THEY ARE PART NATIVE AMERICAN. THEY ENJOYED THE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THE INDIAN TOLD COYOTE STORIES AND WHAT THEY DID BEFORE GOING ON A HUNT FOR DEER. THEY LIKED MY TOY POP GUN. WE HAD A LOT OF FUN AND THEY GAVE ME A YO HE HAW APPLAUSE!

MY EXPERIENCE AS A COACH

I SAW A DOCUMENTARY ON BARBARA SHER AND I HAD ONE OF THOSE AHA MOMENTS WHEN I DECIDED TO BECOME A LIFE COACH. IT WAS A VIBRATION DOWN MY SPINE AND I KNEW I HAD TO ACTION ON IT! BARBARA'S BOOK WISHCRAFT IS A BEST SELLER AND I GOT IT AS WELL AS MANY OTHER COACHING BOOKS. AT THAT TIME I WAS A SALES CONSULTANT FOR ALVARADO STREET BREADS, AS WELL AS AN OUTDOOR TEACHER FOR ELDERHOSTILE. I NEEDED SOMETHING MORE PEOPLE ORIENTED AND SOMTHING THAT MADE ME THINK MORE ABOUT WHAT COARSE I WAS FOLLOWING IN LIFE. MY SON HAD A CHRONIC ILLNESS AND I WAS A PART TIME MOM FOR HIM AND DIDN'T WANT TO STRAY TO FAR AWAY FROM HIM.

SO I CHECKED INTO A VARIETY OF COACHING SCHOOLS THAT WERE ALL RELATED TO SELF DEVELOPMENT. I SPOKE WITH SOME OF THE GRADUATES AND DECIDED TO SIGN UP WITH COACH U, LOCATED IN COLORADO SPRINGS. IT HAS NO REAL OFFICE BUT IS A VIRTUAL SCHOOL WITH TEACHERS THROUGHOUT WORLD. I TOOK CLASSES PART TIME AND IT WORKED FOR ME AS I STUDIED BY TELECOMMUNICATION WITH GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. MOSTLY. I FINALLY COMPLETED ALL MY COURSEWORK IN 3 YEARS AND I STILL USE THE CONCEPTS IN MY WORK AS A TEACHERS. I COACHED A NUMBER OF PEOP[LE ON THEIR BUSINESSES BUT ALSO COACHED PEOPLE IN THEIR LIFE. MANY OF MY CLIENTS HAD RELATIONSHIP ISSUES. AND WE ALL ARE HEALING UPON THIS EARTH. I REALIZED THE VALUE OF MY WORK - LISTENING CLOSELY TO PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO BE HEARD. I WAS JUST A MEDIUM FOR THEM AND GAVE THEM HINTS AS TO WHAT THEIR NEXT GOAL MIGHT BE AND WHAT THEY MIGHT BE LACKING IN THEIR LIFE..

THESE HINTS BECAME THEIR HOMEWORK AND MY CLIENTS REPORTED ON THEIR PROGRESS THE FOLLOWING WEEK. I ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGED THEM WITH WHATEVER THEY HAD ACCOMPLISHED AND KEPT THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO WHAT THEY MAY HAVE DREAMED OF THE NEXT WEEK. A COACH ALSO IS THERE FOR A CLIENT WHENEVER THEY MAY NEED TO BE HEARD OR TO DISCUSS AN IDEA. THEY BECOME A MEDIUM FOR MOVING CLIENTS FORWARD WHENEVER THEY WANT TO DISCUSS A NEW WAY TO INVESTIGATE AN OPTION FOR THEIR LIFE - SPIRITUALLY, ENVIRONMENTALLY, IN BUSINESS OR WORK, OR FOR THEIR HEALTH.

I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED WORKING IN THE CLASSES AND DISCOVEDA GROUP OF COACHES WHO HAD BEEN DOING RETREAT COACHING. THIS WAS MY MOST FAVORITE THING TO DO AS IT COMBINED MY LOVE FOR NATURE WITH LEADING PEOPLE OUTDOORS ON GENTLE WALKS AND MEDITATIONS. I DEVELOOPED ABOUT 4 - 5 COACHING RETREATS AND THEY WERE ADVERTIZED AT LIBRARIES AND EVEN AT THE LOCAL JC. I HAD A GREAT TIME WITH THESE EXCURSIONS AND EVERYONE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THEM.

I HAD A BOOTH AT THE HEALTH AND HARMONY FAIR AND MET MANY PEOPLE WHO HAD TRIED COACHING AND GOT ONLY A FEW CLIENTS FROM THAT EVENT. IT WAS A FUN ENDEAVOR AND I MET MANY PEOPLE AND SAW OLD FRIENDS.

I ALSO JOINED A NETWORKING GROUP CALLED BNI TO ANNOUNCE WHAT I DO AS A COACH AND FIND CLIENTS THROUGH THE OTHER MEMBERS.

I ALSO ADVERTIZED MY SERVICES AT THE YOGA CENTER I WENT TO AND GOT SEVERAL CLIENTS.

COACHING IS ONE OF THOSE SKILLS THAT PEOPLE HAVE THAT HELPS BOTH YOU AND THE CLIENTS PURSUE YOUR NEXT DEVELOPMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT. IT BECOMES THE WAY PEOPLE RELATE TO OTHERS AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THEMSELVES. COMPANIES DEVELOPED COACHES IN THE
195O'S TO FORWARD THEIR TEAMS INTERNATIONALLY. INDIVIDUAL COACHING BECAME POPULAR IN THE 1980S - 1990S.

OUR FAMILY TRIP TO FLORIDA

WHEN OUR SON WAS ABOUT 12 WE TRAVELED TO OUR RELATIVES NEAR JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. MY HUSBAND'S WIFE AND THEIR TWO TEENAGE DAUGHTERS HAD A HUGE HOUSE AND WE STAYED THERE FOR LESS THAN A WEEK. DURING THE WEEKEND ALL OF US WENT TO SEE AN HISTORIC SITE BY THE OCEAN WHERE THEY HAD AN OLD PLANTATION AND OLD CHINESE NEWSPAPERS ON THEIR ADOBE-LIKE HOUSES. IT WAS QUITE INTERESTING. WE ATE SOME CLAM CHOWDER AS WE WAITED TO GET ACROSS A BRIDGE.

OUR FAMILY RENTED A CAR AND TRAVELED TO THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER WHERE WE SAW VIDEOS OF VARIOUS SPACE LAUNCHES. THE HUGE SIZE OF SOME OF THE AIRCRAFT AMAZED US AS THEY WERE IN HANGERS. THERE WERE SO MANY TOURISTS HERE THAT ONE COULD GET LOST IN THE MAZE. THEY EVEN HAD A SMALL SPACECRAFT FOR KIDS WHERE YOU COULD FEEL WEIGHTLESS AS IN OUTER SPACE. THEY HAD SOME INTERESTING EXHIBITS ABOUT HOW ASTRONAUTS FEEL IN OUTER SPACE AND HOW THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR FLIGHTS.

YOU COULD GO OUTSIDE AND CLIMB UP TO THIS TOWER TO SEE HOW HIGH THE ROCKETS ARE AS WELL AS SEE WAY OUT TO SEA. IT GAVE YOU A GOOD VIEW OF THE IMMENSE SIZE OF THE BUILDINGS WHERE THEY BUILD THE SPACECRAFTS.

WE ALSO HAD PLANNED A TRIP TO THE KEYS WHERE MY SON HAD NEVER BEEN. HE SELECTED A NEAT B & B FOR US TO STAY IN FOR A COUPLE OF NIGHTS. IT HAD STORMED SO BAD THAT WE COULD NOT SWIM OR EVEN RIDE OUR BIKES. THERE WAS A TERRIBLE WIND. THE KEYS TURNED INTO A CRAZY TOURIST TRAP IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. ONE DAY WE DID RIDE BIKES AROUND THE TOWN.

THE BEST THING WE DID ON THIS TRIP WAS TO GO TO THE BUTTERFLY NATURE CONSERVATORY. THEY HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUTTERFLIES AND BIRDS IN THIS LARGE CONSERVATORY THAT MANY OF THEM LAND ON YOUR HAND OR ON YOUR HEAD! THEY HAVE FEEDING TRAYS WITH FRUIT AND MANY TYPES OF BIRDBATHS. MY SON LOVED THIS PLACE. YOU COULD WATCH THEM RAISE THE LARVA. PEOPLE BUY MANY MOUNTED BUTTERFLIES IN CASES. AND THEY HAVE NUMEROUS GIFTS FOR TOURISTS RELATED TO BUTTERFLIES.

MY FAMILY TRIP TO VANCOUVER

ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO OUR FAMILY TOOK A TRAIN FROM OAKLAND TO SEATTLE. IT WAS A WILD TRIP AS WE THOUGHT THE SEAT WOULD BE COMFORTABLE. HOWEVER, WE COULD NOT SLEEP IN THEM. AND THE FOOD ON THE TRAIN WAS NOT THAT GREAT IN THE CLASS WHERE WE WERE STAYING. WE BROUGHT QUITE A BIT OF FOOD. THE SIGHTS WERE GREAT. HOWEVER, WE HAD TO DELAY ON MANY STATIONS BECAUSE THE FREIGHT TRAINS COME FIRST AND WERE WERE ON THE SIDINGS FOR 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR. WE DECIDED TO TAKE AN AIRPLANE BACK FROM VANCOUVER.

MY SON PLANNED OUR TRIP TO STAY AT SEVERAL BED AND BREAKFASTS JUST BY THE THE RIVER IN VANCOVER. THEY HAD A SMALL BOAT THAT YOU COULD TAKE OUT AND EVERYONE FROM ALL DIFFERENT COUNTRIES WAS ABLE TO COOK THEIR MEALS THERE. WE WALKED DOWN THE STREETS OF VANCOUVER AND VISITED THE BIG ANTHROPOLOGY MUSEUM THERE. WE ALSO WENT THROUGH THE HALLS OF THE CAPITAL BUILDING WHICH WAS VERY BRITISH IN DECOR.

WE DROVE UP TO THE MIDDLE OF VANCOUVER AND STOPPED AT OUR NEXT BED AND BREAKFAST NEAR A PLACE WHERE YOU COULD SEE THE GIANT CRUISE SHIPS FROM THEIR GARDEN. WE JUST WALKED AROUND THIS TOWN AND DECIDED TO GO ON A FERRY ACROSS TO THE NEARBY ISLAND WHERE THERE WERE KWAIKIUTL INDIANS MAKING ALL KINDS OF CRAFTS. THEY HAD A ROUND HOUSE THAT THEY DID NOT USE. WE SPOKE TO MANY NATIVES ABOUT THEIR CRAFTS - INCLUDING A LADY WHO SEWED DESIGNS ON T - SHIRTS; A MAN WHO MADE CERAMICS; AND WE SPOKE FOR A LONG TIME WITH A GUY WHO HAD BUILT HIS YURT LIKE HOUSE AND HIS STUDIO - HE WAS A GREAT CRAFTSMAN OF TOTEM POLES. HE SOLD THEM TO PEROPLE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN - TO GERMANY, ENGLAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES. HIS CRAFTS WERE VERY BEAUTIFUL AND HE KNEW THE MEANING OF THE DESIGNS HE PUT ON HIS TOTEMS.

WE ALSO TOOK A NICE HIKE FROM THIS VILLAGE TO A STATE PARK THAT HAD SOME WONDERFUL RIVERS AND WATERFALLS. IT REMINDED ME OF THE SINKYONE AREA HERE. IN FACT MOST OF THERE VEGETATION REMINDED ME OF OUR NORTHERN CALIFORNIAN VEGETATION. I HAD THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE SO DIFFERENT IN VEGETATION. WE HAD ALSO GONE TO A HUGE INDIAN MUSEUM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VANCOUVER. IT HAD SOME WONDERFUL COLLECTIONS OF CARVED MASKS OF THE KWAIKIUTL INDIANS AND A REPRODUCTION OF THEIR VILLAGE OUTSIDE BY THE OCEAN. I REALLY ENJOYED THE CARVINGS OF THESE ORIGINAL TOTEMS AND MASKS.

HEALDSBURG FITNESS CLUB

ONE DAY I TOOK A FEW HOURS OFF AND TRIED OUT THE GYM AT THE HEALDSBURG FITNESS CLUB. IT WAS A CRAZY PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WERE RIDING BICYCLES AND PUMPING THE IRON WEIGHTS LIKE THEY WERE ON ADRENALINE. THEY ALSO HAD MACHINES WHICH STRETCHED YOUR LEG MUSCLES AND THEY HURT IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT BEFORE. THEY HAD TV'S THAT YOU WATCH AS YOU RIDE THE BICYCLES.

IT WAS A PLACE THAT HAD TOO MUCH ENERGY FOR ME. THE ACOUSTICS DID NOT APPEAL TO ME.. UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVE NO SAUNA BUT ADVERTIZE IT.

HEALDSURG RIDGE OPEN SPACE PRESERVE OUTING

ON JUNE 19TH I ASSISTED A CREW IN HELPING TO CUT BACK BRUSH AND TRIM THE TRAILS OF POISON OAK AND ENCROUCHING BRUSH. IT WAS A PERFECT DAY WITH ABOUT6 VOLUNTEERS HELPING IN WEED CUTTING AND GRASS TRIMMINGS AROUND THETRAILS AS WELL AS A GRASS MOWER. THE TRAILS THERE HAVE AN OVERLOOK OF THE RUSSIAN RIVER AT DIGGER'S BEND AND YOU CAN SEE MOUNT ST. HELENA VERY WELL. I WORKED WITH AN 84 YEAR OLD GRANDMA WHO HAD HER 17 YEAR OLD GRANDSON WITH HER. SHE SAID SHE HAD BEEN MARRIED OVER 40 YEARS. SHE HAD WALKED AHEAD OF ME AND I TRIMMED A SMALL SIDE TRAIL AND WHEN I CAUGHT UP WITH HER SHE WAS LYING DOWN, AND SAID SHE WAS NEEDING TO REST. I SAT DOWN AND NOTICE A LOT OF SMALL TICKS ON MY PANTS AND A LARGE TICK ON MY HAT! YIKES. I'M GLAD NONE OF THEM BIT ME.. I GUESS THEY ARE STILL OUT THERE SINCE IT HAD RAINED RECENTLY..

WE ALL MET FOR LUNCH AND ONE OF THE CHAIRS OF LANDPATHS HAPPENED TO STOP BY OUR LUNCH AREA AND HE WAS WEARING SHORTS. WHENEVER YOU GO INTO THE WOODS YOU SHOULD WEAR LONG PANTS SINCE TICKS AND POISON OAK CAN GET ON YOUR SKIN. WE WORE HEAVY GLOVES SO WE DID NOT GET POISON OAK ON OUR HANDS. IT WAS NICE AND COOL.. AND EVERYONE WAS N A GOOD MOOD. THE PRESERVE CONTAINS SO STEEP TRAILS AND I JUST TAKE ITSLOW ON THESTEEP SIDES. I NOTICED AND CUT SOME OAK BRANCHES. BUCKBRUSH, POISON OAK, MADRONE BRANCHES, BLACKBERRY STEMS, HAZELNUT BRANCHES, SOME OTHER SMALL BRUSH. THERE WERE MULES EARS, SOME HARVEST LILIES, SOAPROOT, INDIAN PAINT BRUSH, NATIVE GRASSES, BRACKEN FERNS, AND LOMATIUMS.

Friday, June 18, 2010

FAMILY TRIP TO MESA VERDE, COLORADO

WHEN I WAS ABOUT TWELVE MY PARENTS AND MY BROTHER MADE A TRIP OUT WEST FROM OHIO TO MESA VERDE AND SOME OTHER PARKS. THIS TRIP INFLUENCED ME TO GO TO SCHOOL TO STUDY SOUTHWESTERN NATIVE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGY AND PREHISTORY.

ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO MY FAMILY VISITED MESA VERDE AS WELL AS HIKED DOWN TO THE CANYON DE CHELLY. BOTH ARE BEAUTIFUL NATIONAL PARKS. MESA VERDE IS A GROUP OF PREHISTORIC CLIFF DWELLINGS THAT WERE OCCUPIED BY THE ANASAZI INDIANS FROM ABOUT 600 AD TO
1200. THE PUEBLOANS CLIMBED UP FROM TRAILS ON THE CLIFF SIDES TO THEIR HIGH PUEBLOS BUILT INTO THE SANDSTONE CLIFFS USING ROPE LADDERS AND SOME STEEP WOODEN LADDERS. THERE ARE MANY GROUPS OF THESE THROUGHOUT THE PARK. IT IS A POPULAR PARK TO VISIT IN THE SUMMER AND THERE ARE STILL STUDIES OF ARCHAEOLOGY ACTIVE IN THE PARK. YOU CAN CLIMB DOWN INTO THEIR PREHISTORIC KIVAS AND IT IS A FUN EXCURSION. IN MANY OF THE TOURS YOU CRAWL THROUGH SOME OF THEIR TUNNELS. IN MOST AREAS YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW A RANGER SINCE THEY WANT ALL THE PREHISTORIC REMAINS PROTECTED.

THESE PREHISTORIC ANASAZI HAD CROPS ABOVE THEIR CLIFF DWELLINGS AND DEPENDED UPON THE RAIN TO FERTILIZE THEM. THEY PLANTED CORN, BEANS, SQUASH, AND OTHER GOURDS. THEY OF COURSE MADE USE OF GATHERING THE NATIVE PLANTS SUCH AS PINYON SEEDS, GRASSES, AND MESQUITE BEANS. A SERIES OF POTTERY TYPES WERE FOUND AT THE EXCAVATIONS HERE. THERE IS AT LEAST ONE NICE MUSEUM THAT EXPLAINS THEIR WAY OF LIFE, EXHIBITING SOME TEXTILES AND ROPE SANDALS THAT WERE FOUND IN THE CAVES!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND VISITING THIS PARK AND SPENDING AT LEAST SEVERAL DAYS THERE.

MY VISIT TO ZUNI PUEBLO

WHILE I WAS IN GRADUATE SCHOOL AT ASU IN PHOENIX, MY BEST GIRLFRIEND EVENTUALLY GRADUATED FROM ASU AND SHE AND HER HUSBAND MOVED TO ZUNI IN NEW MEXICO WHERE SHE HAD A LITTLE BOY. WE HAD BEEN THEIR WITNESSES TO THEIR MARRIAGE ON THE PAPAGO RESERVATION. THE TRIBE HAS A WONDERFUL ASSORTMENT OF CEREMONIES INCLUDING SHAKALO. THIS IS A CEREMONY WHERE THERE IS A TALL FIGURE WHO ROAMS THE VILLAGE AND APPEARS AFTER THE VILLAGE HELPS TO BUILD A HOUSE FOR ONE FAMILY. PEOPLE GO FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE TO ENJOY FRIENDSHIP AND FOOD THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.

ZUNI CAN HAVE TORENTIAL RAINSTORMS DURING THE SUMMER AND IT GETS SO VERY MUDDY IN THEIR CLAY, IT ALL SEEMS TO BE LIKE A RED EARTH SLIME. WE HAVE TRAVELED TO MOST ALL OF THEIR SHOPS AND FOUND THEIR JEWELRY TO BE BEAUTIFUL, AS WELL AS THEIR FETISHES OF DIFFERENT STONES. THE ARTISANS ARE FUN TO MEET AND CHAT WITH.

MY GIRLFRIEND LED US TO A SPECIAL MESA TOP WHERE YOU HAVE TO CLIMB A STEEP ROPE LADDER TO GET TO THE TOP. AT THE TOP IS A VISION QUEST AREA - STONES PLACES IN AN ELLIPTICAL CIRCLE WHERE A PERSON FASTS AND GAINS POWER FROM THE CREATOR TO HELP THEM BE HEALTHY. THIS VISION QUEST WAS POSSIBLY ALSO USED BY THE SHAMANS OF THE TRIBE. ON THE WAY DOWN FROM THIS MESA YOU CAN VIEW A LARGE PANEL OF HUGE HUMAN FIGURES AND GEOGLYPHS.

MY VISIT TO WALPI

WHEN I WAS A GRADUATE STUDENT AT ASU I WENT TO TRAVEL TO SOME OF THE NORTHERN PUEBLOS DURING THE SUMMER, INCLUDING ZUNI, WAPATKI, AND WALPI. OLD WALPI IS A HOPI PUEBLO THAT USUALLY DID NOT ALLOW NON HOPI FOLKS IN TO WATCH THEIR DANCES. THE MEN CLEANSED THEMSELVES BEFORE DANCING IN THEIR KIVAS - PROBABLY BY SWEATING. HOWEVER, WE WERE SOME OF THE LAST NON HOPI TO WATCH THEIR DANCES. IT WAS VERY TRANCE LIKE TO WATCH THE KATCHINAS AND LISTEN TO THEIR STORIES. THEY HAD DRUMMING AND SOME FLUTE MUSIC THAT WAS MESMORIZING. IT WAS A GREAT TIME VIEWING ALL THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN WATCHING THE DANCERS AND LOOKING AT THE SURROUNDING HIGH DESERT VIEW. THERE WERE ABOUT 60 PEOPLE SITTING ON THE SANDSTONE BLOCKS OF THE PUEBLO SPEAKING THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE. YOU COULD SEE BELOW THIS MESA TOP THEIR FIELDS OF CORN, BEANS, SQUASH AND MELONS. THEY PRAY FOR THE RAINS TO HELP THEIR CROPS.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST WORK

I WORKED ON THE MENDOCINO FOREST FOR ABOUT 6 YEARS SUPERVISING A CREW THROUGHOUT THREE DISTRICTS. WE HAD PROJECTS INVOLVING SURVEYING OVER 6000 AC PER PROJECT. IN ORDER TO ACOMPLISH THIS I HAD TO DO PREFIELD PLANNING AS TO DETRERMINE THE POSSIBLE LOCATIONS OF WHERE SITES WOULD BE LOCATED. WE DID LIBRARY RESEARCH, AERIAL PHOTO INTERPRETATION, AND INTERVIEWS WITH SENIORS BOTH ON OUR TEAM AND IN THE NEIGHBORING TOWNS.

WE PREPARED MAPS WITH LOW, MEDIUM, AND HIGH SENSITIVITY AREAS FOR LOCATING BOTH HISTORIC AND PREHISTORIC SITES. AS IT TURNED OUT WE WERE HIRED AFTER A 18,000 ACRE FIRE AND WE COULD SEE THE GROUND VERY WELL FOR PREHISTORIC ARTIFACTS. UNBELIEVABLY WE FOUND MORE PREHISTORIC SITES THAN WE HAD PREDICTED. WE FOUND A NUMBER OF CHERT QUARRIES. SINCE THERE WAS LITTLE TREE COVER IT WAS A DEFINITELY HOT SUMMER AND FALL. WE HAD TO DRAW MAPS OF THE SITES, PHOTOGRAPH THEM, NOTE THE VEGETATION IN THE AREA, AND DESCRIBE WHAT TYPE OF SITE IT WAS. WE DREW ANY TYPES OF PROJECTILE POINTS AND OTHER GROUND STONE TOOLS. WE DID NOT COLLECT ITEMS, BUT KEPT THEM BURIED. SO THAT THE TIMBER CREWS COULD AVOID THE AREA, WE FLAGGED THE ENTIRE SITE.

FOR HISTORIC SITES WE DID THE SAME AND DID MORE INTERVIEWING WITH INDIVIDUALS IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE AGE OF THE SITES. WE FOUND OLD CABINS, RESTORING A LOOKOUT ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER, AND OTHER OLD BUILDINGS. MANY OF THEM HAD BURNED DURING PAST FIRES.

IT WAS AN INTERESTING PLACE AND I CONTACTED A LOCAL GROUP OF POMO TO COME PRESENT THEIR TECHNIQUES OF BASKET MAKING AS WELL AS THEIR KNOWLEGE OF THEIR CULTURE. WHEN WE RESTORED AN AREA WITH TREES I INVITED THE UPPER LAKE POMO AND CHILDREN TO HELP US PLANT TREES AND THEY DID A BLESSING AFTER WE PLANTED OUR TREES,

CALIFORNIA SURVEYS IN KLAMATH

FOREST SERVICE SURVEYS WERE DONE IN TEAMWORK IN 1979 - 1980'S. WE WERE GIVEN LARGE AREAS TO SURVEY AS OUR PROJECTS FROM MOSTLY THE TIMBER CREW CHIEF. WE SURVEYED AREAS FOR TIMBER SALES AND PLANTINGS THAT WERE FROM 1000 ACRES TO OVER 6000 ACRES.

THE FIRST YEAR I WORKED THERE I WORKED OUT OF KLAMATH CITY. MY HUSBAND AND I WORKED TO SURVEY AREAS THAT HAD BEEN MINED IN THE 1850'S. WE USED AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS TO LOCATE THE HISTORIC DISTURBANCE AREAS, ROADS, AND SITES FIRST. WE SPENT MOST OF OUR TIME FIGURING OUT WHERE WE WERE AS THE TOPOGRAPHY WAS DIFFICULT TERRAIN WITH MANY CONIFERS AND OAKS. THERE WERE SO MANY ROADS THAT WERE UNMARKED WE SPENT MUCH TIME GOING DOWN THE WRONG ROAD. WE FOUND MANY DEPOSITS OF STONES ALONG THE CREEKS WHERE THEY WERE MINING FOR GOLD AND WE FOUND SOME CAMPS OF TIN CANS AND BOTTLES. I ALSO INTERVIEWED SOME OF THE LOCAL SENIORS WHO KNEW THE AREA WELL AND COULD TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY AND WHO WAS AT CERTAIN MINING CAMPS. I ALSO INTERVIEWED SOME NATIVE AMERICANS WHO LIVED HERE AND ALONG THE KLAMATH.

THERE WERE VERY FEW PREHISTORIC SITES HERE AS THE FOREST WAS SO DENSELY COVERED WITH DUFF THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE MANY FLAKES OR PROJECTILE POINTS. WE DID LOCATE SEVERAL CABINS AND IDENTIFIED WHO BUILT THEM.

THE KLAMATH RIVER HAD MANY SALMON THERE WHEN WE WERE THERE AND THE INDIANS HAD MANY LARGE VILLAGES ALONG THE RIVER. IT WAS A GREAT SUMMER OVERALL.

USE OF BASKETS

BASKET MAKING IS AND WAS A VERY INTRICATE ART OF DEVELOPING ONE'S SELF EXPRESSION. A WOMAN'S PLACE MIGHT BE DETERMINED BY HOW WELL SHE MADE BASKETS. THEY STARTED LEARNING HOW TO MAKE BASKETS BY THE AGE OF FOUR. WOMEN'S GATHERING OF ROOTS AND SEEDS WAS A WAY FOR THEM TO CONNECT TO THE EARTH. THEY TENDED TO TAKE CUTTINGS AND ROOTS FROM THE SAME PLACES THROUGH DIFFERENT GENERATIONS. EVEN OLDER WOMEN WHO WERE BLIND COULD HAVE GOOD LOOKING BASKETS. KROEBER CALLED BASKET MAKING THE MOST DEVELOPED ART OF NATIVE PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA. NATIVE BASKETS WERE MADE BEAUTIFUL BY TENDING THEIR PLANTS THAT WERE TO BECOME THE BASKET. MANY NON-INDIAN BASKET COLLECTOR'S WERE UNAWARE OF ALL THE TIME INVOLVED IN PRUNING AND CARING FOR THEIR PLANTS, AS WELL AS SPLITTING, TRIMMING, AND SIZING THE FIBERS.

ACORN MUSH BASKETS

SOME TRIBES USED DEERGRASS STALKS FOR MAKING THESE BASKETS - THEIR STALKS TENDED TO EXPAND WITH HOT LIQUID, AND IT ADDED TO FLAVOR TO THE MUSH. ONE BASKET WOVEN BY THE MONO TOOK 3700 STALKS OF DEERGRASS!

THE POMO USE WILLOW AND SEDGE BASKETS LINED WITH PINE PITCH FOR THEIR ACORN MUSH SOUP.

BABY BASKETS

THE POMO MEN MADE BABY CARRYING BASKETS BY TWINING WILLOW. THEY WERE ABOUT 3 FEET LONG BY 1 1/2 FEET WIDE. THEY DECORATED THEM WITH FEATHERS AND ABALONE SHELLS. THE WOMEN CARRIED THEIR BABIES ON THEIR BACKS SO AS TO BE FREE TO COLLECT SEEDS AND GATHER FRUITS.

MONO BABY BASKETS WERE MADE FROM SUMAC (RHUS TRILOBATA) AND CEONOTHUS.

COOKING BASKETS

MONO USED CERCIS ORBICULATA FOR THEIR COILED BASKETS.
POMO COILED THEIR BEAUTIFUL COOKING BASKETS FROM WILLOW SHOOTS AND REDBUD ROOTS.

SEED BEATERS ABD SEED COLLECTION BASKETS

MONO USED CEONOTHUS AND C.UNEATUS FOR SEED BEATERS. THE POMO USED WILLOW AND SEDGE ROOT TO COLLECT TARWEED AND OTHER SMALL GRASS SEEDS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

WINNOWING BASKETS

NATIVES USED TIGHTLY WOVEN WINNOWING BASKETS TO PARCH SMALL SEEDS AND GRASSES WITH HOT STONES AND COALS TO ENHANCE THEIR FLAVOR. THE POMO MADE PINOLE OUT OF A MIXTURE OF PARCHED AND WINNOWED BUTTERCUP, TARWEED, CHIA, AND GRASS SEEDS.

THE MONO USED A TWINED SIFTER MADE FROM SUMAC AND CERCIS ORBICULATA.

BURDEN BASKETS

MOST TRIBES MADE BURDEN BASKETS IN ORDER TO CARRY MANY ITEMS FROM DISTANT AREAS BACK TO THEIR VILLAGES. IN THE POMO TRIBES THE BASKETS WERE MADE FROM SEDGE ROOT, REDBUD ROOT, AND WILLOW AND WERE CARRIED ON THEIR BACKS BY USING A TRUMP LINE OF LEATHER ACROSS THEIR FOREHEAD. MOST TRIBES USED SIMILAR BURDEN BASKETS.

THE MONO USE BUCK BRUSH, REDBUD AND SOURBERRY FOR THESE BASKETS.

CEREMONIAL BASKETS
THE POMO MADE VARIOUS SIZES OF CEREMONIAL BASKETS, INCLUDING MINIATURE ONE ABOUT ONE INCH IN SIZE; OTHERS WERE ABOUT A FOOT IN DIAMETER MADE OF WILLOW, REDBUD, AND SEDGE ROOT AND HAD BEEN INTERWOVEN WITH HUNDREDS OF TINY BIRD FEATHERS. THE BIRDS INCLUDED QUAIL, FLICKERS, PILEATED WOODPECKERS, AND LARKS. THEY WERE SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST ELABORATE BASKETS AND MANY ARE IN THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM. THEY WERE PASSED AS GIFTS FOR BIRTHS, WEDDINGS, AND FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS. MANY OF THESE WERE BURNED DURING A CREMATION. THEY DID NOT CONSIDER KEEPING OBJECTS FOR WEALTH.

OTHER TRIBES IN CALIFORNIA ALSO MADE CEREMONIAL BASKETS FROM VARIOUS REEDS AND WERE DECORATED WITH DIFFERENT COLORS OF REEDS BUT THEY DID NOT USE BIRD FEATHERS.



KAT ANDERSON

QUOTES FROM H. JACKSON BROWN

I'VE LEARNED THAT ANIMALS CAN WARM YOUR HEART BETTER THAN PEOPLE CAN.

I'VE LEARNED THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE HONEST.

I'VE LEARNED THAT A PERSON'S DEGREE OF SELF CONFIDENCE GREATLY DETERMINES HIS SUCCESS.

I'VE LEARNED THAT REGARDLESS OF THE COLOR OR AGE WE ALL NEED ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF LOVE.

I'VE LEARNED THAT YOU CAN'T HUG YOUR KIDS TOO MUCH.

I'VE LEARNED THAT THE PERSON WITH BIG DREAMS IS MORE POWERFUL THAN ONE WITH ALL THE FACTS.

I'VE LEARNED THAT WHEN YOU HAVE AB ARGUMENT WITH YOUR SPOUSE, THE FIRST ONE TO WHO SAYS "I'M SORRY I HURT YOUR FEELINGS; PLEASE FOT GIVE ME" IS THE WINNER.

I'VE LEARNED THAT PARENTS ARE VERY HARD TO LIVE WITH.

I'VE LEARNED THAT AS LONG AS I HAVE MY HEALTH, OLDER IS BETTER.

IV'E LEARNED THAT YOU CAN'T PLEASE SOME PEOPLE, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO.

I'VE LEARNED THAT THE BEST ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE ANYONE IS TO BE KIND.

I'VE LEARNED THAT YOU SHOULD WADE IN A CREEK EVERY CHANCE THAT YOU GET.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT FARMER'S MARKET

LAST NIGHT I WENT TO THE SANTA ROSA FARMER'S MARKET AND I VIEWED A HUGE CROWD OF VENDORS AND EVEN MORE PEOPLE EATING AND WATCHING MUSICIANS AS WELL AS BUYING FRESH VEGETABLES AND A CORNUCOPIA OF OTHER THINGS FROM SOAPS TO JEWELRY. I SAMPLED SOME GOOD PEACHES AND APRICOTS. I MET SOME OLD ACQUAINTANCES AND WE CHATTED FOR AWHILE. I HAD SOME PIZZA AND WATCHED ONE OF THE FAMOUS BANDS.

THERE WERE WALL TO WALL PEOPLE DOWN THE CENTER OF FOURTH STREET - I WAS AMAZED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE. I BOUGHT SOME GOOD WALNUT BREAD FROM A BAKERY, AND SPOKE TO SOME ARTISANS WHO MADE GOURDS AND SOME BLACKS WHO MADE DRUMS AS WELL AS AN UNUSUAL SOAP.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

SOUTH AMERICAN SITES

ONE OF THE OLDEST SITES FOUND IN SOUTH AMERICA WAS IN MONTE VERDE IN SOUTHERN CHILE. ABOUT 15,000 B.P. 30 PEOPLE FOUND EVIDENCE OF SHELTERS MADE OF HIDES, AND THEY FOUND HEARTHS WHERETHEY HEATED AND COOKED THEIR MEAT. THEY FOUND SMALL COOKING POTS LINED WITH CLAY WHICH HAD BURNING CHARCOAL. SEVEN MASTODONS WERE FOUND THERE NEAR ONE HUT SET APART FROM THE OTHERS. MASTODONS DIED ABOUT 13,000 YEARS AGO. THEY FOUND 45 PLANT FOODS INCLUDING POTATOES AND MUSHROOMS - SOME CAME FROM HIGH UP AND 150 FEET UP. THEY FOUND 22 TYPES OF MEDICINAL PLANTS STILL USED BY THE NATIVES.

THIS SETTLEMENT CAME TO A SUDDEN END. THE WATER TABLE ROSE AND THAT IS WHY THE AREA FLOODED AND FORCED THE PEOPLE TO MOVE A PEAT BOG FORMED AND THAT IS WHY THEY FOUND WOOD AND HIDE, BUT NO HUMAN BONES, ONLY A FOOTPRINT. LLAMA LIKE ANIMALS WERE SOME OF THE HUNTED ANIMALS. THEY TRAPPED SMALL GAME, AND GATHERED FRUITS, NUTS, ROOTS, AND TUBERS. THEIR STONE TOOLS WERE SIMPLE AND THEY USED SIMPLE DIGGING STICKS.

ANOTHER SITE TO THE SOUTH DATES TO 35,000 B.P. BASED UPON CHARCOAL DATING FROM THE HEARTH.

A SITE IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL CALLED PEDRA FURADO HAS A ROCK SHELTER AT THE BOTTOM OF A HIGH CLIFF. FRENCH-BRAZILIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS SPENT 10 YEARS THERE AND DISCOVERED THAST IT DATES AS FAR BACK AS 32,000 B.P.

AT PEDRA PINTADA CAVE PAINTINGS OF HUMANS, ANIMALS, AND GEOMETRIC DESIGNS AND CHARRED REMAINS DATING TO CLOVIS TIMES BY DR. ROOSEVELT. HOEVER, THEY DID NOT HUNT BIG GAME - ONLY SMALL MAMMALS, BIRDS, FISH, TURTLES, BIRDS, FRUIT AND NUTS.


PATRICIA LAUBER

INDIAN SPEECHES

THE INDIANS HELD SPEECHES FOR THE WHITE MEN.
1. THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE VERY PEACEFUL.
2. THEY RECITED THE INDIAN'S LAND HERITAGE.
3. THEY HAD CHARITIES EXTENDED TOWARD THE WHITES.
4. INDIANS GAVE CONCESSIONS TO THE ADVANCING WHITES.
5. THEY VOICED THEIR HOPES THAT SUCH A PROCESS WOULD BE PERMANENTLY ARRESTED
6. THEY EXPRESSED PEACE AND AMITY.

BLACK ELK - SHAMAN OF THE OGLALA SIOUX IN THE BLACK HILLS IN 1912 HELD A SACRED PIPE BEFORE HIM IN HIS RIGHT HAND AND SANG HIS SONG TO WAKAN TANKA, HIS CREATOR.
TODAY I SEND A VOICE FOR A PEOPLE IN DESPAIR. YOU HAVE GIVEN ME A SACRED PIPE, AND THROUGH THIS I SHOULD MAKE MY OFFERING.

FROM THE WEST YOU HAVE GIVEN ME THE CUP OF LIVING WATER AND THE SACRED BOW, THE POWER TO MAKE LIFE AND TO DESTROY IT. YOU'VE GIVEN ME THE SACRED WIND AND THE HERB FROM WHERE THE WHITE GIANT LIVES - THE CLEANSING POWER AND THE HEALING. THE DAYBREAK STAR AND THE PIPE, YOU HAVE GIVEN ME FROM THE EAST; AND FROM THE SOUTH THE NATION'S SACRED HOOP AND THE TREE THAT WAS TO BLOOM. TO THE CENTER OF THE WORLD YOU HAVE TAKEN ME AND SHOWED THE GOODNESS AND THE BEAUTY AND THE STRANGENESS OF THE GREENING EARTH, THE ONLY MOTHER, AND THERE THE SPIRIT-SHAPES OF THINGS, AS THEY SHOULD BE, YOU HAVE SHOWN ME, AND I HAVE SEEN.

WITH TEARS RUNNING, O GREAT SPIRIT, MY GRANDFATHER - WITH RUNNING EYES I MUST SAY NOW THAT THE TREE HAS NEVER BLOOMED. I HAVE FALLEN AWAY AND DONE NOTHING. HERE AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD WHERE YOU TOOK WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND TAUGHT ME HERE OLD I STAND, AND A TREE IS WITHERED, MY GRANDFATHER. I RECALL THE GREAT VISION YOU SENT ME. IT MAY BE THAT SOME LITTLE ROOT OF THE SACRED TREE STILL LIVES. NOURISH IT , THEN, THAT IT MAY LEAF AND BLOOM AND FILL WITH STINGING BIRDS. HEAR ME THAT MY SACRED PEOPLE MAY ONCE MORE GO BACK INTO THE SACRED HOOP AND FIND THE GOOD ROAD AND THE SHIELDING TREE.

VIRGINIA ARMSTRONG

ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES

MY HUSBAND AND I STARTED OUR ARCHAEOLOGY BUSINESS IN HOT SPRINGS, SOUTH DAKOTA. WE MET WITH THE FOREST SERVICE AND THEY FORWARDED OUR NAMES TO MINERS AND COMPANIES WHO HAD INTEREST IN MINING FOR GOLD AS WELL AS FOR DRILLING FOR OIL. WE KEPT BUSY IN THE FOUR STATES OF NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA AND WYOMING. MOST OF OUR BUSINESS WAS WITH A FIRM WHO HAD BEEN DRILLING FOR OIL AND UNDERGROUND GAS IN SOUTH DAKOTA GRASSLANDS. WE EXPLORED THE PETROGLYPHS BY THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE BLACK HILLS WHICH I HAD FOUND THE YEAR BEFORE.

WE HAD MANY COMPANIES CONTACT US IN THE BLACK HILLS. THEY WERE EXPLORING FOR GOLD, OIL AND GAS. THEY USUALLY WERE SMALL PROJECTS; MANY WERE LINEAR LINES WHERE A BIG OIL COMPANY WAS TESTING FOR UNDERGROUND GAS BY SETTING OFF SMALL UNDERGROUND CHARGES. SOME OF THEIR PROJECTS INCORPORATED MILES AND MILES OF SURVEYING. ANOTHER LARGE COMPANY HIRED US TO SURVEY LARGE AREAS WHERE THEY PLANNED TO PUT IN OIL WELLS. THE TOPOGRPHY OF THE GRASSLANDS WAS EASY TO READ. THE TOPOGRAPHY OF NORTH DAKOTA WAS DIFFICULT TO WALK IN AND TO READ AS THERE WERE MANY LARGE BLUFFS AND ERODED SANDSTONE CUTS.

THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF SMALL PREHISTORIC CAMPS THAT WE HAD TO RECORD, AND SOME OF THEM WERE OVER 5 ACRES IN SIZE - CHIPPING STATIONS WHERE THE INDIANS TESYED THE QUALITY OF THE CHERT. THERE WERE ALSO MANY PALEONTOLOGICAL SITES, INCLUDING LARGE TURTLES WHICH WE RECORDED BUT DID NOT PRESERVE SINCE THEY HAD HUNDREDS OF THEM IN THIS AREA.

THE ANIMAL LIFE WAS ABUNDANT IN THE PLAINS AND INCLUDED PRAIRIE DOGS, ELK, WILD HORSES, ANTELOPE, BUFFALO, AND DEER, RABBITS, SNAKES, AND BIGHORN SHEEP.
THEY ATE MANY GRASS SEEDS, PINE NUTS, AND JUNIPER BERRIES. THEY ALSO GREW AGRICULTURE OF CORN, BEANS, SQUASH, AND TURNIPS AND PRAYED FOR THE RAIN.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

NEW YORK STATE PARKS WORK

IN 1975 I WORKED WITH THE NEW YORK STATE PARKS AND REC AND I WORKED AT ABOUT 3-4 SITES WHERE WE DID MOSTLY HISTORIC EXCAVATION. THE FIRST SITE I WORKED AT WAS THE FIRST SENATE BUILDING IN NEW YORK IN A KINGSTON WITH MOSTLY STONE HOUSES. IT WAS AN INTERESTING PLACE TO DIG SINCE THERE WERE MANY TOURISTS WHO ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS TO WHY WE WERE THEIR DIGGING. IT WAS BUILT IN 1676 DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. WE FOUND MOSTLY POTTERY FROM CHINA AND WE FOUND SOME BRICK AND MORTAR, SOME METAL ARTIFACTS AND HISTORIC BOTTLE PIECES.

ANOTHER SITE WHERE WE LIVED AND CAMPED WAS NEW WINDSOR CANTONMENT NEAR HUDSON. IT WAS A REMOTE SITE WHERE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR WAS FOUGHT. WE EXCAVATED SEVERAL TEST UNITS WHILE WATCHING THE REENACTMENT OF THE WAR BY A GROUP OF PEOPLE DRESSED FOR THE OCCASSION WITH RIFLES, DRUMS AND HORNS. AT THIS SITE WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1782 THERE WERE ABOUT 600 HUNDRED TENTS AND A LARGE LODGE, 7500 SOLDIERS AND 500 WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE STATIONED HERE IN THE WINTER. WE FOUND PIECES OF CHINESE POTTERY, BROKEN BOTTLES, SOME METAL ARTIFACTS, FIRE PITS, AND ANIMAL BONES.

THE GEORGE WASHINGTON HOUSE IN KINGSTON ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER WAS BUILT BETWEEN 1725 - 1750 IN NEWBURGH. IT WAS HIS LONGEST SERVING HEADQUARTERS DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. IT IS THE OLDEST HOUSE IN NEWBURG. WE FOUND A NUMBER OF ARTIFACTS FROM HIS ORIGINAL OCCUPATION INCLUDING CHINESE POTTERY, GLASS BOTTLES, AND CANDLE SNUFFS, AND HISTORIC METAL ARTIFACTS, AS WELL AS ANIMAL BONES.

AT CLERMONT STATE PARK WHICH IS ALSO ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER WAS BUILT IN 1728 AND WAS JOHN LIVINGSTON'S HOUSE, AS WELL AS 7 GEBERATIONS OF HIS FAMILY WHO LIVED HERE UNTIL 1962. HE WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. BECAUSE OF HIS ROLE IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION THE HOUSE WAS PARTIALLY BURNED BY BRITISH JOHN VAUGHAN IN 1777. GEORGE WASHINGTON AN HIS WIFE WERE INVITED HERE AS GUESTS. IT WAS REBUILT AND IS ON A HUGE TRACT OF LAND. OUR 10 X 10 X 10 FOOT TEST UNIT FOUND PRIMARILY BRICK AND MORTAR AS WELL AS A MOLDED BOTTLE WITH A 1700'S DATE ON THE SIDE, VARIOUS SCISSORS, METAL ARTIFACTS, GLASS BOTTLE REMAINS, AND CHINESE POTTERY.

ANOTHER SITE I EXCAVATED WAS KNOX'S HEADQUARTER'S IN NEW WINDSOR BUILT IN 1754. IT WAS OWNED BY THE ELLISON FAMILY AND USED IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR BY HENRY KNOX IN THE 1780'S. IT WAS IN A MIXED FOREST AND WAS THE GENERAL'S HEADQUARTERS DURING THE WAR. WHILE WE WERE EXCAVATING THE TEST PITS THERE WERE MANY TOURISTS COMING BY THIS HISTORIC SITE WHO WERE FUN TO TALK TO. THEY ALWAYS ASKED US WHAT WE WERE FINDING IN OUR DIGS. THE ARTIFACTS WERE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS WHAT WE HAD FOUND AT THE OTHER SITES.

NATURE METAPHOR

OBSERVE NATURE THINK ABOUT THE VALUES YOU'VE CHOSEN--COMBINE THIS INFORMATION TO CREATE SOME NATURE METAPHORS FOR YOURSELF..

"I AM LIKE A RIVER THAT HAS NO HURRY, GENTLY FLOWING WITH THE DAY. I AM ABLE TO SEE NEW AND CLEAR VISION LIKE A BRILLIANT VIEW FROM A MOUNTAINTOP. MY INTERESTS ARE AS DIVERSE AS THE VARIETY OF WILDFLOWERS ON A SPRING MOUNTAIN WALK. AS WITH EVERY TURN IN THE TRAIL OF A NEW PATH, I AM ABLE TO FORGE AND CONQUER NEW CHALLENGES, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN'T BEEN REVEALED TO ME."

UVAVNUK, ESKIMO SHAMAN

THE GREAT SEA HAS SENT ME ADRIFT. IT MOVES ME. AS THE WEED IN A GREAT RIVER. EARTH AND THE GREAT WEATHER MOVE ME. HAVE CARRIED ME AWAY. AND MOVE MY INWARD PARTS WITH JOY.

MY TRAVELS TO THE NATIONAL PARKS WITH MY FAMILY

ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO OUR FAMILY VISITED VARIOUS NATIONAL PARKS THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAN WEST. THEY INCLUDED DINASAUR, ZION, GRAND TETONS, HOOVER DAM, GRAND CANYON, NATIONAL GRASSLANDS IN SOUTH DAKOTA, YELLOWSTONE, AND GLACIER PARK IN MONTANA.

WE CAMPED HALF THE TIME AND STAYED IN HOTELS THE OTHER HALF. IT TOOK US ABOUT TWO WEEKS AND WE TRAVELED OVER 3000 MILES FROM OUR SANTA ROSA LOCATION. WE BROUGHT A SMALL REFRIGERATOR AND OUR BIKES (THAT WAS A MISTAKE). THE ROAD DOWN TO THE RIVER AT DINOSAUR WAS SO RUGGED THAT OUR BIKE RACK WAS RUINED! THE CLIFFS WERE GREAT - OVER 200' HIGH, AND VERY FEW CAMPERS WERE THERE. IN DINOSAUR WE VISITED MANY OF THE ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS WHICH INCLUDED PICTOGRAPHS AND PETROGLYPHS.

IN THE GRAND TETONS WE TOOK A BOAT TRIP TO THE MAJOR FALLS ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM THE MAINLAND. THERE WAS A NICE HIKE TO THE HIGH WATERFALLS AND THE TRAIL WAS BUILT WITH STONES. WE CAMPED IN A HIGH FOREST WHERE WE SAW A LOT OF BEARS, BIGHORN SHEEP, ELK, AND MOOSE - SO WE HAD TO KEEP OUR CAMP CLEAN.

WE ONLY VIEWED THE LODGE AT THE NORTH RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON AND SAT IN BIG ROCKING CHAIRS TO LOOK DOWN THE CANYON - WE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO HIKE THERE. I THINK IT WAS EXTREMELY WINDY THERE.

IN SOUTH DAKOTA GRASSLANDS WE CAMPED AT A NICE PLACE BY A LAKE AND HIKED AROUND MOUNT RUSHMORE WHERE THEY HAD CHANGED THE ENTIRE LOOK OF THE TRAILS AND BUILT AN ENTIRELY NEW VISITOR CENTER. WE ALSO SHOWED OUR SON WHERE WE HAD LIVED IN HOT SPRINGS AND WENT SWIMMING IN THE OUTDOOR STREAM WHERE THE INDIANS SWIM IN A COOL NATURAL POOL. IT WAS JUST SO FLAT IN THAT STATE - I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. WE DROVE THROUGH THE WIND CAVE PARK AREA AND TOOK PHOTOS OF THE BUFFALOS WHICH CAME VERY CLOSE TO OUR CARS AND THEY HAD HERDS OF ABOUT 100!

YELLOWSTONE WAS AN EXTREMELY LARGE PARK WITH TRAILS THAT WE HIKED PRIMARILY AROUND THE BOILING POTS AND GEYSERS. IT WAS A FUN SPOT IN THE OLD LODGE - A HUGE 1800'S LODGE WITH A BIG FIREPLACE MADE OF STONE. WE CAMPED THERE AND IT WAS COLD EVEN IN THE SUMMER BECAUSE OF THE HIGH ELEVATION! MANY BEAUTIFUL FLOWEER MARSHES AND CREEKS. SOME TRAILS I DID NOT WANT TO GO ON BECAUSE THEY WERE SO STEEP AND HAD STEEP DROP OFFS.

WE JUST SPENT ONE DAY AT ZION TAKING A BUS TO THE MAJOR TRAILS AND SAW VERTICAL CANYONS AND A FEW DEER. THERE WERE NO INTERPRETERS THERE - JUST A NICE VISITOR CENTER. IT IS BEAUTIFUL IN THAT AREA.

WE TRAVELED TO HOOVER DAM BUILT IN THE 30'S ON THE COLORADO RIVER WHERE WE TOOK A BOAT RIDE WITH A TRAVEL GUIDE THAT HAD BEEN WORKING IN A RESTAURANT. IT WAS OVER 100 DEGREES THERE AND WE TOOK A COOL SHOWER AT A WATERFALL AND SAW MANY WONDERFUL PETROGLYPHS. OUR GUIDE TALKED ABOUT THE EARLY EXPLORERS GENERAL POWELL WHO EXPLORED THE RIM AND THE COLORADO RIVER WITH A GROUP OF PIONEERS. THEY HAD LITTLE TO EAT AND SHE SAID THEY HAD MAJOR STRUGGLES TO SURVIVE.

WHEN WE GOT TO GLACIER NATIONAL PARK THERE WAS LITTLE SNOW AND WE HIKED IN SOME HIGH ALPINE TRAILS THAT WERE DESIGNATED "BEAR COUNTRY". HOWEVER WE DID NOT SEE ANY BEARS. IT WAS JUST A HIGH COUNTRY PARK WITH SOME MAGNIFICENT VIEWS OF MOUNTAINS. I ACTUALLY LIKED THE MOUNTAINS IN THE GRAND TETONS BETTER. THEY HAD MORE VISUAL QUALITIES THAN IN GLACIER.

TRAVELS IN MEXICO

I WENT TO MEXICO TWO TIMES AS A TEENAGER. THE FIRST TIME I TRAVELED TO MEXICO VIA A LARGE TRAIN THAT LEFT CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO AND TRAVELED THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS FOR AN ENTIRE DAY. IT PASSED THROUGH SEVERAL TUNNELS AND ACROSS MANY BRIDGES. THE CHILDREN WERE WAILING AND THEY HAD LITTLE TO EAT AND I GAVE THEM SOME CHICKEN. THE TRAIN PASSED MANY REMOTE FAMILIES LIVING IN TRAIN CARS AND THEY HAD TO PLANT SOME GARDENS TO EAT. THEY ALWAYS HAD WOMEN SERVING THE PASSENGERS TACOS, BURRITOS AND LIME DRINKS AS WE STOPPED AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS. THIS WAS A FASCINATING TRIP I WANT TO DO AGAIN SOMETIME..

MY FIRST TRIP INCLUDED A VISIT TO TEOTIHUACAN A LARGE PREHISTORIC CITY LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF MEXICO. HERE IS A PLAZA WITH MANY WORKSHOPS FOR DIFFERENT ARTISANS. I TOOK MANY PHOTOS OF THE VARIOUS ROCK SCULPTURES ON DIFFERENT BUILDINGS. I CLIMBED UP THE SUN ANS MOON PYRAMIDS AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER BUILDINGS IN THE PLAZA.

I ALSO TRAVELED TO ACAPULCO WHICH I DID NOT REALLY CARE FOR AS IT WAS QUITE THE TOURIST TRAP. HOWEVER, THE OCEAN WATER WAS GREAT AT NIGHT AND VERY WARM. ANOTHER CITY I VISITED WAS GUANAJUATO WHERE THE MAIN ATTRACTION WAS VIEWING A MUMMY MUSEUM. IT WAS A CHARMING VILLAGE WITH WINDING STREETS.

CUERNAVACA WAS A CITY WHERE I MET A WOMAN WHO OWNED A SHOP FILLED WITH BEAUTIFUL EMBROIDERED SHIRTS AND DRESSES WHICH SHE GOT FROM TRIBES BY RIDING A MULE TO THEIR VILLAGE. THE CITY IS A POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION.

THE THREE OF US TRAVELED TO OAXACA WHERE THERE WAS A FUN MARKET AND WHERE ALL KINDS OF VEGGIS, FISH, CHICKENS, AND OTHER BIRDS WERE SOLD, AS WELL AS TURTLE MEAT, AND PIGS. IT WAS FASCINATING TO WATCH PEOPLE BARGAIN FOR VARIOUS ITEMS. I DID TOO FOR MY HUARACHES, A HAMMOCK, AND LOTS OF EMBROIDERED CLOTHING. IT WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST MARKETS IN MEXICO. OF COURSE WE ATE FROM STREET VENDORS AND OF COURSE GOT DISENTERY. I ATE NO MOUSE MEAT AS THAT WAS COMMON DOWN THERE.

I VENTURED BY MYSELF TO TULA WHICH WAS AN ISOLATED PREHISTORIC PYRAMID WHICH WAS A PLACE WHERE THE CHILDREN SOLD CHICKLETS. I BOUGHT A NECKLACE THERE AND THE PEOPLE WERE FRIENDLY. IT WAS A SMALL CITY AND THERE WERE FEW RESTAURANTS THERE. TULA HAD VERY FEW TOURISTS.

MY TRIP TO CUAUTLA MEXICO AT 18

AFTER MY FIRST YEAR IN COLLEGE IN OHIO I DECIDED TO GO TO MEXICO ENCOURAGED BY SOME FRIENDS I HAD MET IN COLLEGE. I TRAVELED BY GREYHOUND BUS TO NOGALES TEXAS AND AT THAT POINT THEY HAD LOST MY DUFFLE BAG OF CLOTHES. NEVERTHELESS I HAD MY BACKPACK AND I WENT TO MY FIELD SCHOOL ABOUT 1 DAY LATE. THERE WERE ABOUT 30 AMERICANS AND MANY OF US DID NOT KNOW SPANISH. WE LIVED A FEW MILES FROM THESITE WE EXCAVATED AND IT WAS QUITE THE SITE. THEY WERE BUILDING A RESORT THERE SO WE WERE DOING SOME TEST ERXCAVATION AT SEVERAL PYRAMIDS. I REMEMBER FINDING SOME INCREDIBLE OBSIDIAN BLADES AND MANY CERAMICSWHICH WERE WASHED BY THE MEXICANS.

THEY PROVIDED LUNCH FOR US AT THIS SITE. MANY CHILDREN CARRYING THEIR BABY SISTERS CAME BY TO SEE WHAT WE WERE DOING. THE SITE WAS QUITE LARGE AND WE HAD TO SURVEY AN AREA BEFORE WE EXCAVATED THE AREA. I HAD NEVER EXCAVATED A PYRAMID SITE BEFORE.

I MET SEVERAL OLDER LADIES WHO CAME FROM NEW YORK AND WE TRAVELED THROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS SMALL TOWNS DURING THE WEEKENDS TO SEE MARKETS AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RUINS. IT WAS FACINATING TO VIEW A DIFFERENT THIRD WORLD COUNTRY. WE WERE INVITED TO SEVERAL MEALS IN SOME SMALL VILLAGES WHERE THEY ONLY HAD THE RIVERS TO BATH IN.

A TRIP I MADE TO AN OLD MOUNTAINTOP VILLAGE WAS FUN SINCE THEY HAD A SUNDAY MARKET. ONE LADY WAS SELLING ALL KINDS OF MEDICINALS INCLUDING CHICKEN FEET AND HERBS GROWN LOCALLY.

I ALSO WENT TO THE LARGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE THAT WAS BESIDE THE SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS TO LOOK AT WHAT HOUSE TYPES WERE THERE AND IT WAS BUILT UNDER A CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Monday, June 14, 2010

PRE PLEISTOCENE AND PLEISTOCENE ERA PEOPLES

BACK ABOUT 10,000 YEARS AGO THERE WERE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AMERICAS WITH A MORE LUSH ENVIRONMENT. THESE INDIANS HUNTED BIG GAME ANIMALS SUCH AS GIANT MASTODON AND MAMMOTHS, BISON, BEAVERS, AS WELL AS SABER-TOOTH TIGERS, GIANT SLOTHS, LARGE TURTLES, RETILES AND FISH. IN @ 1976 I HELPED EXCAVATE AN UNUSUAL MASTODON SITE AT A FARM WHERE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND THE SUMMER AT A HOPEWELL SITE AS WELL. I VOLUNTEERED AND WORKED FOR THE DAYTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. HERE WE FOUND THE REMAINS OF A NUMBER OF PLEISTOCENE BONES MIXED WITH SEVERAL PROJECTILE POINTS THAT DATED TO THE CLOVIS ERA. ONE WAS EMBEDDED INTO A LEG BONE OF A MASTODON. THIS SITE WAS A LARGE BOG SITE WHERE THE BEASTS AND FISH GOT TRAPPED DUE TO THE MUDDY CIRCUMSTANCES.

PREHISTORIC PEOPLE CAME ACROSS THE BERINGA OR BERING STRAIT DURING ABOUT 25,000 TO 75,000 YEARS AGO AND THEY MIGRATED ALL THE WAY TO MEXICO AND SOUTH AMERICA. THEY COULD HAVE COME BY BOATS OR BY FOOT. THE TOOLS FOUND BY ARCHAEOLOGISTS WERE BONE AND STONE TOOLS FOR BUTCHERING THE ANIMALS, FISHING AND SCRAPING THE HIDES. AS EARLY AS 17,000 YEARS AGO THEY PAINTED PICTOGRAPHS AND PETROGLYPHS ON THEIR CAVE WALLS. PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA, AFRICA, AND EUROPE ALSO DECORATED THEIR CAVES. IN EUROPE THE EARLIEST PAINTINGS WERE OF ANIMALS. SOME SHOWED PICTURES WITH PEOPLE USING SPEAR-THROWERS. A CAVE IN THE ANDES MAY HAVE BEEN DATED TO BER 25,000 TO 15,000 B.P. THEY FOUND BONES OF EXTINCT HORSE, CAMELS, SABER-TOOTHER TIGER, AND SLOTH.

TEOTIHUACAN HAD MANY PALEO INDIAN SITES DATING TO AS EARLY AS 22,000 YEARS AGO. MAMMOTH BO0NS WERE FOUND IN COLORADO DATING 20,000 YEARS AGO; AND A CAMP IN PENNSYLVANIA WAS DATED TO BE CONTINUOUSLY 20,000 TO 200 YEARS AGO.

THE ARRIVAL OF THE HORSE

AROUND 1600 A.D. THE HORSE WAS BROUGHT HERE FROM SPAIN AND CHANGED ALL THE PEOPLE'S LIVES. SPANISH INVADERS RODE THEIR HORSES NORTH FROM MEXICO BROUGHT THEM INTO THE SOUTHWEST. THE INDIANS SAW THIS ADVANTAGE OF HAVING HORSES AND BEGAN TO TRADE FOR THEM TO EASTERN AND NORTHERN TRIBES AND THEY BECAME POPULAR AROUND THERE RESERVATIONS.

SINCE HORSES WERE SO VALUED THEY WERE A WEALTH SYMBOL. THEY BEGAN BREEDING NEW HORSES TO DEVELOP STRONGER ANIMALS. THE SPANISH HORSE EVOLVED INTO A SMALL INDIAN PONY WITH A SHAGGY COAT. THIS HORSE SURVIVED ON THE WILD GRASSES OF THE PLAINS VS. A RICH MIXTURE OF A LARGER HORSE. THE INDIAN PONY WAS SMARTER AND MORE FAST THAN THE SPANISH HORSE. IT WAS STRONGER AS WELL AND CARRIED LONGER TIPI POLES. THE INDIAN WORD FOR PONY WAS "LARGE DOG". IT BECAME TO BE IMPORTANT TO THEM IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE. IT MOVED WITH THE INDIAN AS ONE AND THEY FOUGHT OFF WARRING TRIBES WITH THEIR HORSES. HE DID NOT SHARE IT WITH ANYONE. HE PAINTED HIMSELF AS WELL AS HIS HORSE BEFORE A BATTLE.

THE MEDICINE THE INDIAN USED WASN'T SOMETHING THEY TOOK TO CURE A HEADACHE. IT WAS MORE OF A SPIRITUAL POWER THEY HAD THAN PILL, IT WAS SOMETHING THEY RECEIVED FROM NATURE. THIS POWER COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH A SPECIAL ANIMAL OR NATURAL OBJECT.

WHEN A PERSON HAS A VISION AN EXPERIENCE OF THE MIND OR SOUL THEY ARE USUALLY IN A DREAM STATE AND MAY HAVE FASTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. SOMETIME THE FORM OF AN ANIMAL MAY BE PART OF THE SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE. SOMETIMES THE FORM OF AN ANIMAL MAY APPEAR. A PERSON WHO RECEIVES A RARE VISION KNOWS THAT IT IS A RARE GIFT.




HOWARD EGGER

POMO MONEY

POMOS WERE THE PRIMARY MAKERS OF MONEY IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. THEY USED THE WASHINGTON CLAM SHELL THAT WAS TRADED TO THEM FROM THE COAST MIWOK. SOME WERE FROM SHELTER COVE. THE SHELLS WERE BROKEN UP INTO SMALL PIECES AND ROUNDED ON SANDSTONE. THEIR VALUE VARIED ACCORDING TO THE DIAMETER OF THE DISKS. OLD STRINGS WERE HIGHLY PRIZED.

ACCORDING TO YUKI STATEMENTS THE SHELLS REACHED THE NORTHERN POMO TRIBES. ANOTHER SOURCE OF MONEY WAS HIGHLY PRIZED AND IT INCLUDED BEADS MADE OF MAGNESITE (CYLINDRICAL) FROM CACHE CREEK. THEY HAD RED, GRAY, SALMON, BUFF AND BANDED COLRS.

INDIANS CALLED THIS THEIR GOLD. SOMETIMES THEY USED THEM WITH OTHER BEADS ON NECKLACES.

Friday, June 11, 2010

KOKOPELLI

KOKOPELLI ORIGINATED IN MEXICO AS WELL AS IN SOUTHWESTERN TRIBES. ACCORDING TO THE LEGEND PEOPLE MIGRATED TO EVERY CORNER OF THE EARTH BEFORE THEY FOUND THE FOURTH WORLD, WHICH BECAME THEIR FINAL HOME. LED BY LOCUS-LIKE INSECT PEOPLE, A GROUP OF HOPI PEOPLE CLIMBED TO THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN. AT THE TOP THEY MET AN EAGLE, HE CLUTCHED TWO ARROWS IN HIS CLAWS. HE LOOKED AT TWO MAHUS CARRYING A FLUTE. EAGLE TOLD THEM THAT THEY COULD ONLY LIVE THERE IF THEY PASSED TWO TESTS THAT HE WOULD GIVE THEM.

EAGLE SAID I'M GOING TO POKE YOU IN THE EYE WITH THESE ARROWS. IF YOU DO NOT CLOSE YOUR EYES YOU AND THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW YOU MAY LIVE HERE.

THE NEXT TEST IS MUCH HARDER AND I DO NOT THINK YOU CAN PASS IT. HE SHOT HIS BOW INTO THE MAHU'S BODY (KOKOPELLI). HE APPEARED UNHARMED EAGLE WAS AMAZED AT HIS POWER. HE BEGAN PLAYING TENDER FLUTE MUSIC. THE FLUTES SOOTHING NOTES LIFTED THEIR SPIRITS AND HEALED THEIR WOUNDED BODIES.

THE LOCUST MAHAS WERE GIVEN THE NAME KOKOPELLI , THE HUMPEDBACK FLUTE PLAYER. KOKO MEANS STICK AND PILUA MEANS HUMP IN THE HOPI LANGUAGE.

WHEN PEOPLE WERE SAD PEOPLE WOULD COME TO PLAY HIS FLUTE, SING, AND DANCE. AFTER MANY YEAYS HE BEGAN TO BE A KATCHINA.

HOW RAVEN HELPED THE ANCIENT PEOPLE

DURING THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD GRAY EAGLE WAS THE GUARDIAN OF THE SUN AND MOON, AS WELL AS FIRE AND WATER. GREY EAGLE HATED PEOPLE THAT HE KEPT THESE THINGS HIDDEN. PEOPLE LIVED IN DARKNESS WITHOUT FIRE AND WITHOUT WATER. GRAY EAGLE HAD A DAUGHTER WHO RAVEN FELL IN LOVE WITH. RAVEN WAS A HANDSOME MAN. HE CHANGED HIMSELF INTO A SNOWY WHITE BIRD SO HE PLEASED THE EAGLE'S DAUGHTER.

RAVEN SAW THE SUN AND MOON AND THE STARS AND FRESH WATER HANGING ON THE SIDES OF EAGLE'S LODGE HE KNEW WHAT HE SHOULD DO. HE WATCHED FOR HIS CHANCE TO SEIZE THEM WHEN NO ONE WAS LOOKING. HE STOLE ALL OF THEM AND A BRAND OF FIRE. AND THEN FLEW OUT OF THE LODGE.

AS SOON AS RAVEN WAS OUTSIDE HE HUNG THE SUN IN THE SKY. THERE WAS SO MUCH LIGHT THAT HE WAS ABLE TO FLY FAR OUT TO AN ISLAND IN THE OCEAN. HE FASTENED THE MOON UP IN THE SKY AND HUNG THE STARS AROUND IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE SKY. HE WATCHED FOR A CHANCE TO SEIZE THE STARS WHEN NO ONE WAS LOOKING. HE STOLE ALL OF THEM AND A BRAND OF FIRE AND FLEW OUT OF THE LODGE THROUGH THE SMOKE HOLE.

ONCE RAVEN WAS OUTSIDE HE HUNG THE SUN IN THE SKY. THE LIGHT WAS SO BRIGHT THAT HE FLEW OUT TO AN ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN. WHEN THE SUN SET HE FASTENED THE MOON UP IN THE SKY AND HUNG THE STARS IN DIFFERENT PLACES. HE CARRIED FRESH WATER WITH HIM AND THE FIRE HE HAD STOLEN. IT FELL TO THE GROUND, AND THERE IT BECAME THE SOURCE OF ALL FRESH WATER STREAMS AND LAKES.

RAVEN FLEW ON AND HELD THE BRAND OF FIRE IN HIS BILL. THE SMOKE FROM THE FIRE FLEW OVER HIS FEATHERS AND MADE THEM BLACK. WHEN HIS BILL BEGAN TO BURN HE HAD TO DROP THE FIREBRAND. IT STRUCK ROCKS AND WENT INTO THEM. THAT IS WHY IF YOU STRIKE TWO STONES TOGETHER FIRE WILL DROP OUT. THAT IS WHY RAVEN IS NOW A BLACK BIRD.

MARLENE BARANZINI

Thursday, June 10, 2010

CONSTRUCTION OF HOMES AND VILLAGES

FAMILY HOUSES VARIED WITH THE LOCALE. THE POMO BUILT THEIR HOUSES WITH WILLOW POLES AND TULE - A SORT OF UPSIDE DOWN BASKET. THEY MADE THEIR SWEATLODGES AS SEMI-SUBTERRANEAN AND PACKED EARTH ON THE TOP LEAVING A SMOKE HOLE ON THE TOP. REPLICAS OF THESE HOUSES ARE FOUND AT POINT REYES. THEY PUT A BOUGH OF PEPPERWOOD ABOVE THEIR DOORWAY IN ORDER TO WARD OFF EVIL SPIRITS.

THE NORTHERN TRIBES BUILT THEIR HOUSES WITH REDWOOD AND CEDAR PLANKS WITH A NARROW HOLE IN ONE WALL TO SERVE AS A DOOR. THE FLOORS WERE PACKED WITH DIRT AND A FIRE PIT WAS IN THE CENTER BORDERED WITH STONES. THE FAMILY SLEPT ON PLATFORMS AND KEPT THEIR COOKING BASKETS AND OTHER POSSESSIONS THERE.

SOME TRIBES KEPT HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF ACORNS IN LARGE VILLAGE BASKETS ON TOP OF PLATFORMS SO THAT THE ANIMALS COULD NOT EAT THEM. THEY LAST IN THE SHELL FOR OVER A YEAR,

THE YANA BUILT A CONE-SHAPED HOUSE WITH TALL POLES. THE HOUSE WAS ABOUT 20 FEET IN DIAMETER AND 10 FEET TALL. THEY COVERED THE POLES WITH SLABS OF PINE OR CEDAR BARK ADDING EARTH TO THE BASE ALONG WITH INSULATION. WHEN IT RAINED THEY COVERED THE SMOKEHOLE WITH AN ANIMAL SKIN.

THE CHUMASH LIVED IN A HOUSE THAT WAS SIMILAR TO THE POMO. IT WAS MADE OF POLES COVERED WITH GRASS THATCH RESULTING IN WELL INSULATED EARTH LODGE. A GRASS MAT WAS HUNG OVER THE DOOR.


C.L. KEN WORTH

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

TOBACCO USE

MANY NATIVE AMERICANS USED TOBACCO AS A CULTIVATED CROP AS WELL AS A NATIVE PLANT CALLED NICOTIANA SPECIES. SOME NATIVES WERE PLANTED IN THE MIDDENS OF THE VILLAGE SITES. SOME TRIBES TODAY PRUNE BACK LEAVES OF THE HERBACEOUS STEMS IN THE HARVESTING OF EDIBLE GREENS.

THE YUROK SELECTED A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD CULTIVATE TOBACCO IN THE FOLLOWING WAY BY BURNING A PILE OF BRUSH AND THEN PLANTING THE SEEDS IN THE ASHES. BURNING OFF SHRUBLANDS WAS A TYPICAL THING TO DO. TWO SPECIES OF TOBACCO GROW WILD IN TUBATULABAL COUNTRY. IN EARLY SUMMER WOMEN STRIPPED OFF THE SIDE SHOOTS TO ENCOURAGE LARGER LEAF GROWTH, AND THEY WERE PRUNED TWICE ANNUALLY.

THE EASTERN MONO USED A SPECIES OF TOBACCO THAT THEY BURNED OFF THE LAND EACH SPRING AND TRIMMED THE POORER LEAVES OFF IN THE SUMMER SO TO FAVOR LARGER LEAVES. THE GATHERING OF THEIR GREENS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH A TENDENCY TO HAVE A SUSTAINABLE HARVEST IN FUTURE YEARS.

KAT ANDERSON

NATIVE AMERICAN MUSIC

MUSIC WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF NATIVE AMERICA LIFE. GOOD SINGERS AND GOOD SONGS WERE IMPORTANT. THE CALIFORNIAN INDIANS MADE RATTLES OUT OF TURTLE SHELLS, GOURDS, POTTERY OR BUNDLES OF DEER HOOFS. A COMMON RATTLE WAS MADE BY FILLING DRIED INSECT COCOONS WITH PEBBLES, SEEDS, OR SMALL SHELLS AND ATTACHED THEM TO HANDLES OF BIRD QUILLS, WOOD, OR BONE. CLAPPERS WERE MADE OF ELDERBERRY STICKS SPLIT IN THE MIDDLE SO THAT THE TWO HALVES RATTLED TOGETHER.

WHISLES WERE MADE OUT OF HOLLOW BONES OF LARGE BIRDS, OR FROM ELK OR DEER, OR HOLLOWED PIECES OF WOOD. LARGE FOOT DRUMS WERE IMPORTANT PIECES OF HOLLOWED OUT LOGS AND WERE IMPORTANT IN CEREMONIAL DANCES. A BULL ROARER WAS MADE OUT OF A LARGE FLAT PIECE OF WOOD. WHEN SWUNG RAPIDLY THE WOOD GAVE OFF A FIERCE HUMMING NOISE LIKE A BULL ROARER. THEY CARVED ELDERBERRY FLUTES TO BE USED DURING COURTSHIP. MANY SONGS WERE SUNG BY FOLKS TO INCREASE THEIR HARVEST OR TO INCREASE RAIN IN CERTAIN REGIONS.

MAIDU HARVEST SONG

THE ACORNS COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN
I PLANT THE SHORT ACORNS IN THE VALLEY
I PLANT THE LONG ACORNS IN THE VALLEY
I SPROUT, I, THE BLACK ACORNS SPROUT, I SPROUT.













C. L. KEYWORTH