MY VISIT TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN IN D.C.

Last week I visited the museum on an overcast and windy chilly day. My brother, Mom and I went through all 4 floors. The building was designed by a Blackfoot Indian with many coonsultants. The interior is of a limestone and the building is aligned to the cardinal directions. There are about 800,000 works of cultural and historical and spiritual significance. The building was built in the shape of around winding cylindar with an open court in the center. On the forth floor we spoke to an interpretor who told us about how several prism of light were placed in a window so that they presented a variety of rainbows on the interior walls. She also showed us about 4 rock types that were used in the construction of the building. One was a greyish granite wthat came from a northern state.

The most interesting thing I remember was the Lelawi Theater which reminded me of being in an underground kiva. There was a short video on various tribes throughout the Americas - it showed people making baskets, fishing for salmon and other fish, hunting, dancing, food preparation and having various dances for celebrations. The show was in a dark room - there were images on a big plastic rock in the center of the room, on the ceiling, on the screen and artifacts and pieces of art lit up when the tribes were discussed.

A most interesting bronze sculpture (bigger than life size) depicted an Indian and his wife with George Washington, including a bear, a turtle, a wolf, and a small girl holding a doll. It wasade by an Oneida Indian - Edward Hiavka in 2004. My brother and I later discussed that this artist was related to someone who we knew from Wisconsin of this tribe - he had an Indian geneologist research his ancestors back to the 1700's or so.

One interesting display discussed that the English brought tobacco to the the Indians on the East Coast and that changed the world both healthwise and economy wise. However, the North Coast Indians and others in the west had been using native tobacco (Nicotiana bigelovii) for millenia before the Spanish or English came here. This same display discussed how corn was brought across from Europe and that changed the world by having so many Eastern Indians eating and planting corn. Of course the earliest corn remains were in Mesoamerica dating over 10,000 years ago. And these cobs were only about 4 - 5" long - they were hybridized with other species.

The museum had a many wooden art pieces from the Kwakiutl tribe and they discussed some of their animal spirits, mythology, and artists. This wooden work attracts me. I also enjoy looking at the plains Indian beadwork on leather skins and moccasins.

We ate a light snack at the cafe that served a variety of Native American foods. We shared a mixed bean and corn salad, an interesting type of rice similar to saffron rice, and fry bread. I expected more of a variety of Indian foods. Nevertheless it was all a good experience.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Last night I went to a Christmas concert at a Resurrection Church by my house where I am living - only a 5 mile walk. There were 3 people (one family) playing guitars, electric guitars, and a cello. The lady sang in a tenor voice and all of the audience sang carols that they knew. It was a great way to spend the evening and my friend had told me about it. She is also a medicine woman from Equador.

There were all age groups attending the 1 1 /2 hr concert - we all had a great time listening to familiar carols and some foreign carols. I look forward to singing again in a choir next year.

JOE RODOTA TRAIL

Today I hiked on this trail which followS along the south side of Highway 12. The weather was on the cold side with a gusty wind. I brought my lunch and visited a church where I ate my lunch. They had a band at the church and everyone was dressed up for a party. They looked like they were going to have a party there.

I saw many native plants along the trail. I remember biking this trail about 3 years ago. One of our bikes had a flat tire. We had to get the bike tire fixed. The trail continues for many miles on toward Sebastopol and today there were very few people on the trail - but in nice weather there are many people who bike here even with their dogs.

REVISIT TO SPRING LAKE

Today I went for a 6 mile hike around Spring Lake Park where I had volunteered when I first moved to Santa Rosa. The weather was perfect and I asked people if they knew about the sage that grows there - many people don't know about it but they like the smell. Sage is used to cleanse negativity from people and from houses as well as churches. Many religions use incense in their churches.

There were many people biking with their children in tow and teens were racing around the paths. It was unusual that I noted fewer goslings and only one goose - quite different than when I stopped by the park a few weeks ago. No one was fishing today which was also unusual. The air was crisp and I felt very fortunate to be able to walk easily - so many people had difficult leg problems as I completed the hike in less than 1 1/2 hours.

One unusual lady was walking 5 dogs at one time with a large belt that restrained all of them. I noticed a full moon rising over the range towards Sonoma highway.

ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE HOLIDAY

I was entertained by going to the 6th Street Theatre Improve last night for a refreshing type of comedy. I sat by the producer's 3 children. (I remember enjoying some classes at this location by an Improve teacher in order to overcome my fear of speaking in public around 16 years ago. It was a great way to express your emotions and who you are).

This program was all ad lib and they asked the audience questions in order to find ways to act out the words or phrases the audience presented. It was exactly like "Whose Line Is It?". There were about 10 actors who kept a fast pace of acting out their expressions for the words the audience gave them. Sometimes they sang and sometimes they interupted each other and sometimes they danced. The actors were very imaginatary in their performances. They had a young man playing an electronic piano to add rythym to their scenes. It was a very exciting and fast flowing night of jazzy and percolating humor. Everyone had a great time.

ANNIE OAKLEY'S HISTORY

Annie Mosey was born in 1860 in Ohio (I was also born in Ohio). She grew up as a Quaker and was the 5th of 7 children. Her father died when she was a small child and she was a good hunter and brought home game animals to feed the family. She entered a contest for shooting and that is where she met her future husband Frank Butler. He was a popular vaudeville actor. They married and Annie was much more talented than Frank and he became her manager. She always showed great compassion and generosity to all people.

In 1885 they joined the Buffalo Bill Wild West show and travelled throughout Europe and performed in NYC. For 17 years she worked with Buffalo Bill Cody and was the star attraction. They had a disagreement with Buffalo Bill and left the show to start their own show. In 1901 she had a train wreck and she suffered a spinal injury from which she recovered. At the age of 66 she died of pnemonia in Ohio.

A popular show was made about Annie's adventurous life in 1946. It was called Annie Get Your Gun.

SPRING LAKE HIKE LAST WEEKEND

Last weekend I visited Spring Lake where I saw many people walking their dogs and there was a parade of a variety of dogs. Some people walked two or three dogs at a time. There were a variety of Siberian Huskies, German Shepards, Pugs, Collies, Australian Sheepdogs, Terriers, Chihuahuas, and large Poodles. I felt as if I was at a Dog Show! I guess it was the right temperature and the right day -- everyone was having a good time. One girl had a small terrier that pulled her as she skated on roller blades!

Some Chinese folks were trying to catch some bass or trout - but I saw no fish on their hooks. It was a sunny and warm day. There were geese and their gosslings had matured into older geese (smaller than the adults). I spotted a white heron and the air had some smoke near the campground. We noted the smell of a skunk as well!

I hiked 6 miles which is two times around the lake. I helped plan the Visitor's Center at Spring Lake in the 80's. Many people that I spoke to had never been there.

I convinced the park planner in the 80's to include a storyteller's cavern (made out of basalt). There were about 6 volunteers who spent about 10 hours a week to help plan the visitor's center. We traveled to another Coyote museum south of Oakland to see how they planned their exhibits and did research. we learned from that trip that we wanted the center to blend into the landscape of spring lake. we also included an outdoor amphitheater.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH in COTATI TODAY

I walked about 1 1/2 miles to church today and tears came from my eyes for some unknown reason. It was all Saint's Day at church. We witnessed about 6 baptisms and the Priest Gail used olive oil and water to baptize both babies and adults. They served a fancy cake in honor of those folks baptized. The kids at this church are dressed in white gowns and they carry crosses around their necks. They light oil candles and have to be in the alter as the hymns are sung and the lesson is told. The children in the church are very respectful of each other and they are asked to sit upon the floor as the Priest tells them a story - today it was that we are all Saints - as we believe in God.

I sat by a Native American lady from Nebraska and I spoke to her about my past lives. She said she had heard about people having past lives but she didn't believe in it. We all have had past lives, and we are all spirits healing upon this earth. Some of us upon death become insects, some of us become different animals, and some of us become humans again. And I and my husband have traded souls for 2000 years.

I have worked on the garden of the church cleaning up many trees and putting in much compost and digging out the weeds. This church needs to recycle their waste into different bins - paper and cans in one container and food waste into a compost pile. Again many people and companies use too many styrofoam products. I will be teaching the youngsters about this when I work as "Frannie Oakley" at schools.

ACORN SOUP PREPARATION

It is acorn time in October - it is called Big Time to the Coastal Native Americans. I have not tasted acorn soup - I have heard that it has a distinct flavor according to the Pomo Indians. They used to put red clay in the soup to sweaten it!! When I tell this to my classes they always frown about using clay as an edible additive. The process of preparing the acorns was primarily the women's job. They collected about 50 pounds in their burden baskets. Then as a group they cracked the shell open with a mano on a hard metate like stone. After the shell was off they pounded the acorns into a meal or powder using a mortar and pestle. The archaeologists in California have dated these tools to about 5000 years ago. Once the shell is off and the meal has been ground, they make a basin of sand about 3 feet in diameter into which the ground up acorn meal is placed. They pour either cold or hot water over the acorn meal and do this for several days until the tannic acid is leached out of the meal - it has a sweat taste after it has been leached of the acid. (I guess the squirrels have a different digestive system than we do!)

Once the leaching is done the meal is carefully scraped off the basin and placed into water in a basket sealed with pine resin. It is heated by placing hot rocks from a campfire. The leaching process is usually done along a drainage or river bank. It can be done by a village or up a stream away from a village. Once hot it becomes acorn soup and was the main staple of most of the Californian Indians.

The meal can also be made into a bread which is surrounded with soaproat leaves and baked in an underground oven. Their ovens were made by digging holes about a foot deep and lined with river rocks. They placed the leaves of the soaproot to surround the pit and then placed more leaves over the acorn bread. Then hot rocks from a campfire and some soil were placed on top of the bread and it baked for a day or so.

Today the Pomo make the acorn soup using a blender to grind up the meal and then use a cheesecloth to contain the meal and hang it around a dripping fawcet to leach the tannic acid. They still serve it at Big Time ceremonies in Santa Rosa, at the SRJC Native American dances, at Point Reyes, and at Stewart's Point.

You may want to check out the ceremonies that are open to the public.

THE COTATI SPA AND OTHER SPAS

I have ocassionally gone to swim and sweat down at the Cotati spa where there is an indoor swimming pool, bicycles, pool exercises, a redwood hot sweat house, a steam sweat room, as well as a jaccuzi.

I have recorded and studied Indian hot springs throughout the western US during my career. They are facinating to me. One was Bartlett Springs in Mendocino County that has been revitalized. I love Calistoga Hot Springs and Thermopolis in Wyoming. My husband and I also lived in Hot Springs, South Dakota where we worked as archaeologists for about 3 years. One of the largest naturally heated indoor bathing pools in the country is there. And in the 1800's people were taken here by train from New York City to be treated of their rhematism. It is a town with about 6hot springs. We used to collect the water from an underground spring which had many minerals in it. We also swam outside in a stream where the Sioux Indians swam for many hundreds of years. It is cool and very refreshing in the summer.

I have enjoyed visiting and recording some of the hot springs around the west. Another springs is in the Mammoth Lakes where a group of archaeologists swam during a field trip. We attended a workshop where we learned to make obsidian tools.

THERAPUETIC CATS

I have two Snowshow cats that we recued from the Healdsburg Animal Shelter. A spiritual lady directed us to them. Kevin and I bought the two cats Sassy and Hunter who had lived with an older lady for about 5 years. Their pictures are on my website. They were given to us as special friends who represent two of our close friends who died in a car accident.

They are now about 7 years old and love to walk on a leash and I love having spirtitual cats. I have always loved animals and at one time wanted to work at an animal shelter. My son and I found a cat in Ukiah who we called Whiskers and she was with us for about 15 years. She was a long hair female cat with white, black, and a little yellow coloring. My Snowshoe cats have mostly brown bodies with black faces and white under their necks and white on all four toes.

They love meeting new people and going for walks around the block. They have been with us for about 3 years and they live up to their names. Hunter has caught a rat in one place I lived and they both have caught a mouse as well. One miracle is that they have been well taken care of by having healthy food and getting all their shots. They like both indoors and outdoors, and so do I.

They also like to have fish and chicken occasionally. I am wondering what the Egyptians used to feed their cats in prehistoric times. Guess I will have to research that.

I used to let them run around the area free and they would climb up trees. They love keeping me company and Sassy lives up to her name as she is very strong willed when she escapes from the house. It is difficult to catch her!

I love walking my cats outdoors and hope one day to make a carpeted tree post to fit into the house with ledges. They like to hang up on high places.

A FIELD TRIP TO CRANE CANYON PARK IN COTATI

Today I drove to Crane Canyon Park. There were a number of folks visiting the park. They had attended a memorial for someone and were coming back from their hike dressed in leopard clothing?? In any case, I went all around the park and completed the hike in less than 2 hours. There was no water flowing in the creek and I followed the trails up around the dry creek bed, noting that the wind was picking up. I saw many yound men playing a game by throwing frisbies in the metal baskets. The park has gently sloping terrain with plenty of trees. I happened to find a good supply of tarweed, a staple of the Pomo. I picked a bunch of it to show to people on my walks. The pinhead seeds were eaten with a mixture of berries and called Pinole. There were hundreds of types of tarweed according to the ethnobotanical sources written in the 1800's.

I stopped for a while to listen to the wind and it told me that fall was in the air. The type of clouds were cirrus and there was a gentle wind. I could see for miles and I wanted to see Mt St. Helena but couldn't. Most of the country side had grapes growing and I could see and smell cows nearby.

There were only a few birds that I could recognize and many types of oaks and buckeye and bay trees, as well as big leaf maple and curly dock.

MY NEIGHBORS

I live by a family of five people from Palestine and Greece. They go to the same church I'm attending - an Episcopal church in Cotati. They have an extended family in one household - both of the grandparents live in the house and keep busy cooking and tending the garden. The father and grandfather are both ministers. They have a young 5 year old son. Their language is Arabic in the church and less than 10 people attend their church. The grandfather is very friendly and always seems to be doing odds and ends in the garden. The grandmother is also friendly and they speak a little English. They usually greet me when I pass by.

It is fun to watch their service with all the candles lit - the grandfather sometimes walks over to the church about 1 1/2 miles.

I have helped clean up the church garden several times and I love doing garden work.

RUSSIAN RIVER CLEANUP DAY -2009

Yesterday I went on an adventure to clean up the Russian River with about 15 boats filled with mostly 20 year olds from SSU. We started in Asti and the leader could not unlock the canoes. Then one of the teens figured out the lock thank God.

We chose partners and I was a partner with Rebecca, a student of Anthropology from SSU. The weather was perfect with a slight breeze at 95 degrees. Luckily we all capsized our boats and got completely soaked - not just once!

The river is very low this year and because of that we had to portage our canoes at least 10 times during the 8 mile journey back to Geyserville. It took us about 8 hours and we had to portage our canoes at least 10 times. I kept wondering why the teens had no sunglasses or hats? The canoes weighed at least 50 pounds with all of our gear in it. I got many bruises from pulling the canoe through the portages. Thank God there were some teenagers who manuevered our canoe through narrow rock passages. The trickiest one was the very last waterfall where a teen pushed our canoe through two rocks about the width of the canoes. I did not bring enough water for me - I certainly did bring plenty of food and shared some of it with those who forgot their lunch.

We picked up at least 50 pounds of garbage including tires and metal pieces.

We saw small trout and a number of beautiful birds- snowy egrets, crows, and white tailed swallows, a flood of geese, and other birds. During last year's clean up trip we saw many turtles and the river was higher. Last year only a few canoes tipped over. All in all it was a fun adventure and I look forward to this clean up every year.

COTATI FARMER'S MARKET

Today I went to the Farmers Market as it was closing down. There was a live band playing jazz and there were about 15 booths selling mostly organic produce. I like to support the local farmers in the Sonoma County area as they keep the area feeling like an organic community. I have grown and eaten organic foods since I was about 20 years old. There is a distinct taste difference between organic foods and mass marketed foods. My relationship with Alvarado Street Breads is strong and I will someday consult with them to add local Native American foods to their blend of breads. As a "Miller" I have a good sense of how to make my own bread and use whole grains in my diet. They are much more tasty than regular white flour and store bought breads and cakes.

I saw a horse that gave pony rides to the children and many people had painted their faces for a Halloween effect. All in all it was a great experience and I love going to various ethnic markets to taste the variety of foods available.

USE OF SOAPROOT

I know most of you have had poison oak from forest hikes. I once fell into a patch of poison oak at Bishop's Ranch and I decided to try to cure it with soaproot - a very potent medicinal plant. And IT REALLY WORKS!

Soaproot has been used for a variety of purposes and it grows profusely in patches throughout the North Coast Ranges. It is a plant that is easily identifiable from it's long slender and curly green leaves. The root has been dug up by many tribes. It is dug by the women and collected in burden baskets - 20 pounds at a time. The bulbs have a hairy bristle around them which was used as a brush for cleaning baskets. The bulb itself has a sapotoxin juice which is used to cure poison oak and heal snakebite wounds. The juice was also used to glue feathers to arrows. The leaves of the plants were used for cooking acorns and buckeyes in underground ovens. The historic Pomo used to boil the tender bulbs collected in the spring for food (I would not recommend it though).

Because the bulb has a sapotoxin it was crushed by the women and thrown into the river. Then they dammed up theis section of the river with willow staves for about a mile or so. This action nullified the fish (both salmon and trout). Then the Native Americans collected the nullified fish with a basket and threw them onto the shore. They were then smoked over coals during a spring and fall ceremony.

Many Indians still smoke salmon and have large tribal gatherings during the spring and fall, as they invite neighboring tribes to their dinners.

STORY FROM CHURCH

Today I went to church and a man I had known for over a year spoke about having an accident on a narrow winding road in the Mayacama Range during the winter. He had a truck and it was a misty afternoon. A small car ran into his truck, leaving the person injured.

Luckily that person had a cell phone that was working and an ambulance came to the scene . The officer talked to my friend for about an hour and he was relieved as it wasn't his fault. He felt that it was a miracle that the injury didn't need surgery. My friend goes to an Episcopal church nearby and
I have been baptized Episcopaleanwhen I was young. God does work miracles and many of you know that there are plenty of miracles happening each day.

COTATI ACCORDIAN FEST

Last week I visited an accordian festival at the town square of Cotati ...
There were hundreds of people playing music and dancing to German songs. There was an interesting Irishman who had the audiance join in the songs and he danced as he played the accordian and the crowd was asked to say "Achoo" at intervals of a drinking song. I saw stands full of various ethnic clothing and jewelry and saw many old timers who knew about their heritage and ethnic background. There is a bronze statue of a boy playing an accordian at the entrance of the park. There was a jeweler who polished my wedding ring and he had many different types of gold and silver jewelry from different parts of the world.

The people were getting very drunk and the police were watching out for trouble with the crowd.

I had fun hearing the various entertainers. Last year I met a very special girlfriend there and she was selling hats woven from Ecuador. There was also a gentleman from Peru who had constructed many pan flutes and played them from his heart and soul. I bought his CD and the music will be posted on my website someday.

PENNGROVE ITALIAN FEAST

Yesterday (8/16/09) I went to a fun Italian feast at a park called Penn Grove. There were about 200 people who were having fun. They had BBQ chicken, roast beef, basil and tomotoe pasta, salad, and ice cream. The park was founded in 1852 probably by Italians. There was an old game or two being played at the park. People bought tickets for one game to win $100 - and the way the winner won was that they put a chicken into a pen with numbers on squares. The chicken pooped on a square and the winner who had that square number won the money. Another game was one which you played by placing a $1 on a square. And a big wheel of fortune was turned. If the wheel stopped on your number you won a salami or a bottle of wine.

I picked wild blackberries on the fence line and the Pomo Indians considered the strawberries sacred to their tribe. I will get them from Bishop's Ranch someday.

Let me know how you have had fun with your summer.........

SONOMA COUNTY FAIR

Yesterday I visited the Fair in Santa Rosa. There were various animals and bands and a huge choice of foods. I went with an old friend and we viewed the artists who were selling western and Indian clothes and hats. We also viewed the Hall of Flowers which was made up of many jungle type exhibits with themes of prehistoric animals. I saw huge carnivorus plants and a large dragonfly made of paper mache - similar to the one I had made in 6th grade. The dragonfly is my special symbol which represents freedom and lightness. We went to see a band that was playing songs about being on a train with prehistoric animals.

We also viewed the full moon as we were leaving. Everyone seemed to be having a great time and the food was good. I missed the Clover ice cream booth - it was only open during the afternoon. We walked about 5 miles or so and got a chair cushion for our backs. We tried out a unique bed that had the ability to vibrate and move your legs and head up - only $2500!

I always like to look at all the different people at the fair - it's like visiting an airport. Many new faces and many types of ethnic backgrounds.

Let me know about your visit to the fair...or other Sonoma County places to have fun.

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE - 5 TIPS TO FOCUS YOUR ENERGY

DO YOU KNOW HOW MOST OF US PACK TOO MUCH INTO THE DAY AND CLUTTER OUR LIVES WITH TOO MANY THINGS TO DO AND TOO MUCH IN OUR PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT? THIS CAUSES US TO FEEL EXHAUSTED WITH TOO MANY THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH. READ ON TO LEARN 5 TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE THROUGH SIMPLIFICATION.

1. KEEP IT SIMPLE.
REMOVE UNNECCESSARY THINGS IN YOUR LIFE. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO TAKE ACTION TOWARD ELIMINATING CLUTTER FROM YOUR LIFE? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO REMOVE FROM YOUR LIFE FOR EMBRACING A "LESS IS MORE ATTITUDE"?

2. ELIMINATE YOUR TO DO LIST AND A NEED FOR BUSY-NESS.
IF YOU STILL HAVE THE SAME TO DO LIST ON A LIST OF CHORES THAT YOU HAD A MONTH AGO, ELIMINATE THE LIST TO STOP THIS ENERGY DRAIN. YOU NEED TO STAY FOCUSED ON YOUR MOST IMPORTANT IDEA.

3. EXTEND BOUNDARIES.
THE PARAMETERS YOU SET SO PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO RELATE TO YOU ARE CALLED BOUNDARIES. THEY KEEP OTHERS INFORMED AS TO WHAT YOU WILL ALLOW. ONCE YOU HAVE SET ADEQUATE BOUNDARIES, YOU WILL FEEL RESPECTED AND YOUR INTEGRITY WILL BE IN PLACE. YOU WILL HAVE GAINED MORE PEACE BY SAYING NO TO ALL THE PEOPLE AND THINGS THAT YOU HAVE OUTGROWN. ONE BENEFIT OF SETTING BOUNDARIES IS THAT YOUR STRESS LEVEL WILL BE REDUCED AND YOU WILL ELIMINATE WHAT YOU DON'T WANT OR NEED. THIS WILL NATURALLY LEAD YOU TO MAKING CHOICES THAT HAVE HIGHER PRIORITIES FOR YOU.

4. CREATE YOUR VISION IN LINE WITH YOUR VALUE.
IN ORDER TO SET PRIORITIES FOR YOUR VISION ASK YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS TO DECIDE WHY YOU WANT TO HAVE THIS IN YOUR LIFE NOW. WHAT VALUE OF YOURS DOES IT SERVE? HOW WILL THIS SERVE YOU AND WHAT WILL IT BRING TO YOU IN THE NEXT YEAR?

5. PROACTIVELY MAKE PLANS FOR FUN AND SIMPLICITY.
CREATE A SIMPLE PLAN WITH PROACTIVE STEPS THAT INCLUDE THINGS YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO. GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO SLOW DOWN. YOU ARE MEANT TO HAVE PERIODS OF JUST BEING. WHEN YOU GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK YOU WILL NATURALLY THINK MORE CLEARLY. IF YOU FEEL FAMISHED FOR TIME, LOOK AT WAYS TO PRIORITIZE AND SCHEDULE FEWER ACTIVITIES AND CHANGE THE PACE BY PURPOSEFULLY ALLOWING SOME FUN TIME IN YOUR SCHEDULE TO REFLECT ON THE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE.

THESE TOOLS MAY ASSIST YOU IN CREATING A MORE BALANCED AND SIMPLIFIED LIFE. YOUR GOAL IS TO SHAVE DOWN YOUR SCHEDULE SO YOU FEEL ENERGIZED BY YOUR PLANS AND ACTIVITIES VS. EXHAUSTED BY A HECTIC PACE THAT LACKS IN FULFILLMENT OF THE JOURNEY. I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS QUOTE BY SHAKTI GAWAIN: "PROSPERITY IS THE EXPERIENCE OF HAVING PLENTY OF WHAT WE TRUELY NEED AND WANT IN LIFE, MATERIAL AND OTHERWISE."

ASK YOURSELF HOW YOU CAN STACK THE DECK IN YOUR FAVOR OF ACHIEVING A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE THIS MONTH.

FIJIAN FEAST

On June 7th I ate at a Fijian feast at the Methodist Church that I attend. I walked there about 8 miles that day. It is on Montgomery St. where I had attended a Mom's group when my son was about 2. The food was prepared in honor of the Baptism of a one year old Fijian baby. Their traditional food too many starches and few vegetables. They do not even know about organic foods.

I will one day teach them about that and visit Fiji someday with my 2 sisters who I have known for about 1 year now. They serve a lot of fish from Hawaii, beef mixed with some peppers and carrot strips, a tapioca type of bread, taro root bread, curry beef, watermelon and plenty of cakes. About 80 people were there and I was one of the few Caucasians. I am part Hawaiian and many Figians have skin as dark as mine. There were many children running around as well as babies.

It is interesting that the women have very large feet like I do...

COYOTE TAILS

I hiked over to Spring Lake Park about 8 miles around the Rincon Valley area. I spied a very thin coyote which was evasive. He reminded me of several coyotes that I have seen at Sears Point rock art site that are inscribed and etched in stone.

I have seen very healthy and friendly wolves that are attracted to people in Yellowstone and in California wildernesses. They are very unlike the coyote as they are friendly.

Native American people consider the coyote to be a superstitious creature - they do not eat them. Coyotes are known to cause bad luck and they are also known to inflict disease upon people. Similar to Kokopelli - they have been mythological characters for over 50,000 years.

When my family went to Albuquerque one hot summer we saw coyotes inscribed at Petroglyph National Monument. We also saw a cute cat petroglyph and took a photo of it.

My son loves cats and I also prefer the calmness of cats..

CELTIC FESTIVAL

Last weekend I attended the Celtic Fest at St. Michael's school, an old restored house and quarters in Roseland. It was wonderful to hear the music and watch the various dancers doing old Irish jigs and dancing. Many types of instruments were played in the bands including harmonicas, accordians, small guitars, fifes, flutes, and drums.

The gathering was underneath some redwoods and fig trees, and there was a lovely garden too. The dancers were dressed in 19th century costumes. I enjoyed being present with this ethnic entertainment. It reminded me of being in Williamsburg back East.

A SPRING DAY AT SPRING LAKE

One Saturday I visited Spring Lake Park to hike around the lake and back through Howarth Park. There is a peacefulness about the park. I helped the park planners with the concept of the visitor center in the 80's, and I helped the crew conceive of the storyteller's cavern which is made of basalt. The basalt was mined at Annadel State Park by Italians in order to pave streets in Petaluma and in San Francisco.

There are many geese that visit the park throughout the winter and spring. The baby goslings are very cute as they follow each other around in the lake and play and flap their tiny wings.

I also noted a white egret atop some trees. The small swimming lagoon is still not open yet. The lagoon and the lake is fed by an underground spring located toward the east of the lagoon.

SANTA ROSA PARADE OF ROSES

May 10th I walked downtown to view the parade of roses and I saw some nice looking rose floats which reminded me of the Pasadena parade of roses. The parade participants were themed in various decades, and there were many people lining the sidewalks. Some people even came from San Francisco. There was a group of people throwing pizza pies as they strolled from Mary's Pizza shack. Others were clowns, and of course shriners dressed like Arabian knights. Several horse groups were groomed with rose flowers. The horses pranced and danced. I walked about 8 miles down to the southern part of town. There were some acrobats and bikers with dogs in carts lined with various roses. All in all it was a fun and sunny day.

CINCO DE MAYO

May 5th I went to the Cinco de Mayo festivities at Roseland. It felt like I was visiting Old Mexico again. When I had finished my BA degree I decided to travel throughout Mexico and participated in an archaeological field school near Cuatla.

I overheard conversations in booths about how the French over took the Spanish to control Mexico during the 1800's. There were so many people dressed up and dancing with the Mariacho bands. There music was very loud and everyone was enjoying the summer night. I walked down Sebastopol Road which was my old stomping grounds when we lived in that neighborhood many moons ago.

The communal food, happy families, and giggly girls reminded me of how different our American community is from that of Mexico's.

KEEP A WATCH OUT FOR KOKOPELLI

Kokopelli is a mythical god and a trickster to Native Americans in both North and South America. He is especially well known in the Southwest. He is seen as a dancer in the Pueblos. He can cause disease or on the other hand cure you. He has been around since prehistoric times. I recorded a Kokopelli rock art symbol on the buttes at Tempe, Arizona. At the time there had been no other symbols of Kokopelli found in the Hohokam area.

If you look at Hohokam pottery books you can see that he is always disguised as a beetle or humpbacked flute player. And he is phallic on some rock art and on pottery. He functioned as a Kachina in many Southwestern tribes. He could bring fertility to women and his humped back was filled with charms to bring more rain and fertility to the crops - which was very important in the desert Southwest.

He is certainly well known in many cultures of North and South America. The Hohokam believed he functioned as an evil and powerfully good God. This is very similar to the belief of Coyote in North American tribes. Keep a look out for him in your life.

Earth is our Most Precious Resource

Earth is again healing here in Sonoma County - one of the most plentiful areas of the earth - I would like to share a beautiful poem about the way Nature can heal all of us.

Earth, Teach Me
Earth teach me quiet'" as the grasses are still with new light.
Earth teach me suffering '" as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility '" as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth teach me caring '" as mothers nurture their young.
Earth teach me courage'" as the tree that stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation'" as the ant that crawls on the ground. Earth teach me freedom'" as the eagle that soars in the sky. Earth teach me acceptance'" as the leaves that die each fall. Earth teach me renewal'" as the seed that rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself'" as melted snow forgets its life. Earth teach me to remember kindness'" as dry fields weep with rain.

An Ute Prayer

Heaven Rushing In

Many of us seem to be out of balance A lot of the time with too much pressure in our jobs, our schooling, and in the way we take things too personally. Instead of always wondering what you want to have next inyour life consider a new way to relax by watching nature as it blossoms and the way the birds sing and serenade each other outdoors. My recent rip to Bishop's Ranch gave me a new appreciation for the different pitches that I heard the finches, larks, jays, peregrin falcon, and flickers sing.

On another note I would like to share a relaxing energy balancing treatment that is in Donna Eden's book "Energy Medicine" (1998:21). It is titled Heaven Rushing In appropriately since it balances and harmonizes your body's energy when things seem too be chronically out of order. It is best that you do this outdoors as the natural effects of the fresh air will energize you that much more and connect you to the spiritual elements.

1. Stand with you hands on your thighs and feel your feet grounded on the earth. Prepare yourself to make a sacred connection by letting your energy pour out of your fingers.

2.Deeply breathe and let your arms open in a prayer position over your chest.

3. Deep breathe again and open your arms with wide uplifting position reaching up toward the heavens. Release your breath and realize that you are being blessed by the heavens and are truely connected with all living beings. A tingle you may feel as you are receiving healing from the universe.

4. Scoop up the energy and bring it to your chest which receives a vortex that heals the place you put your hands. If their is a particular spot that you want healed scoop your arms up and back down to that place ion your body. I would love to hear how this exercise works for you. I have done this with cancer and other patients I've worked with and they seem to find it very beneficial. TAKE GOOD CARE AND ENJOY THE BLESSING OF LONGER DAYLIGHT AS WE BEGIN THE NEXT SEASON.

Acorns As Spiritual Food

We are here on this earth to heal ourselves and become more connected to the earth - I guess that as a Native Ameican we can become much more spiritual and become much more loving as individuals. My excursions that I've taken around the US have made me wonder what types of foods we have regionally that have brought us good fortune and live in harmony with one another. It is best to consider the local crops that have been in our localities and have been traditionally harvested by the local tribes. As John Harrington (1932) once wrote acorns were considered Spirit People who came down from the heavens and had nice hats to wear. They were considered great resources that spilled down from the heavens and continued to be used as the North Coast Range tribes's staple for over 5,000 years. It is my quest to understand the native plants of this county and realize that we all can benefit from eating the aboriginal foods that ripen at different seasons from our local area. Soups, bread, and of course pinole was prepared using acorns and an abundance of other seeds. I look forward to taking you out on the trails to show you our abundant greens and seeds that can be harvested. Keep a look out for the new blossoms this winter and check out the miner's lettuce which is rich in Vitamin C.

A Day at Wappo Springs and Spring Lake

I SPENT A DAY IN WAPPO LAND IN THE HEALING SPRINGS OF CALISTOGA LOOKING AND MEETING ALL KINDS OF EUROPEANS WHO HAD PAINTED TATTOOS ON THEIR FACES FOR BEAUTIFYING THEIR APPEARANCE. i ALSO TOUCHED THE MUD BATHES AND PAINTED SOME VOLCANIC ASH AND LOOKED AT THE FULL MOON. VERY RARELY HAVE i EVER SEEN THE MOON SO BRIGHT, AND POLARIS WAS A BEACON DIRECTING ALL THE GODDESSES TO STARE IN THE HEAVENS ABOVE.

I DID A CLEAN SWEEP IN THE CAR, MY HOUSE, AND IN MY REFRIGERATOR. i FOUND AND GATHERED MANY SEEDS THAT I PLAN TO SPRINKLE ALONG MY PATHS. pLANTING SEEDS AS THE BIRDS DO ASSURES A GOOD CROP IN THE SPING--I'M DROPPING CRUMBS ALONG THE WAY AS WELL.

I SAT IN AN IRON HORSE AND RODE SIDE SADDLE ON A BRONCO

THE NEXT DAY I WATCHED THE PILEATED WOODPECKERS DRILL THEIR HOLES IN OAKS FOR STORING ACORNS AT SPRING LAKE PARK.

ALL FOR NOW - WATCH AS THE DAYS BECOME LONGER AND I WILL SOON BE PLAYING MY DULCIMER AND DRAWING PETROGLYPHS AT SPRING LAKE PARK...