Tribute & Pow Wow -Day #2

 

How I Created A Safe Place In A Harsh World

LINK 16:23 minutes

My Saturday evening viewing. She often touches on something I've been considering...and just as often talks about things that I have absolutely 0 interest in (shopping, make-up etc.). But, there is usually something that I enjoy and I embrace the ritual of it, the beautiful photography and her dog often 'sings' with her at the very end, which cracks us up.

This week she touched on the passing of Jane Goodall (@5:23 timestamp), and put a quote of hers in the description box and inspired many comments from her followers...all honoring and remembering Jane Goodall. From her description box:

Above all we must realize that each of us makes a difference with our life. Each of us impacts the world around us every single day. We have a choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place - or not to bother Jane Goodall

She talked about connections fading (the ones from her past) and current connections...with the world, friends & family now, nature and animals...purpose, peace...

"Life can be a struggle and lately it feels like the world is spinning out of control. But, I remind myself, I'm not out of control. My world is what I make it..."

~Susan of Little Poet

On our way into the Pow Wow today, we paused to appreciate these 3 amazing large rocks. Funny how we've passed by these rocks for years (even yesterday), but today was the day we took a closer look. The top rock reminded me of the rocks used used in the Walker Ranch Fireplace, near Placerita Nature Center. They have that same melty look. J. noticed the "wishing rock" (middle photo) before I did! Ha.

Large silvery rock was labeled: Muscovite Aquamarine. There were many rock, stone, crystal  vendors this year. Lots of jewelry to be bought. Today we also noticed many knives to be had. An elder with a large wagon stopped us to offer his wares of handmade knives. His work was beautiful.

We walked over to Heritage Junction to have a look. The Train Station has finally re-opened after an extended closure, but they are only open on Saturdays. They have been closed ever since I returned the "Indian Rock" back to the tribe. That feels like eons ago! We'll go take a look another day. It felt like they have done work on some of the other buildings as well. Today I noticed the small 1:12 Scale Model in the window of the Mitchell Adobe. I thought of Grace as I snapped a photo. 🙂

There is a lot more to explore here, but it was time for Day #2's fry bread!

 Today J. enjoyed an "Indian Taco" and I had my usual: powdered sugar fry bread. The past few years...since before the pandemic I guess, there have been different vendors for the fry bread. They are good, but not as good as the Begay Family fry bread from years ago. I kinda miss that group, but happily eat away anyway! 

The friendly folks of Wildhorse Native Foods served us well this year.

We arrived earlier today...but they still start a bit later.  It is always slated to open at 10 am, but the Grand Entrance was not until just after noon.  This gentleman on the advertisement for this year has been attending as long as we have. You can see him above as one of the 'flag bearers' in the opening ceremony. His family is standing off to the right. We've seen the family for years too. In fact, his son (on the left of their group, next to the seated camera man) was just a small boy when we started going to Pow Wow. There is something about the long, shared (if distantly) experience...that familiarity (even from afar), that warms my heart. Anyway, all of the different tribes stand with their group around the circle for this part. there is always a blessing to open the circle, blessings for the elders and Veterans...there are many somber moments included in the burst of colorful joy of the dancers.

The group drumming for the opening is called Blue Star and they've attended for years too. You can see the gentleman in the dark glasses hitting those high notes! Generally, I don't like real high pitched sounds, as it hurts my ears...but the with the deep sound of the collective drum beating in my heart...I'm taken far away and I embrace it wholly. In this photo you can see some of the women standing behind the drum circle, singing with the men. This article explains about the drumming/singing. I'm sure there there is variety based on tribe or location, but it gives you a general idea.

As I said, I got 25 cents X 4 worth of polished rocks over the two days of Pow Wow. I will send out a few and put the rest in planted CMBs. I wore my own blues Medicine Bag today and my eagle necklace (the one I've had since I was 17), which felt nice.

Here is more info and videos, if you'd like to look some more. 

KHITS 

The Signal

SCV NEWS

To remember the weekend by, a few stickers and a handful of rocks and a full tummy! 

What do you want to do next?

 

May you get out and do stuff

May you learn things

May you come by and share now and then

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025

When Things Are TOO Precious (A Long Post)

DAY ONE:

 ...or when you forget how precious they really are...or never fully understood to begin with. All of that.

Today I had a moment to consider my love affair with children's books (or maybe just books of all kinds...well, and other things as well) ~ with children's books in general, with the ones that belonged to myself (as a child or as a teacher), or belonged to my children. There are the children's books given as gifts to others and those passed on to other teachers. There are those with a deep connection to my mama. Each one of these books,  a dear friend. Each one of them precious.

Books given as a gifts to two young children.
 

There are other things we consider as precious, aren't there? Family heirlooms, found treasures in Nature, gifts from those that are precious in and of themselves, making their gifts hold that much more meaning. Things we find precious for reasons that can't be explained or could only seem so to us and us alone.

Dare I say there are Times that are precious to us. That time when you first fell in love, when you could smell that unique scent of your newborn's neck...or that time when you added one more night on your vacation so you wouldn't have to go home - back to 'real life', just yet...or when you ran across the scrub grass at your childhood camp just to ask your mother if you had to eat the sandwich, the kind you hated, which sat warm in your lunch bag. There are the eras, the moments, the long rolling days of summer - when you spent days at the beach with your sister and the 'gang'. Each one of these Times, these memories are precious and held in your heart forever. Yet, as precious as they are to you, you give them away freely in stories and conversations and remembrances with others, thus making them all the more precious than if they'd been lost and forgotten or shoved in a box for another day. Or maybe it is Because they are precious that they live on so vividly.

These recollections are never too precious though, are they? We love them For their preciousness! 

I once knew a woman, who treasured her magazines about country life. She only had a few and treated them with such reverence, turning their pages lightly, barely daring to leave a smudge. They were so precious to her, she was almost afraid of them. Afraid to somehow ruin them. When she shared them with me, I became afraid of them too, not wanting to be The One who may soil them. 

So, I wonder: how do we live with precious? How does our love of the material items or even our stories impact us and those around us...those we live with and love?

When do we keep precious and when do we let it go? Can we keep parts of it, held with a looser grip?

Because, really it is us, our people that are the most precious of all.

~~~~~

Has my pondering twisted your brain enough? Ha

See what happens when I have no photos to drop in here?!! 

Which leads me to 'understanding'...

How many of us seek to be understood as we speak? How many of us feel that desire, need for validation or connection, where others see our point of view? We search and seek ways to put words to our thoughts...but the thought is on us...what we see, hear, feel, think...

What if it is not about that at all?

What if it is about US being the ones to understand, to listen...to see and hear others?

Or...

What if it is both?

~~~~~~

This led me to thoughts on words...how we use them, how many or few we use...how we place them near one another to best convey our thoughts.

~~~~~

I shared this link with my niece...an old show that we used to watch (it only lasted 3 seasons) - called 800 WORDS. The mere concept of this show delighted me to no end. What could one do with a hard boundary in the way of exactly 800 words? Wouldn't it be fun to try? What could one say where every word was precious, not to be wasted or thrown about willy nilly? Do I have anything to say in that many words? I have pondered this again and again over the years.

In my typical circular fashion, my processing...I have realized that this post began with my thinking about how so very precious things (children's books) are, but is closing with the thought that I really have let go of that feeling regarding material things and instead have found that for now what is precious are the feelings we have for one another, the love we hold, the ways of being together. Truly precious.

~~~~~

DAY TWO:

Off she went...early, 51 degrees, and very, very windy...

Into the light...

Her bag stuffed, full of choices for the long day...

She saw so much that made her think, made her curious, made her heart swell...

Hard to photograph -  "medicine bags"...or small purses may be more like it. Ha. We see things from our own perspective, don't we.

A silent commentary and a commonality in blue patterned cloth...

An absolute treat, celebration, honoring time...free Hot Chocolate, with Marshmallows! She  hadn't had this in years and this was the Best hot chocolate she'd ever had! The hot chocolate in the very warm sun felt just right to her. She slowly sat and relished the moment.

May you know precious for what it is, at any given moment.

May you make the active choice to celebrate

May you remember to smile

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2023

March 17, 2023

~~~ 🌿 ~~~

It's St. Patrick's Day...which to me, as a teacher, is "don't forget to wear a green shirt day". 

It is also the 3rd anniversary of the day we went home from work due to covid.

The two will always be merged in my mind.

There is more to life than increasing its speed.

~Gandhi

Wednesday's Sunset in the corridor, like walking into the light, eh?

Even though it is dry today, the road still has places blocked off from the recent flooding and the hills seep excess rainwater. It is quite the sight for around here.

What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the

night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the winter

time. It is the little shadow which runs across the

grass and loses itself in the Sunset.

~Author: Crowfoot, Blackfoot

Yesterday, I played with watercolors and paper, gifted to me. My small goal was to paint one whole page in shades of green. I put "the board" (a family history piece) on my ironing board, which was my brilliant idea of the day. For two months, I've been trying to figure out how and where I could play like this. When it warms up and dries up a bit, I can use the patio. Anyway, this was not the peaceful adventure I've been wanting, but it was doable and enough (two key words these days). The plastic paint caddy I got worked great. It is deep and sturdy and has a spot to stand the brushes to dry. Unfortunately, the brushes that came with the paint are too stiff for my taste and skill. I wanted to have a more flowing experience. I played with adding more water when blending, but well...I'll keep playing.

Long grasses catch my eye and later they show up in the paint.

Forget not

that the earth delights to feel your bare feet

and the winds long to play with your hair

Kahlil Gibran

I see an super green corridor here 🙂

Dwell as near as possible to the channel in which your life flows.

Henry David Thoreau

~~~ 🌿 ~~~

May you grow

May you thrive

May you continue

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2023

Old 45's

I still have my old 45 of this song, in one of those three little boxes of music...

frozen, captured for all time.

It was always a favorite of mine, of ours.

The lyrics more profound on this last listen.

Indeed, it is a 'wild world'...

🌎

When we no longer know of each other's day to days

When images fade from memory

Or stick like cement

When stories are no longer told

One remembers

And that matters

🔄

LINK

🌎

Many days there are thoughts, some fleeting, some not

Something missing, something there

There are times for nothing to be done, no action to be taken,

but to listen to the thoughts and view the memories in the mind

It sure is a wild world

🔄

May you find ways to move through, move on...keeping the goodness with you

May you remember how love lives on in unique ways

May your choices hold you in warm embrace

xo

 

One Fine Day #22

 

One Fine Thing...

 Memories

...embracing memories of yesterday's big drive.

  ↔ ↔ ↔ ↔ ↔

In honor of earth day, I'm extending today's post as I reflect on yesterday's drive.

It was an unexpected surprise to go so far, to be gone so long.

What a delight the day became! It was a day spent appreciating the vast differences in the landscape.  We traveled from city to town to California scrub brush to pines to farmland to deep tangled canyons...back through small town -to cattle ranches and orchards (growing oranges and almonds)...to the streets of our neighborhood. 5 hours of viewing and considering and feeling the mountain air blow through my hair. Magic.

Highest elevation: 5160 ft

Lowest elevation: 279 ft

Coldest temperature: 49 degrees

Warmest temperature: 68 degrees 

It was a day of wide vistas and tall canyon walls or drop-offs on my side of the road. Yikes! It was a day of quick little ground squirrels, soaring hawks, crows and turkey vultures, along with cows, quail and a road runner!

 ↔ ↔ ↔ ↔ ↔

m

We headed North, turned off the main highway towards Frazier Park,

through Pine Mountain Club, a place I'd heard of for years and never been and home to the trees above. I have a fuzzy memory of a friend having a piece of land up there, but I never knew it was so...um..."organized". It's not a place I'd want to live for a variety of reasons.

We traveled in & out, round about, up and down and eventually landed ourselves on 

 

 Highway 33

 

A long twisty-turny highway, filled with a large number of interesting things to look at.

There was an old forgotten ranch sitting on some of the  

Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge. 

 

A huge piece of land, a refuge for the California Condor.

Bitter Creek was closed and we did not spot any on our drive, but now we know where to go! 

The cows were quite curious with a few of them coming right to the fence to have a look-see!

There were points where we had no idea where we were, but we had a full tank of gas, the car has a compass & The 33 will get us back to areas we've traveled many, many times over the years. Besides, we had no particular time frame, no place in particular to be. How nice.

Bitter Creek had one fine lock and then there was one fine tree, one fine road and one fine view! It's amazing what you see when looking with a certain frame of mind.

I gasped when I saw this gorgeous wall of rock above.Then we were up in the clouds, surrounded by Spring's brilliant green. Looking down on the road already traveled, I'm stunned to see how far, how high, how many switchbacks...

This is the kind of roadwork, I can do! As we waited for the light to change, I rolled down the window to smell the brush &feel the air, gaze at the flowers...Ahhh...

 

Suddenly, there are two tunnels! What a surprise!

After traveling through 4 counties...Two Ojai horses and we're almost home.

May you find ways to enjoy One Fine Day.

xo

Photographs by NAE ©2021