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

Days of Nature and Pow Wow

 

The most light and amazing scent - 'out front rose bush'

When medical building flowers catch the light and your heart

Cottonwood changing color at the Bridge, announcing the arrival of Fall

​I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For | Song Around The World | ICRC + Playing For Change

LINK 5:35 minutes

The "Little Free Library" walk...a gorgeous, cooler day with a refreshing breeze and eye-catching clouds. We discovered a plant (milkweed?) filled with emerging bugs...Milkweed Bugs, I believe. I almost stepped on the Praying Mantis (below) - not a great pic, but I liked the shadow.

Lastly, we saw three beautiful deer come racing across this cement bridge, tear across the road in front of us and scramble up the hill on the other side. Wondering what startled them so, I studied the green area from which they came, but saw nothing at all.

🪶 POW WOW WEEKEND - Saturday 🪶 

We went for a couple of hours today and will go again tomorrow. As is well known by now...I wait all year for this event and in recent years, attend both days and immerse myself in all aspects of the day. We shop (look) the venders, eat fry bread, listen to the ceremonies and drumming/songs...generally walk around checking it all out and also sit and absorb it all. If I could be there all day long, I would. We've been every year since 2000 (minus 2008 and 3 years of the pandemic). I again became brave and asked the elder Native/Vet who was wandering around with sage for smudging. I waited behind another Vet and took my turn. His hawk feather fan - beautifully spread open, quill bottoms wrapped in leather - waved over the abalone shell holding the smoking sage. He pushed the smoky healing over me from head to toe, rested the feathered fan on my head, saying a silent blessing and then brushed the feathers down my back and away. To stand in the scent of sage is to stand on earth with your heart in the heavens. 

I again stood by two of the groups as they took their turns to lead the dance with their drum and song. I absorbed it through and through.

This year I noticed even more "resist", "native pride" and 'handprint' for missing and murdered Indigenous Women awareness apparel.

The section below is in relation to that:

August 30, 2025

"I had a draft started for this part of the post, but it slipped away when the close of August became the whole month of September and into October. But, today at Pow Wow I was reminded of it - so I'm mushing it all together. Here it is:

I've read about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and seen information on the Red Handprint...but, I did not know there is an international day to honor those who have gone missing. August 30th is that day: International Day of the Disappeared.

I read about "enforced disappearance" at Amnesty International."

It is sadly amazing how many more folks have disappeared recently. I was glad to see the issue so much more front and center, which will hopefully bring about more awareness, across the board.

I thought the "rocks candy machine" was such a clever idea! I got 50 cents worth today and will get 50 cents more tomorrow. I was happy to see three purple rocks, which I can give to my friend who was supposed to attend this year, but is home with COVID instead. The other polished bitty rocks will most likely go into CMB when I plant them. Cool.

We also treated ourselves to winter hats. Can you guess which one is mine? haha

We'll be back at Pow Wow tomorrow. I can't wait to see what catches my eye and heart then! I'll most likely post again.

PS I revisited this old post. The computer related haikus had me chuckling and thinking about all of the blog stuff going on. Some things circle back around frequently...or just never change in the first place!

What do you look forward to?

 

May you enjoy your own traditions

May you bask in the season

May you feel the drumbeat of life

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025

Housekeeping

 There are all kinds of housekeeping. Depending on where, the type - how literal, the time pressures...how personal it is...well, sometimes it feels good, sometimes one procrastinates. I did do some here on the blog and am moving forward with the blog from here. I think I'm procrastinating with some of the other housekeeping on my to do list.

Anyway, today I've got this...

I found this pic above online, somewhere (I forget where, so I can't give credit) and screenshot it to show Grace. It sat on my desktop for so long and now I'm putting it here. Isn't it amazing? I want to be this human. I feel such centering and calmness from this face.

I've still been doing WORDLE stories and I'm still in love with the creating of them. Here's the latest batch.

WORDLE LIFE

9/24/24

They brought their TUBES to the river with them. It always made them HAPPY to float down the river together, while holding hands. The gas station on the way there has a HANDY air pump to blow them up. They've had these tubes for years, they're that HARDY.

To work on the alloy TUBES you have to have a HAPPY disposition, be HANDY with tools and have a HARDY constitution. (N&J)

9/25/24

The GEARS were grinding. He checked and saw the transmission fluid was awfully RUNNY. He sat down on a small BRICK to think. Leaning back against the PORCH pillar, he thought, this one is beyond me, I've got to pass the TORCH to someone who knows more about cars than I do.

9/26/24

She stood at the podium, waiting to speak. We're here to update you on the ORBIT  of the CV19L, she began. While we haven't TAMED the universe as a whole, we like to think we've captured one small corner and are set for future explorations. At the close of her speech, she said with sincerity, THANK you to each one of you who has played an important part in this exciting process. The room erupted in clapping and cheers.

https://refreshmarketing.com.au/major-grammar-conundrum-sorted-youre-welcome/ 

9/27/24

They spoke of the old the PEACH tree at their old place and agreed that the MARSH here would not support that kind of growth. This made them LAUGH trying to imagine a fruit tree growing in this swampy land. Aw, come on she teased, you just have to have FAITH and anything is possible.

9/28/24

She forgot that SPORK was a real word, but he was usually RIGHT when it came to vocabulary. The real IRONY is that it was her mother that was the English teacher and now information is apt to DRAIN through her BRAIN like a sieve. 

9/29/24

She hung up the PHONE. This will be a real TREAT, she told him. Just look at the beautiful burnt UMBER on the FLYER! They planned to take the WIDER, longer route to the CIDER farm... and each one couldn't wait to be a RIDER on the local mini train.

9/30/24

It was a CORNY murder mystery show. They kept the clues CLOSE the vest, or in this case, close to the main detective's CLOAK. He wore a dark gray cloak in every episode. But, in the end the cases were always solved in a CLOUD of confessions.

10/2/24

They liked to play GAMES together. Their favorite had a SEPIA board and STEEL game pieces. Her favorite was the tiny SHELL.

10/2/24

I wanted to WRITE about it because it WOULD make such a good story. Just thinking about the success of that writing had me letting out a loud WHOOP in celebration. Now, if I could just get back on the WAGON and buckle down to the task at hand!

10/4/24

She had so many PAINS. She MIGHT have more pains than anybody, anywhere has ever had. Plus, she was so TIRED. She was more tired than anyone ever. She might hold the TITLE for the most pains and tiredness.

10/5/24

He felt JUKED by the rest of the underground team. But, it didn't make sense that he cared, as he was always a LONER anyway. He thought being a MINER was actually a strange choice for him, as he would really need these guys if there was an emergency.

10/6/24

He felt like it was a race against DEATH, where he RACED to get all of his WARES into the truck and ready to go. His PAGER was safely tucked in his front pocket. He was exhausted and all he could think of was a cold LAGER when this was all over.

We have also been playing new games along with WORDLE. We are playing alphaguess and unwordle (hard for me) sometimes.

The other night, I decided to write a story with the alphaguess words. I got it in 13 guesses, so a longer story than the WORDLE ones. haha I again wrote it with the words we'd used, top to bottom, in order. I wasn't sure how these words would connect, but they did!

Anyway, pretty fun and keeping the old brain alive. 

https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html

https://alphaguess.com/

https://unwordle.io/?daily=1

10/5/24

Her memory was fading, but considering what she'd been through, it was a miracle she could recall anything at all. She removed the napkin from her lap and went to get the narcotic that the nasty doctor had prescribed for her. It had been nearly a decade since she began this home treatment, inserting the needle straight into her belly. This disease had become her

nemesis, yet she carried on each day. Returning to the table, she sucked up the last noodle and devoured the single pancake. Now she was ready to present her speech to the narrow minded medical board.

🪶

This weekend we went to Pow Wow for about an hour or so, which is never enough time for me. It was hot, over 100°, so maybe it was enough. lol We ate frybread (I got a sticker) and sat/stood as close to the drummers as possible. We met local democratic politicians, running this year, saw some cool masks and saw faces we'd seen for the 24 years we've been attending. It is amazing to me that last year's PowWow feels like it was so long ago! It will be hard to wait another whole year again, especially since this year's Pow Wow was the best it has been in years. I am grateful for the joy I feel when hearing those songs and drums and being within this cultural experience.

There were a lot of masks, which I found to be a new thing...and different and interesting...especially since I had just recently visited Susan Barrett Merrill's site exploring the masks there. 

Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, with Kipp Mueller in the background.

I can't find the words to express how much this means to me. This men in this family are such strong singers/drummers.

This morning's sky painted hope & mourning, thoughtfulness & reflection and feathers of dreams across the sky. 

🪶

May you sweep clean your 'house' once in a while 

May you remember to have fun and laugh

May you feel your heartbeat, beating strong

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2024 

Pow Wow Weekend

 

"One day you realize that your missed opportunity was really a blessing"

Susan Buchanan, via You Tube LittlePoet

Saturday Pow Wow: Rain! While we were there it was a heavy drizzle kind of rain. We took our fry bread home this year to eat it dry!! haha There were crowds and everyone seemed so happy to have the Pow Wow back!

LINK

Silly me reenacting the scene (above) from Smoke Signals!! I play the part of Arlene 😉 Laughing at the ridiculousness of it all!

 ~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~

Saturday Afternoon Adventure: I saw so many scrub jays, crows and hawks today! They must love the change in the weather, the cooler air.

I couldn't let a weekend, a rainy day go by without a trip to the railroad bridge.

I wasn't disappointed!

Tree bark shrine!

Yep, still water...but also more sandy soil showing.

Someone now camping by the riverside.

'Tire tracks' on the water. Cool.

After crossing the Railroad Bridge, the most amazing thing happened...as I rounded the corner, the sky was filled...I mean FILLED with crows heading West, crows heading home for the day. I think I took dozens of photos, as they just kept coming and coming. Hundreds of them. Heading Home. I often see this on my commute, crows heading out in the early morning or heading back home at day's end. But, to see this daily event while out in the open air, standing right under them...it was something else entirely.

Do you see them in the clouds there?

Magic

The light was so amazing. I got lost in the lines and wires...sky and trees.

HOw could you not get lost in all of this beauty?

 ~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~

I returned to the Pow Wow on Sunday...

I needed more drumming before waiting a whole year to go again.

There was clouds, but no rain. It was gorgeous.

I visited all of the vendors, again. I strolled leisurely along, at my own pace. I was on my own this time. It was even more crowded than on Saturday! Clearly, this event had been missed by many! Three years was a long time to wait. I took lots of pics, but won't put them all here. I watched the children, studied the regalia, smelled the burning sage (Ahhhhh...)...but mostly, I felt, absorbed the drums. I stood right up next to one of the families drumming & sat on the corner of the stage right under the huge speaker. If I could have climbed inside that rhythm I would have.

The MC called for community members to join. I wanted to, but hesitated and watched instead, feeling unsure and awkward. I took dozens of photos.

Then a bit later, he again invited the community members to join, saying that they were not as wild and savage as they looked. He voice was welcoming, humorous. He explained this was as "easy" dance (side step, step together...left step, right step joins)...he explained that it was a friendship and healing dance. I need this I thought. I watched as SO MANY non-natives walked out to the circle. I became brave and joined them. As I made my decision, a crow circled above the arena. I danced the first round of the very large circle, between an elder gentleman and a young Native woman in her dress filled with silver cones. Such music when she danced! 

You can read and watch/listen HERE

I walked up the hill to grab a photo of the whole arena.

I then paused on my way out to try and capture a couple of crowd shots.

~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~ 🪶 ~

Please excuse or just accept the abundance of photos. It was a full couple of days!

On the way to my car, I happened upon one of the 'sidewalk poems' that I heard about so long ago. I was grateful for all of it. All of it.

May you climb inside of each beloved experience

May you become brave when needed

May you create your own traditions and hold them close

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2023