SOS......Sisters of the Sage Sojourn at Sheldon

Madelyn and I spent some very enjoyable days out in the Sheldon Antelope Refuge area. We did some exploring also in the Warner Valley and ended up camping the last night out at Cottonwood Lake east of Bly. Previous trips have had us focused on looking down at the rocks. This trip focused us in the opposiste direction. Madelyn moved into her new persona--"Birdwoman." She talked and sang to her people... the birds, and I reverted to my original work of watching the light come and go.



One of the phenomena of desert light? The sunset happens not only in the west. It is a surround you happening.



Camping at Big Springs on the refuge meant coyotes hunting and singing, wild horses coming to water, pelicans, and a magnificent sunset. Just imagine how many times this light show happens a year-- and no one sees it.

We drove the 26 miles to Denio Junction to see if the cell phones would work there?? NO...OK...95 cent connection fee to use our calling cards on the public phone. Meeting this fellow alone was worth the drive. He is the mailman. He drives 240 miles a day from Winnemucca to Denio. He does it 6 days a week. He has been doing it for 45 years....and...he is 83. Junior gets out of the rig (big suburban) 26 times to stuff boxes before he leaves Winnemucca even. He was just stopped to drink his pomegranite tea before heading back south. He and his dog are quite the team. He's an example of the kind of person the northern Great Basin molds.

Bog Hot Spring is just what the name says.............HOT. This time no huge chunk biting deer flies assailed us when we got out there.

The sign as you leave Denio cautions..."No Services...next 81 miles." True story...you plan ahead out here.

The thunderstorm we had produced this double rainbow. Once you have breathed the fragrance of rain soaked sage....you are never the same.

Great neighbors in the campground always enhance the trip. So many times I wanted to grab up the video when someone was sharing some outrageous, inspiring, wonderful, adventure they had had.

Michael rode his bike the 10 miles back from the Royal Peacock mine instead of riding in the motor home on the washboard road.

Robert taking the hiking cat out for a stroll.

The crowd started to gather and we were very curious as to what might be going to happen? OMG .....it's the Schwan ice cream truck. He comes every other Wednesday to the the hot springs. Write it on the calendar..........July 18---plus two weeks--etc.

Ask and ye shall receive.......We actually got "OUR" camp spot under one of the two trees at the campground. Even though there were quite a few people in the campground--early mornings were totally quiet and peaceful. Heaven with the first coffee, a Tuesday Oregonian I splurged on and some cookies...........plus being next to glorious water in the desert.

The main draw at the Virgin Valley is, of course, opals. A couple from Bellingham showed us what they had found last year. It was quite impressive. The price to dig had gone up to $400/day this year, and they did not find near as much material.

Every trip seems to unfold with it's own plan. An unexpected delay of a week was a gift in disguise as it put us into an unusually cool interlude in July in the desert. Mornings and evenings had us in jackets and after the first night just under a sheet....the sleeping bag felt pretty good. It was a great trip....all in all...Madelyn and I agree, "One of the best."

"Remember that the yield of a hard country is a love deeper than a fat and easy land inspires, that throughout the arid West the Americans have found a secret treasure....a stern and desolate country, a high bare country, a country brimming with a beauty not to be found elsewhere."

Bernard DeVoto

The Year of Decision: 1846

Stella Lives!

Award Winning Luthiers

Forrest Vorce

Carole Vorce

Forrest has made three violins, and now a magnificent cello, named "Stella" by his mother. Carole Vorce is also a luthier of long standing. Her many mountain dulcimers testify not only to her superb woodworking skill, but her talent as as artist. She paints flowers, animals, and landscapes on her instruments at clients' requests. Carole has also completed three violins. She and Forrest learned from Michael Klein of the Gardinari Program of Violin Building.

The long awaited day when the bridge is carved and installed, and the strings are put on is really the final "report card" for any instrument. The sound is glorious-----it exceeded all hopes for what it might be.

"Artifacts are alive. Each has a voice. They remind us of what it means to be human---that it is our nature to survive, to create works of beauty, to be resourceful, to be attentive to the world we live in."

Great Basin Archeology, Fremont Story


Forrest has created an artifact that will live and sing for many generations. Not only is it a magnificent piece of woodworking.....it is a tool for communication. What cannot be conveyed in mere words, the cello is able to express.

Strike Up The Band!

I wanna sing the anthem for our times. The Matriots' Anthem. You know the tune of America the Beautiful don't you? These words are ones that have some real meaning.

" International Anthem"

By Chris Highland

Oh beautiful diversity, third planet from the sun
A spinning ball of land and sea
Embracing everyone.

Chorus One
Oh Planet Earth, Oh Planet Earth
Creator blesses you.
On every shore and land of birth
We're Muslim, Christian, Jew.
(second time: We're Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu)
alternate.....Confucian, Taoist, too
Earth, pagan, wiccan too
All Spirit paths are true
A Matriotic Crew

2. Oh wonderful, this common life
All creatures great and small
We breathe the same united air
From birdsong to wolf call.

Repeat CHORUS ONE

3. The beauty of our precious home
A rock of blue and green
Protected by no one alone
In Nature's holy scene.

CHORUS TWO

Oh Planet Earth, Oh Planet Earth
Our only Motherland
In every tongue, of every race
No borders, hand in hand.

4. Of mountains wrapped in glistening snow,
And river waterfalls
Of trees to climb and paths to find
Our song will break all walls.

Repeat CHORUS TWO

5. Now listen for the cry of hope
That opens every soul
And work to make the Good and Just
A bell of freedom toll.

CHORUS
Oh Matriots, Oh Matriots
One country we defend
We live for peace, compassion, love
The light without an end.

After you are done singing, you can put your hand over your
heart and fervently join me in the Pledge.

The Pledge of Resistance

We believe that as people
living
in the United States it is our
responsibility to resist the
injustices
done by our government,
in our names

Not in our name
will you wage endless war
there can be not more deaths
no more transfusions
of blood for oil

Not in our name will you invade countries
bomb civilians, kill more
children
letting history take its course
over the graves of the
nameless

Not in our name
will you erode the very
freedoms
you have claimed to fight for

Not by our hand
will we supply weapons and
funding
for the annihilation of
families
on foreign soil

Not by our mouths
will we let fear silence us

Not by our hearts
will we allow whole peoples
or countries to be deemed
evil

Not by our will
and Not in our name
We pledge resistance

We pledge alliance with those
who have come under attack
for voicing opposition to the
war
or for their religion or
ethnicity
We pledge to make common
cause
with the people of the world
to bring about justice,
freedom and peace
Another world is possible
and we pledge to make it real.

"WE MUST BE THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD"
Mahatma Gandhi

Maximum Light Celebration

"In the right light

At the right time....

Everything looks extraordinary."

Aaron Rose

It is only just now spring at this elevation. The little yellow violets and vanilla leaf are still blooming here.

I think this is ribes sanguiness---garnet gooseberry. The color is so very fine.

These pussy paws laid a fuzzy pink carpet down in the "astral observatory." Just after the Kings Saddle Trail widespot....there is a track heading uphill to the left. Take it.....you will be on top of the world very shortly. This large flat area is the scene of our pursuit of meteors in the Perseid showers several years ago. Robert tells me the right moon phase will be giving us ample opportunity to see the August extravaganza this year.

This area around Bolan Lake is of glacial origin. The lake itself sits in a cirque. The road to Tannen goes out around to the south and on the backside of the cirque. The geology is very different with house size boulders left sitting wherever the melting glaciers dropped them.

Most of the wildlife I saw was 6 inches big....chipmonks! One doe was just at the entrance to the campground at the lake. There were, however, a huge number of diverse butterflies on the Tannen Lk. road. I felt at one point like I was "herding" them with the car!

Even after leaving the road to Bolan Lake, the Tannen Lake road

is very good. It is wide, flat, and has no potholes.

"On all the peaks lies peace."

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

This very day we are gifted with the most moments of light we ever get in any given day. Some of us, still hear the call of ancient voices speaking of connection to the workings of the universe. So, being one of those lucky folks.............I was very present to all this day offered.

Tales Out Of Takilma

Magic certainly happened Sunday afternoon under the cherry tree. Kate had mentioned that she frequently heard her neighbor playing her accordian. We brought our accordian player out for a "meet up." The look that passed between the two of them at the end of the first piece was memorable. Surprise? Awe? That and more.................. Sparrow asked, "Who are you?" "Where do you come from?" "Why do you know second parts to this obscure music?" Karen wanted to know why Sparrow also knew such obscure music???

"Obscure," meaning, international, classical, gypsy sounding even at times. We were gifted with music that would have held its own on any concert stage.

Karen brought an accordian out that she has had since childhood.

Sparrow was playing a Beltuna that has rich, luscious bass notes .

Takate, aka Kate, opened her lovely garden to us. She is definitely a Deva of Dirt. Her work produces not only a good deal of the food she eats, but also equisite flowers. She concocted a tea out of many of the plants we could see from our seats. We drank it and feasted on rasberries, cheese, peas, chips, salsa, fish, and oatmeal cakes. Food fit for a festival that has been decreed to occur annually on June 17th. Put it on your calendar now! Wear a frock so that when the music makes you dance, you will look your lovliest. Meet under the cherry tree in Takate's garden. Bring fabulous fresh food to eat, and prepare to be delighted by Karen and Sparrow.

Can Do Women....Make it Happen

Linda, Alecia, and thousands more women see the cure for cancer happening...............only a matter of time...............

The Two Minute....48 Second egg.......

What a fine

Breakfast!

Watching old episodes of Mash, Bubba ran across this advice from Hot Lips Hulahan. I agree that she knows exactly how long to cook a soft boiled egg.

So after almost 40 years of being married.......I think "love" must mean giving the REAL chicken eggs to your spouse, and keeping the factory issue ones for yourself. Thanks Robert!

Get OOKED

When Florence casually mentioned that she might like to play the ukulele.................
her daughter was listening.
She sent her a very fine instrument
and case. Shan and Florence
are in a watercolor painting
class together and share a love of music.
The "C" chord was learned immediately.
As soon as the "G7th" is under their
fingers.......all those two chord
songs will be sounding through
the universe.



With Shan and Florence taking up their "Jumping Fleas," our ensemble has almost doubled it's membership!

Actually Linda has moved to New Mexico, and will be seeking others who are so inspired to "flail their flea" soon.






Carole leads us all in the PLEDGE.



Madelyn will attest......things
could be worse!

Innocent Merriment does fall into the
"Cheap Thrills" category.




"The uke is a noble little instrument. Anyone serious about music will eventually come to play one."

Bob Brozman