I have been struggling lately with what my purpose is, how may I serve the Creator, the world, and all life? How may I be closer to GOD? This has become my Truth, my reality, my very Being of who I am. In touching the Creator, God, the Source, the Sacred, in deep reverence. I have even prayed for Jesus to help me, guide me, in writing a small book on this very subject, but with no answer. I am sure he has a full plate dealing with other Earthly matters. Maybe he is telling me, “a short article will do.” Just let it come from the heart,” whispering to me in his silent loving voice. While I am struggling with my own life. Struggling with endless nightly prays, asking for help, for guidance, in, how may I serve? Just to get me through these dark nights of fear, doubt, and uncertainty that plays in my mind for the past four years.
But those who live in this other world that man has created, that is empty of the very life that is given to us – the gift of life that we are surrounded with, in the beauty, and wonder of the natural world, in our natural ability to love unconditionally. That we are experiencing on so many challenges of pure evil in perpetual wars, senseless mass shooting, greed, rampant corruption and lies in government, in hatred, and anger. And our biggest threat, climate change.
Because the boys and I are basically Homeless, I am told what I need to do. I need to get a job, I need to find a place to live with the other homeless and downtrodden souls. Give up on these foolish idea that you have, in serving. Wake up man! You need to live in reality, in the real world. You need to be a productive member of society. I have seen what this so-called reality brings to humankind. And I choose a different path. And then my little mind says, “how?” I then start believing I need to follow those others. I constantly battle with this, and Knowing I need to follow my heart.
I have shared, and written about my experiences with the spiritual transformation I had experienced back in the 90’s that changed my life completely. How I found the Truth of the Creator, the Source of unconditional love. How this love can heal us, heal the planet, and all life. (Please read in my blog, the article, “Healing.”) I will repost it on Fb as well. I was very fortunate in experiencing this gift of a different reality, a different Truth. I did not ask for it, but it was presented to me if I chose to see it. I was gently pulled on a new path.
The reason I titled this article, Messengers Of The Sacred,” was because of my experiences, and all the experiences of those who have experienced Near Death Experiences, (NDE). Some where afraid to share these experiences, and have waited for years to share them in fear of retaliation, ridicule, mockery, and being shunned by mainstream society. They were thought to be out of touch with reality. But many are now sharing their experiences they had in another world, in another reality of pure unconditional love. When I was dealing with my spiritual transformation in the 90’s I struggled with the concept of God in the dogma of Religions. I asked, “what is God?” The answer that came to me was “Pure Unconditional Love.” Those people who have experienced death and have come back, are the Messengers Of The Sacred.
In our current so-called delusional reality of a physically formed only world, that discards the formless, the unseen, the Sacred, we removed, killed, tortured, and committed horrific atrocities, and genocides against those who believed differently. Most of these people were indigenous, most saw all life as being Sacred.
This is the reason the boys and I took our journey into Nature, to experience a deeper relationship with all life. A life of unconditional love for all life forms.
I hope this may open the minds, and hearts of those who choose not to believe there is much more than the eyes can see.
Being homeless in Nature for me really doesn’t feel like being homeless, because Nature is our home. Being homeless in a city environment for me is quite different. I feel much more vulnerable, much more exposed with little control of my life.
I experienced just another bad early morning waking to feelings of many stressful thoughts. thoughts that consume my being, but knowing they are just thoughts based on no reality, yet continues to come at me like a fierce charging buffalo wanting to trample me to death, with overwhelming stress, fear, and despair. Maybe I should let it kill the self that is creating this pain?
I don’t want those things that most people want in our crazy and mad world. I am not interested in materialism, nor wealth.
In my later life I felt I was being drawn to write about injustices of indigenous peoples; in nature; and in the Sacred. I feel I was meant to write. But it isn’t the driving force that directs my life, but an expression of what is important to me. When I thought I would be in a good place to write in our current place, it seems not to be working out. Why? I wish I knew. Maybe the right circumstances will come some day. I hope they come soon.
What my driving force is, is empathy, compassion, forgiveness, kindness, understanding, and unconditional love. It is being one with the Source, and how may I serve the Creator, and all life forms? This is who I have become with the many struggles, and challenges it brings. Success means to me, how I have contributed to the world, through unconditional love within, and without. But it has been very challenging for me – It has also been an enlightened experience, and joy.
Let my final days on this beautiful planet, be consumed with being of service in any way, and in all forms it takes.
What was valued since man’s existence and not too long ago for primitive people (a little more then 400 years ago) like the Native Indians was simple. And still applies for what is remaining of primitive cultures today. These resources are the essence of life for all of creation – water, air, earth, fire, animal life, tree life, and plant life. Without any of these, life as we know it could not exist. And the amazing thing is how close each works with and supports one another.
In today’s modern cultures these resources are just a second thought for many. We don’t even think about the air we breathe unless there is a fowl smell to it; the water seems plentiful and we see no reason to stop wasting it and polluting it. Our land to is being built over and polluted with little respect for what foods it provides for us and all living things. We see plants as something on occasion to appreciate, poison or destroy. The animal life we have relied on for food for thousands of years is just an attraction for us to see when we do see some form of wildlife. In the city, they are typically ignored or seen as a nuisance.
All of these resources are being threatened by man’s lack of respect and greed mentality for what is essential for life to exist. We have put value on a piece of worthless paper; metals, stones, oil, coal and forests that provide for us the comforts we are accustom to with devastating cost to our planet. Precious metals such as gold and silver as with precious stones have destroyed our environment and have cause death and misery to many people. For what? So we can look good?
Our survival and the survival of all living things does not depend on how much we have, but how we take care of our Mother Earth.
“The Peacemaker taught us about the Seven Generations. He said, when you sit in council for the welfare of the people, you must not think of yourself or of your family, not even your generation. He said, make your decisions on behalf of the seven generations coming, so that they may enjoy what you have today.”
Oren Lyons (Seneca)
Faithkeeper, Onondaga Nation
This principle of the 7th Generation dates back to the 12th Century to the Great Law of Peace of the Iroquois Confederacy. A generation is generally considered to be 25 years, so that’s 175 years. The 7th generation principle was so important to Native American cultures that it was codified in the Iroquois Great Law of Peace. It is believed, this teaching is embraced by all Native American tribes, First Nations Tribes and indigenous tribes throughout the world. Unfortunately it is clearly not embraced by most governments, corporations or people in the world and this especially applies to Americans. Few Americans look at the impact they have on the future of their children or the children of the world. This has been clearly shown in our very slow to no response to act on Global Warming.
Ted Kennedy said to Congress in 2008: “I cannot look into the eyes of my grandchildren and tell them: Sorry, I…can’t do anything about it.”
Barbara Boxer, at the National Press Club: Will our grandchildren know the thrill of holding their child’s hand watching with excitement a towering snow-capped mountain or awesome, calving glaciers?”
Arnold Schwarzenegger, signing new energy legislation: “I want to make California No. 1 in the fight against global warming. This is something we owe our children and grandchildren.”
Joe Lieberman: “Shame on us if 100 or 200 years from now our grandchildren and great-grandchildren are living on a planet that has been irreparably damaged by global warming, and they ask, ‘How could those who came before us…have let this happen?’”
David Attenborough: “If we do care about our grandchildren then we have to do something.”
Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, addressing his Climate Change Advisory Group: “By committing ourselves to action in Illinois, we can help minimize the effects of climate change and ensure our children and grandchildren inherit a healthy world full of opportunity.”
Sir Richard Branson, chair of Virgin Airways: “I think businesses can indluence leaders thwo are not worrying enough about our grandchildren.”
Bill Clinton, stumping for his wife in Colorado: We just have to slow down our economy and cut back our greenhouse gas emissions ‘cause we have to save the planet for our grandchildren.”
This idea that humans could fundamentally alter the planet is new. This notion was asked by the Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius a century ago regarding evaporating our coal mines into the air. Bill McKibben in his book, “eaarth, Making a life on a Tough New Planet,” “This idea about global warming is a huge experiment. We’ve never watched it happen before, so we didn’t know how to proceed.”
This notion that we could not alter the planet or it being a huge experiment, not watching it happen before, is nonsense. Although what is currently happening is new to us, the rapid melting of the Arctic and Antarctic; the lost of many glaciers; the extreme weather that is occurring with increased number and strength of tornados; hurricanes; the increased amount of wildfires, floods and drought that are hitting many parts of the world; increased oceans levels and the increased levels of acidity in our oceans from carbon dioxide. And this is only just the top of the iceberg. What about the impact is will have on the social fabric of human life; the economic impact; the impact on our ecosystems and all life on this planet? Many scientist believe we are moving towards a mass extinct of many life forms on this planet. And it is due to our irresponsibility, our lack of connection to the planet and to all life, our blinded appetite and obsession for consumerism, for stuff. The choices we make to live in a synthetic world vs. living as one with the natural world, to see the natural world as part of our community to protect and preserve. We have seen what man can do in a very destructive way to our environment many times, but we seem to forget and continue with this destruction. Seeing what we are doing to our planet, to the natural world is a simple process of just being aware, being connected to our natural world and probably the most difficult for modern day man is seeing all life as sacred. It is a cop-out to say we didn’t know. The Native Americans knew, the First Nations knew, the Native Hawaiians knew, and all the indigenous cultures who still lived in their traditional ways knew. And now with the effects of climate change on top of us, we are still in denial of it and its impact on the world and to all life. We are at a point of no-return on many of the changes that have occurred recently by climate change due to our ignorance and selfishness.
Here are some ancient Indian proverbs you may want to read, think about and act upon:
“Treat the earth well.
It was not given to you by your parents,
It was loaned to you by your children.
We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors,
we borrow it from our Children.”
“Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect.”
Chief Seattle, 1854
“When all the trees have been cut down,
when all the animals have been hunted,
when all the waters are polluted,
when all the air is unsafe to breath,
only then will you discover you cannot eat money.”
Cree Prophecy
“You must teach our children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of your grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin. Teach your children what we have taught our children, that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves.”
Unknown
In ending, if we choose to do nothing, we will leave our children and grandchildren with a very uncertain world.
And now in 2022 we seem to be doing very little. Climate change is here and is impacting the whole world.
Why is modern day man so much afraid of indigenous people? They are afraid of what these peoples represent – freedom, happiness, community and having a deep connect, and relationship with the land and animals they live with and because many indigenous cultures require large areas of land for sustenance and for their very survival as a people. They have lived on land that has been part of their cultures for tens of thousands of years. To the modern day man, they see this as pure waste of the valuable natural resources that can be tapped and used. They see this land only for profit with no concern of the destruction of habitat, people who live on the land or for the animal kingdom that call these lands their home. For the indigenous peoples, these lands are their being, their people, and their cultures and feel a deep and sacred relationship with the land and for all life. But because greed breeds corruption, destruction and control over valuable resources, these peoples who have lived for thousands of years in peace and happiness are forcibly removed from their sacred lands, killing their cultures, and traditions and destroying their people physically, and emotionally.
Modern day man thinks this is okay and ignores the human atrocities and environmental destruction against these people and land, because these people and cultures are not using these lands in a productive way. They see these primitive people as undeserving to live the way they do. They should not be living the way they do, but should live in the ways of the modern day man because we believe this is the civilized way to live. We see them as just wasting land that can be used for other purposes other than just for sustenance and as their home. We the modern day man have chosen to live a very irresponsible way towards the land, polluting her with toxins, stripper her of forests, destroying her ecosystems for thousands of creatures that rely on the land for life and making the land uninhabitable, in some cases for thousands of years. This way of thinking and way of life for the modern day man has only been in the time frame of a few hundred of years, where the existence of indigenous cultures living with the land as hunters and gatherers and some farming has been going on for at least fifty thousand years. For the indigenous cultures, the land was free from modern day man’s toxins; the waters were pure and clean, the air fresh and clean and the flora and fauna abundant.
We are and have allowed these peoples and cultures to die off like some unwanted animal going extinct. We then celebrate their cultures for being unique, being part of the animal kingdom and part of our uncivilized past. We see these cultures as primitive, cave man like behaviors and ways of living that have no place in a modern day world. We also refuse to see the simplicity of living with nature and not against her; we refuse to see our connection to all living things and we refuse to see the horrific destruction we are doing to the land, air and water – our Home. We can learn from these very people and cultures who we are trying to destroy, our true place on Mother Earth – our true connection to all life and the responsibility to protect and preserve all life.
Each and every morning I get to walk my dogs in a beautiful country setting. A far cry from where we were living just a short time ago. Living in the City of San Leandro, with it’s constant threat of crime being perpetrated, the endless noise of automobiles, sirens and the guns shots that rang out in the night air. I hated that place and dreamed of the wilderness.
The country road we now walk is surrounded by oaks, sycamores and buckeyes, with pastures and rolling hills leading upward to the hillside ridges. Each morning we would take our first steps into nature, experiencing the beginning of a new day when the sun begins showing it’s presence, slowly rising above the crest of the foothills. The creek that once was flowing with water from the winter rains is now a dry creek bed that runs along side the road. The green velvety grasses that covered the pastures and hillsides are now a golden brown. Summer is here.
The season has changed from spring to summer before we knew it. We have been experiencing unusually hotter days so early in the season due to climate change. Something Americans seems not to want to really except fully and what it will mean for human kind and for all life on this planet we call Earth.
While I am writing this, I wondered where we came up with the name Earth for our planet and of course , I googled it and this is what I found:
“All of the planets, except for Earth, were named after Greek and Roman gods and godesses. The name Earth is an English/German name which simply means the ground. It comes from the Old English words ‘eor(th)e’ and ‘ertha’. In German it is ‘erde’. The name Earth is at least 1000 years old.”
Source by – Cool Cosmos
If we think of the name of our planet that represents dirt, it does not seem so romantic, but I think most like the name. At least I do. I don’t think we think of it as just a sphere of dirt, and in fact it is so much more. It is a world that is mostly seen as blue oceans covering the globe from distant space. We have been given a place to live that we call home with so much diversity it staggers the mind and imagination, if we think about it.
In our place in the country, new life has emerged, from the young ground squirrels scampering across the road to the many young fawns clinging to their mother’s protection. The wild turkey are active as are the many birds in our area. One being my friend, the Acorn Woodpecker. The many cows that grazed on the hillsides and pastures are mostly gone, but for a few stragglers that missed the truck ride to the slaughter house. My dogs were fascinated with them and the cows being the same. They would have loved to chase those cows. I saw a beauty seeing them scattered throughout the hillsides.
On these walks I am always grateful for these experiences – being out in nature with my dogs and at the same time, longing for the wilderness, a longing for a long lost love. Some day we will be in the wilderness once again.
I have been fortunate enough to feel a deep connection to nature. I have always loved being in nature, but never respected nature for much of my life. I used her for my own gratification. I now have a deep reverence for her and this respect grew from my learning and practicing survival skills and bush skills and learning the relationship traditional indigenous cultures had had with the natural world, the spirit world and the land.
On our walks into nature, I spend time honoring and giving thanks to what nature, what Mother Earth provides to us. It is something none of us should take lightly, but sadly we do.
She provides us with incredible, natural beauty and the essentials to sustain life as long as we respect her – and there is no charge. All she wants is a little respect. My walks are always with humility, and reverence for nature. I begin my walks with gratitude and thanks by giving thanks to:
I give thanks to the Sun who provides us with light, warmth and energy.
I give thanks to the Moon for keeping us firm on the ground and the beauty she gives us at night.
I give thanks to the Universe for her magnificent and awesome vastness.
I give thanks to the Earth for all she provides for us.
I give thanks to the Air we breathe, because without it we would not be alive. For also giving us the wonderful scents of nature we get to breathe in with each breath.
I give thanks for the Water that is the life’s blood for all life. Without her, life could not exist. She gives us the beauty of mountain lakes, the powerful oceans, the mighty rivers and the soothing streams. She quenches our thirst, she can refresh us on hot days and cleanse our body. The sounds of the oceans and streams can calm our soul.
I give thanks for Fire that keeps us warm, for light and the welcoming flame during the darkness of night, to help keep us dry and for cooking our food.
I give thanks to the Rocks that creates the magical beauty in the mountains and hillsides, and the beauty of the stones she creates.
I give thanks for all the incredible and beautiful Animals we share this planet with and for the food they provide to us. Providing us with tools, clothing and shelter. And the wonders of the very creation of life we get to see and experience. I give thanks to the mammals, the birds, the fish, the reptiles, the insects and the creatures that are unseen.
I give thanks to the Trees for their vast varieties, for their beauty, and for what the trees provide for us. I give thanks for the oxygen they give to life, the food and medicine they provide, for providing fuel for fire, to give us shelter, tools and clothing.
I give thanks for the Plants that provide us with food, medicines, tinder for fire starting, for cordage, for shelters and simply for the beauty and smells they give to us.
Now, for me, the things I give thanks to as I have listed above does focus on using nature for survival and living in nature. I also hope the reader realizes we cannot survive without nature and a healthy natural environment. Giving thanks to our natural world helps us have a deeper connection with all life, thus we will do everything to protect her and not to harm her.
When we sit in silence observing nature, she will magically open up to us and begin to teach us about truth – what is real and not real in our very distorted world today. You may see two whales breaching together, when those around you are oblivious to them; or you may observe a beautiful and vibrant flower and she bids you to come closer so she can teach you about life; or seeing a single droplet on the tip of a pine needle that shows us much more about our world; or you may look up towards the night sky in awe of the wonders of the universe. I truly believe nature can teach about life if we allow her to. These example I have listed above are just a few of the many experience I have been fortunate enough to experience in nature and has impacted my life in unbelievable ways. Nature is my church and my religion.
A person who I highly respect and admire is Ray Mears. Ray teaches bush craft skills and has had many programs on the BBC about Bush Craft. His love and respect for nature and for indigenous cultures are apparent. When Ray is in nature, his awareness is finely tuned to his surroundings. When he is in a canoe for example, he is one with the canoe and one with the water and one with everything around him. On one of his shows he was walking in some mud flats on the shore of the River Thames looking at dead trees over 6000 years old. He observed the types of trees (the species) and followed other signs he might find in his discovery. This exploration took him back to his ancestors some 6000 years ago and how they may have lived. How many people would get that excited walking in the mud with a bunch of dead matter and dead trees? Ray would. It says something about this man and his love for the natural world. He is a true naturalist.
As with Ray Mears, I feel very strongly about the importance of protecting traditional indigenous cultures and their traditional ways of life. We can learn from these cultures how we can once again connect and respect nature. And once you truly experience nature you will not want to come back to a life that is so disconnected with nature. You will truly experience real magic.
Come with me my child, come walk with me. I must tell you something that my generation and generations past have done. What we have done will effect your generation and future generations to come, well into the future and beyond. It will change your life as it will your children and their children’s lives. It will impact humankind as we see and know the world today in ways that will be unknown to us. It will change all life on this planet for that matter—in the plants, in the trees, in the animals, to the land, in the rising oceans, and to the weather patterns. It will have a very profound way in how we live, forever, if we continue on the path we have chosen for ourselves.
You are still very young my child and what I am about to tell you may seem like only a bad dream that once awake will disappear, or watching a science fiction movie that becomes a reality. Unfortunately, in my heart I believe this to be a true vision that will happen if we continue to do nothing about how we treat our planet and how we treat all life on the planet.
I can say for most of us living in the United States and elsewhere in the modern day world who believed our world would provide us with limitless resources, we lived our lives in a delusional world of everlasting abundance. We truly didn’t know nor think about what we were doing, what negative impacts we were having on our planet. No one really knew. And now that we do know for the most part, whether we want to believe it or not, we still choose to do nothing or very little to change our ways—our relationship with the earth—even if it means our very survival as a species. We continue to live in this illusion we cannot let go of—a make-believe reality that is doing reprehensible harm to what gives us life and leaving our future generations with a potentially bleak and harsh environment to survive in.
I will briefly share with you my time growing up. I hope it will help you understand a little about my life at your age. It was at a time after World War II had ended when America had renewed energy, hope for growth, prosperity and a new beginnings—it was of what dreams were made of. We focused on the future and forgot the past. We were taught in school, on the radio and on television, to be part of the machine of progress. We were taught that America was the best and strongest country in the world and no other country compared. We considered our country as the leaders of the free world. Americans loved the ideals and values of what we thought America was and would become—they were exciting times growing up. We loved everything about being American. We gained this arrogance that we were the best, that we were unstoppable. We never stopped to think what America would have been like if the winds had turned and Germany and Japan had won the war.
I still find myself on occasion, going back in the past seeing and feeling those things that gave me so much joy and happiness. It spurred my imagination with endless possibilities of my future and what was to come. It seemed this could be found in America.
There were a few peoples back then who had the insight, the knowledge and wisdom to see the future. These people were the First People of this land and had occupied America for thousands of years prior to the colonization of America by the Europeans. We saw these indigenous peoples as primitive, salvages, and uneducated pagans. During my time they were a people of the past. One of these cultures, the Hopi, warned its people through the Hopi Prophecies to travel on the right road, the good road, rather than taking a road or way of life that only will lead to a life of deep misery in the end. These prophecies were not just for the Hopi People, they actually were for all of us—every man, woman and child who walks on this planet. These teachings were about respecting the earth and respecting all life.
As you and I are walking on this dirt path together, among the trees, listening to the voices of the birds singing, we have forgotten in our modern world that every step we take we make an imprint on the land. If we choose to walk with no direction, walking with a heavy foot, our footprints will begin to disrupt life around us. It will begin to scar and never return to what it once was. If we are careful where we walk, being considerate of other life, of what we may disturb on our path, our footprints will lay softly upon the earth in respect and reverence to all that is.
My child, I must tell you, I am very saddened to say, we have chosen the wrong path. We refused to listen to a growing voice of people telling us we must change our ways, but we continued walking on the wrong path. We refuse to hear the earth’s cries and the animal’s death songs. They too, were telling us, but we did not listen. We had become blinded by progress and wanting more.
I must tell you my child, I am very sorry for what we have done to your generation and to the future generations to come.
I am deeply sorry.
“While we may remember the sacredness of human beings, we have forgotten that the Earth is also sacred, and that its soul can speak to ours. If we were to understand this dimension of creation, we would realize that our guardianship of the planet means taking responsibility for its physical and its sacred nature, and their interrelationship. This responsibility was always understood by indigenous peoples and their spiritual leaders or shamans. Many of the rituals of daily life as well as their ceremonies, prayers, dances and songs were enacted for the purpose of looking after the sacred nature of creation, keeping the balance between the worlds. For example when the Pomo Indian people of Northern California wove baskets, the women would go out and pray over the grasses before they cut them. As they wovetheir baskets they would put the reeds or grasses through their mouths to moisten them, praying over them. The basket thus wove together the physical and the spiritual parts of life. All aspects of life were approached in this way, the warp and woof of the physical and spiritual woven together into the single fabric of life that was never anything other than sacred. Indigenous peoples saw their life as a communion with earth and spirit that nourished them and at the same time nourished creation, the two being so interwoven it would not have been possible even to think of nourishing the one without nourishing the other.”
~Author unknown
I wanted to republish this writing making some revisions to the original and to add to this writing. I also modified the title of the article. I wrote the original article in November 2013. It was published in July 2015.
Very little has been done to deal with the impact climate change will have on our planet in America because of the divisions we have created in our country as with our beliefs pertaining to this issue. More and more young people are becoming increasingly aware of what their future might be due to climate change and they are doing something about it—they are organizing and speaking out on this injustice to their future and the future of the planet, unlike most of the grown-ups who are not doing enough.
The reason I wrote this is again to bring awareness to the importance of the impact climate change will have on our planet and to all life. I asked the question, if I had children what would I tell them if the inevitable were to happen where we reached the point of no-return on Global Warming? And I began to write. I hope you will consider this same question and better yet, ask them what they think of what their future will be like if we continue doing nothing about Global Warming?
Yesterday, a friend of mine on Facebook made a post and wrote, “In honor of Mother Earth…” to a link she shared. I have written a lot about Mother Earth in my posts on Facebook, but when I read those few words, “Honor Mother Earth” they resonated with me on a different level and I wanted to see where my writing would take me focused on these powerful words.
I had never heard of these words before until I began reading about Native Americans back in the nineties. This obscure concept of honoring our planet never was taught to me in school, or by my parents or by anyone else for that matter. We were taught how we can take from the planet, strip the earth of valued natural resources that would improve our lives, but never honor or respect Earth, our home. In school we were filled with supposed facts in our science classes about Earth, but never the ideas of honoring her or respecting her. Back then, I could not imagine anyone even being able to comprehend such an idea. Many misconstrued this idea to worshipping or idolizing animals or the Sun or Moon as Gods by the misguided heathens still believing in primitive and uncivilized behavior.
The meaning of honor in the dictionary is to have public esteem; good name; privilege; fame; glory; sense of moral standards; respect and salute, to name a few. Pretty much all of these are relating to man. In our modern society, honoring something that is not human or relating to God would be considered blaspheme. I remember not long ago I was camping with a friend and I suggested we give thanks to the fish we ate for giving of their lives to feed us. He exploded in outrage, “we should only give thanks to almighty God, not a fish.” I gave thanks to the fish anyway.
How many of us can say, “I honor Mother Earth.” Planet Earth is our home, the only home we have – a place that gives us what we need to survive as a species. A place with amazing diversity in the animal world and within the many diverse ecosystems on earth. A place with incredible beauty and magical wonder. When we are in the mountains, or in the forests, or in the country side or next to the ocean, in nature we feel a sense of connection with our surrounding environment. But honoring, I don’t think so!
We honor God, but we will not honor what we believe She has created for us. I believe, if we honor our God or Creator, we should also honor all life if we believe the Creator has created all life. We even honor our fellow man who may or may not be deserving of such an honor. I personally feel very honored that so many of my friends on Fb who are Native Americans or First Nations have accepted me into their family.
With all this honoring we do as humans and the belief that the Creator has created all life (assuming you do have this belief), we openly except the dishonoring, disrespect, the abuse, the trashing, the destruction, the raping and the poisoning we continue to do to our home that sustains and gives us life – all life. We have reached such a point of total denial with our relationship with all living things and with ourselves, we are willing to ignore the most emanate threat that faces mankind and all life on this planet today – and that is Global Warming and yet we seem not to care.
In honoring something, we usually feel a deep connection with that thing, usually a person or a deed taken by someone. We cannot comprehend in our disconnected reality to nature, the possibility of even the thought of honoring a thing like our planet or other life forms other than ourselves. Our mind-set of the human species being supreme beings and separate from nature is a delusional idea that has obviously not done well for the planet or other life we share our home with or with us. It indicates in our modern society, we place more of our value on things, material things man has created then we do to life itself, to nature and the health of our planet. We continue to consume and consume more stuff then we can possibly use with little concern for the negative impact it has on our planet. The natural world never seems to play into how we live in modern society except for the endlessly consuming of its natural resources, occasionally looking at it, sometimes appreciating it and of course using it to pleasure our superficial needs to be and feel in control over nature that in itself is an illusion we have created. We can manipulate nature, we can use nature for our own personal needs, we can kill life in nature or poison nature, but nature, Mother Earth will have the last laugh with our arrogant attitude that we can dominate nature.
With our disconnect to nature, to the natural world, we complain when the weather is not to our liking with no understanding or appreciation that weather is an important part of our planet, to all life. We have been brainwashed by the weather reports on the news into believing that the weather is evil and it is out to destroy us and our property. It is out of control with a vicious temper man has not yet been able to control. The exceptions are when the weather suits our needs and plays by our rules. We see nature at times as a threat to our very existence that can cause horrific devastation in our lives and to property by what we refer to as natural disasters which obviously does happen. What we don’t see is that this is what nature does and it is up to us to take the responsibility to limit the impact these things have on us by our understanding that these things will happen and take the necessary precautions to minimize the impact.
Indigenous cultures all around the world have warned us repeatedly what will come if we don’t honor and respect Mother Earth and everything she provides for us and to all life. The Native Americans and the First Nations have share with us their teachings and wisdom, and have reminded us to honor Mother Earth. Their teachings and cultures are based on honoring Mother Earth and to all life. Their story telling, their songs, their dances, their ceremonies, their language and traditions are all related to honoring Mother Earth, honoring all life, and honoring the Creator.
We have chosen to live in a synthetic world with an unnatural connection which conflicts with the natural world. We have completely abandoned the natural world we have been part of for tens of thousands of years and have become accustom to and have accepted eating foods that are unnatural and unhealthy and foods that are genetically modified and foods laced with toxic chemicals. We turn to synthetic medicines that cause more harm to us than natural medicines. We choose unnatural things over what nature can provide for us for free.
We have a simple choice, choose to respect, protect and honor Mother Earth, or Mother Earth will have no choice but to eliminate the human parasite. We have all the knowledge and information to do the right things, but we have to make the decisions and take the responsibilities in doing so. Our planet is sacred, all life is sacred, we are sacred.
I have included a comment a Native American friend made to one of my writings that I wanted to share.
“ Rick, hi and thanks for painting that collage. Nice. Real. Truthful. Worried. Americans are unconscious of nature on this continent because they have no starting point here and they carelessly left any “origin” somewhere between Europe and here. You are so very correct about earth’s condition that, because of rampant overpopulation and limited resources may never regain livable balance. Too many indigenous follow the crooked white man path which leads to earth’s demise. After this earth perishes where do we go? In our ancient history and legend we are pointed towards the full moon upon the horizon. The Elder asks, “What do you call that? We answer, “Moon, of course.” The Elder shakes his head, “No. That is First Earth.” He then tells us what happened to First Earth to cause it to turn into a dead planet when it had all of the life our current earth has. Two thoughts came. From where nobody knows. One thought looked upon First Earth and said, “This is mine. I’ll use it for myself. The other thought said, “No! You must save First Earth for generations of children coming. “There was big arguments. There was big war. The side wanting to use earth used up half of First Earth assaulting the side that wanted to save First Earth for children coming. The side wanting to save First Earth used up half of earth’s resources defending against assault. First Earth was all used up. One day First Earth caught on fire. There was not enough water to put fire out. First Earth burned into the moon.” The Elder then compared the “thoughts” and intents of humanity today with humanity then. In those days earth lacked love, appreciation and protection (like all mothers). The imbalance is apparent. Too many people are consuming earth and earth’s limited resources. Because of our habits, entire sections of the vast ocean die by poison and pesticide. Rivers burn like gasoline. Love and respect for earth simply does not exist. Earth is ragged and worn yet we continue to pour waste into the water and oil and jet fuel into the ocean. We have a choice, either cease our wrong habits and amend our lives accordingly, Love Mother Earth cease pollution and protect earth with our hearts or stand somewhere in the vast darkness watching two moons silently move across the night sky.
We are instructed to use DANZA and YE’JA to bring abundant love to Mother Earth, which is a story for tomorrow.” Babe
I am sorry to say, Babe is no longer with us. I felt honored in his sharing with me his thoughts as a Native American.
I just picked up a book I have had for a while on Mushrooms and the author writes about the bad rap mushrooms have gotten throughout time. A quote from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, by gone creator of Sherlock Holmes on his perception of nature and of the fungi:
…A sickly autumn shone upon the land. Wet and rotten leaves reeked and festered under the foul haze. The fields were spotted with monstrous fungi of a size and colour never matched before – scarlet and mauve and liver and black – it was as though the sick earth had burst into foul pustules. Mildew and lichen mottled the walls and with that filthy crop, death sprang also from the watersoaked earth.
Or that of the American poet Emily Dickinson:
Had nature any outcast face Could she a son condemn Had nature an Iscariot That mushroom – it is him.
Beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder. In nature, many of us choose what deems beautiful or not. A mountain lake, cascading waterfalls, a tropical beach with palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze and the infinite expanse of the beautiful blue waters of the ocean. Or, a group of copper colored mushrooms on a rotting downed log, or as Doyle put it, “wet and rotten leaves reeked and festering under foul haze, or a grass hopper swaying back and forth on a single blade of grass.” For those who truly love nature, everything in nature is beautiful and worth the present moment in observation.
If we select and isolate from the all to what we only perceive as beautiful, we lose so much of what nature is. The wet and rotten leaves that reek and fester are the nutrients that gives trees and plants life. Looking into the looking glass of insects, opens up a whole new world of amazing creatures we can observe and learn from. Those slimy, biting, sucking creatures offers us many more pages in studying and knowing natures intricacies.
By looking deeply, and in silence at everything nature offers with awe and respect, our minds will gain a better understanding, love and respect for all living creation on our planet.
The next time you walk into the woods or in a nature setting, look beyond what you usually see and begin to look at what you have ignored in the past and walk gently on the ground beneath your feet.
Before the loss of Shiloh, I was thinking about our next adventures together in Nature. I was looking at more, and longer trips into the wilderness with Shiloh and I in 2011. I thought the economy would turn around by then, but it didn’t, and then, Shiloh was gone, gone from my life, and those dreams of Shiloh and I roaming the wilderness together disappear. My life felt painfully empty without my good friend, and companion.
The adventures we had in the wilds I would not have been able to do without him. He was my camping partner, my best friend that I loved deeply. We had a deep bond that could not be broken.
That night Shiloh was gone. His head gently laying on my lap, me sitting on a cold tile floor of the Vet’s office, petting Shiloh’s head for our last good-bye. The Vet gave him the shot that would quickly end his life. I was surprised how quickly, and unexpectedly he was gone from my life. I felt the tears running uncontrollably down my cheeks. It was like a faucet was turned on that couldn’t be turned off. I tried to maintain myself, saying, “Control yourself,” but I could not. While I write this I can’t help from tearing up. I can clearly see that night some eleven years go. I will never forget that night or Shiloh.
Driving home on that dark empty freeway, all I could feel is the pain of loss, I was numb, I didn’t care much for life at that point. I drowned in my tears knowing I couldn’t spend anymore time with Shiloh in Nature or any other time for that matter. But I know he will always be with me.
At that point I couldn’t imagine getting another dog, nor could I afford it
at the time. Then after a couple of months I began dreaming about being in Nature once again, and looking at getting two dogs of the same breed, Native American Indian Dogs, when finances looked better.
In 2013, I called the breeder who created the Native American Indian Dogs, Karen Markel, of Majestic View Kennels, in Lowell Michigan, to let Karen know I was ready. She picked out two bundles of fir, sent me a photo and I said yes. The two pups in a litter of eight, born November 13th, 2013.
I needed another person to come with me to Lowell, Michigan to pick up the kids that I called them. The airlines only allowed one dog per person for carry-ons. I talked a good friend into coming with me. I almost had to pull her arm. She had to check with her fiance, and her schedule. Anxiously waiting for an answer from her, she got back to me with a yes. I am sure she was looking forward to meeting the kids, Karen, and visiting the kennel. My friend knew both Shawnee, and Shiloh well. Her dog and mine were best of friends.
It was January 8th, 2014 that we flew to Michigan to pick up the kids. The weather and flights did not cooperate with us arriving and leaving with many cancellations, but it did seem to work out with a bit of frustration. We had a very small window to get back home due to the weather.
Prior to us leaving from the San Francisco bay area, I contacted my sister, Sue who lived in Michigan and being close to Lowell, we made arrangements to meet with her, her husband Ron, and one of their daughters for lunch for my birthday, and then drive to the kennel together. Sue really wanted to meet the kids (pups). I had not seen my sister for about 20 years. After a pleasant lunch, we headed to the kennel, not too far away from town. When we got there Karen, the breeder, took us to a large pen where there must have been 20 plus puppies running around. One of them looked like Shiloh. Karen told me I could take him, but I wanted the two siblings, the twins. My sister was in heaven and she wanted to take a puppy home with her, although she didn’t.
While getting the puppies ready to leave from the kennel to the airport, we had an alert on my friends phone that our flight was cancelled. We left without the puppies and headed back to the hotel, and picked them up the next day, finally making it back home. They were really good on the long flight back, crying just a little. My friend and I couldn’t sit together on the plane, so I had one puppy and my friend had the other. I am sure it would have been better if the brothers were next to each other.
We made it home safely and the boys were sleeping with me that night in their new home. If they only knew what I had in store for them and the adventures they would embark on in Nature.
The photos were taken at the airport in Michigan waiting for departure. They were seven and a half weeks old.
Their New Home
NanookTakotaTrouble
Takota and Nanook adjusted well to their new home. They had a backyard to play in during the day while I was at work. At night they always came in and slept with me. Surprisingly they were really good boys and never got into to much trouble although they loved to dig holes. They were always happy to see me when I got home from work as I was with them. They weren’t much fun taking them for walks. Takota always wanted to attack his brother while we were crossing a street and I had to try and break up the bad behavior. But they were having too much fun and ignored me much of the time until I yelled at them that I meant business.
Not long after I got them, one of them, I think it may have been Takota, would wake me up early in the morning for attention. After giving him a little rub and scratch, I told him to go bug his brother. I don’t understand how he understood what I was saying, but he went and started bugging his brother. He still does it and Nanook will do the same.
At that time I was staying with some friends who were kind enough to take me in during the economic meltdown. Unfortunately they too would lose their home to the corruption of our wonderful capitalistic society controlled by the banking system where greed reined.
We all had to leave by October 1st, 2014. I had no where to go with two large 10 month old pups, so I thought it would be a good time breaking them into their first camping experience. We went to Del Valle Reservoir campground, the same place Shiloh and I stayed for a month.
We packed up our camping gear, put the rest of our stuff in storage, and headed for another new adventure. I had no idea how they would do camping and sleeping in a tent.
I figured I should have time within a month to find a place for us to live, but it turned out, it wasn’t so easy. I was working in a small part of an office I rented, and took the boys to a doggy day care close to my office. I would then pick them up after work and headed home to our campsite. I actually liked returning to a home in Nature vs. a house. In camp I would cook dinner for us and after we ate and went for a walk, the boys relaxed in camp and I would read next to a nice campfire. Takota developed this behavior where when it got dark he wanted to go into the tent to bed. Nanook liked hanging outside listening to all the new noises and watching for critters.
They did great in the tent, but did manage to sneak out a couple of times in the middle of the night. Luckily they stayed in our camp, and close to the tent. When I realized they weren’t where they were suppose to be, and that was the tent, I would call them, and they came right in when I called them. It was a joy camping with them and they quickly learned to protect the camp from people and other dogs.
Our month stay ended up being three months camping in the winter months. I was waiting for the campground officials to kick us out, but they didn’t. You are only allowed one month per year. They must have liked us. I also had a second cousin who worked for the park district that may have had something to do with it.
Each day was the same during the week. I would drop them off at doggy day care, I would go to the office, and at the end of the day I would pick them up and we would head back to camp. On the weekends we would relax. When we reached the end of the three month period, we finally found a place to stay at a ranch I use to board my horses. It was a studio apartment above the garage, and consisting of a very small bath, and a bar area with a hot plate for cooking. I felt we just got under the wire to leave, although we did not receive any notices to vacate the campground.
I enjoyed our time in Nature with the boys and I believed they liked it as well.
While we were breaking camp to go to our new home. I told the boys we needed to tear down the tent, and I then walked to the restroom. They usually howled when I was gone, but this time no howling and I was wondering what was up. It was too quiet in camp. I did hear some commotion, and when I got back to camp, the boys were all excited about helping tear down the tent. There was a huge 6 foot rip in the side of the tent and it was a brand new tent. I couldn’t help but laugh. They thought they did such a great job.
We were able to stay at the same campsite for the whole three months, so it was nice not having to change campsites, especially in the winter months.
I couldn’t remember if I kept a journal of those three months or not. Or if I just misplaced it. There was really not that much to write on, and if I do find it, I will decide if it is worth adding onto this.
Some of the things that come to me are the amazing beauty of the oak studded foothills, and abundance of wildlife of the Del Valle area. Watching the tree squirrels sneaking of with the cache of Acorns the Acorn woodpeckers would busily stash in the many holes they made in the trunks of the pine trees, and oaks. The many birds that came to visit the area, and visit us in camp, with their greeting in song, and their chattering and squawks every morning. The hawks gliding through the air catching the current waves, looking for a meal down below. The beautiful calls to their mates. The many turkeys that one could hear waking, and clumsily falling from their tree perches, with a chorus of gobbling echos through the oaks, then gather down to the campground to the lush grasses they would feed. During dusk many of the animals would come, the deer, rabbits, skunks, and raccoons, the owls perched on branches for a meal. Nanook would always keep a careful eye on the deer, and rabbits.
On our nightly walks, I would shine my head lamp into the trees and these glowing eyes would be looking down upon us. It seemed every tree had raccoon’s in them, waiting to come down to see what tidbits the campers would leave out. We could always hear them come through our camp, but would never find anything.
One night we had a close call with Mr. skunk, when the boys wanted to go outside in the middle of the night to pee. I put their leashes on, and had a tight grip on them, and I saw a black shadowy figure close to the tent. The boys wanted to go after it, I was able to hold them back. Luckily the skunk didn’t spray. It would have made a stinky night in the camp. For a time a skunk would come walking by our tent, and we could smell his presence. He or she was a stinky one – reminds me of the cartoon character, Peppy La Pew.
I would also wake in the middle of the night hearing interesting sounds, some blood curtailing of death. I was told later, it was probably a rabbit that made for a late night dinner for some critter.
Del Valle was a great place for observing, and listening to Nature – until people came. Because we were camping in the winter, few people were there that made it a perfect experience for us. To bad most days we were gone to go to work.
April 4, 2016 – Monday
I wanted to take the boys camping for about a week or so, so we headed back to our favorite spot, Del Valle.
We came into camp in the morning, and the sky was overcast. It clouds began clearing and warming in the early afternoon to around the mid 70’s. We stayed at the main campground and a site we really liked.
I got everything unloaded, then set up the Cabela’s Big Horn tent. I got this tent for our planned journey into the wilderness, and wanted to see how easy it was to set up, as with placing the wood burning stove in it, my air mattress, and the boy’s beds to get a feel for the space we would have. I thought the tent would be a good summer tent, but thought it was too small for spending a winter in it. I also had a vestibule for the tent that I didn’t bring. Overall the tent was pretty easy to set up for one person. After getting the tent up, we headed for the store for some groceries and even bought a beer after not drinking for 81/2 months. It did taste good. Beer of preference, Heineken.
It seems the boys were happy to be back and enjoyed laying in the lush coolness of the green grass on their body. As for me, I was a bit sore from lifting the heavy camping gear.
The cute gal at the front kiosk that we got to know on our three month stay wasn’t there when we checked in this time, but left a welcome back note that I thought was very sweet.
April 5, 2016 – Tuesday
We got up at 7:00 AM to a chilly morning as it was at night, but stayed warm during the night, and slept pretty well. Once I got the boys linked up to their tie lines, I got a fire going, made some coffee, and bacon and eggs for me and the boys.
The birds were chirping early this morning and it was nice waking up too their calls. I have seen so far the Blacked eyed Junco, Doves, Acorn woodpeckers, and the Scrub jays. It was nice listening to our feathered friends again. I also heard the irritating whining sounds of a drone flying around the camp from a near by camper. I hate those things. They should not be allowed in a campground.
Today is a beautiful day with a pleasant breeze and not to warm. For dinner we are having sockeye salmon, and I am also having a salad.
Afternoon entry
I did a little bit of reading, and I felt a little uneasy for some odd reason, and decided to take a nap. After the nap I was rejuvenated and motivated to put the wood burning stove together for the tent. I ran into a glitch with the protective roof cover, I didn’t have it tight enough at the top of the tent and touched the flue pipe. Tried a couple of things to tighten it, but nothing worked. I was also concerned about the front of the stove being too close to the tent floor where any amber, small or big chucks of wood falling out of the stove with the door open and could easily fall on the floor covering, burning a big hole in it. The tent does have a flap in the floor that can be unzipped where the stove legs could be standing on the raw ground. But I did not think that would be enough protection. I saw a video where a guy chose to use a fire resistant mat in front of the stove and also having the stove legs resting on it. The floor flap would stay zipped closed preventing creepy crawlers from coming in. I thought that would be the best approach, so it was put on the shopping list. So placing the stove in the tent with the flue pipe connected gave me a good idea what might need adjusting. No fire in the tent.
When darkness arrived Takota was telling me it was time for bed, and both Takota and Nanook headed for the tent dragging me into the tent with them.
April 6, 2016 – Wednesday
Me and the boys slept pretty well, not too cold throughout the night. Had a few bad thoughts during the night.
Thinking about the wood stove this morning while laying in bed, I decided to burn the stove outside to season it and it would be much safer. I wouldn’t have to worry about burning the tent down.
It was a beautiful morning, the birds started singing at 6:00 AM. I saw a couple of Yellow-billed Magpies, and two Robins this morning.
Wrestling with some uncomfortable thoughts, I focused on my purpose, and enjoying being out in Nature with the boys.
An idea I got from another camper, I decided to put up a high line so the boys wouldn’t get so tangled up, and they still got tangled up. But I still thought it was a great idea and continued using it. I made sure I used a line that was highly visible so I would not hang myself with it.
One thing I expected with my pace of setting up camp was, it usually takes about a day and a half to completely set up camp. I very seldom cook the first night so the stove doesn’t have to be set up, unless I don’t want to wait for coffee in the morning.
I got the wood stove burning quickly using pine, and a lot of smoke coming out of the flue stack. With most of the pine at a smolder, I added oak to the mixed and lit up quickly with very little smoke. I also used a spark arrested that worked well to minimize any fire hazards from the stove.
I had a fire wood supplier that I got good hard wood from, usually buying a few wheel barrels from, to an eighth of a cord of wood. He was expensive though, but worth it for good fire wood. I would only buy the over priced pine bundles at the store for kindling.
April 7, 2016 – Thursday
I slept the best night so far, waking in the morning to the chattering birds that gives me such a calming feeling of being in nature.
This morning it was cooler than the morning before. The skies are overcast. A storm is brewing, and is suppose to be bringing in rain on Friday, and Saturday. I am hoping just a little, because I am not really prepared for a heavy rain.
I started a camp fire first thing this morning, appreciating that moment it took flame, and being grateful for everything this fire provides too us. There is nothing like having a nice small fire on a cool morning.
For the past few days I thought I heard a quacking sound like a duck next to camp. Maybe it is a bird that is pretending to be a duck, maybe a crow? Three Acorn woodpeckers flew onto a pine tree, and a moment later a hawk joined them. The woodpeckers wanted no part of this intruder’s company, and scattered in an uproar, voicing their dismay of this uninvited hawk!
Today I plan on doing some reading, and putting the wood stove away before the rains.
I was thinking how in a relatively short period of time, the human race has moved from living a primitive way of life to living in the modern age, and forgetting how to truly live with nature, beside nature in harmony. We have forgotten our deep connection with the natural world. A world we need to survive in, and can’t do it without what nature provides to us.
Our friend Kevin should be coming in today, unless he changes his mind due to the weather. But knowing Kevin, a little storm won’t stop him from his ritual four days of camping.
Four boys and their Mom moved in to the site next to us. They were very loud, and nonstop talking. We went to bed around 9:00 PM. I wanted to stay up longer to enjoy the nice evening, but it was just too noisy from our new neighbors next door. This can be a common occurrence at campgrounds. People just don’t know how to be quiet or talk in a low voice in nature. They bring their city mentality into nature.
April 10, 2016 – Sunday
For the past few days we have been visiting with our friend Kevin, our Del Valle camping buddy at his camp and ours, since his arrival late Thursday afternoon.
On Friday we got a little bit of rain, and Friday night it rained all night.
We were able to extend our stay till Monday and maybe push it to Wednesday to allow the tent to dry out. It rained off and on Saturday, and throughout Saturday night, and into Sunday morning. A chance we will get rain throughout the day Sunday. After this cold and wetness, me and the boys are ready for warmth and sunshine. On Saturday we did go to our storage unit that was close by to pick up our canopy. What a difference it made. We can enjoy the rain outside, and I can cook without getting wet. Well, sometimes.
The tent performed well in the rain with the exception of a lot of condensation inside from me, and the boys, and my clothes being all wet. The wood stove would have been nice to dry things out in the tent for sure. It can be hard on the psyche when it rains continuously with everything being all wet and not being able to dry off. And on the other hand, we needed the rain, it is also a beautiful time to be in nature, and it brings a scent of freshness in the air. It is something we will have to get use when we leave for our Journey into Nature.
Kevin left early this morning. He must have had enough of the rain. We were still in bed when he left. It was nice seeing him again and the boys enjoyed his company as well. Kevin shared some helpful hints tent camping. Using baking soda in the tent will help absorb moisture, and adding moisture when having a stove, by placing a container of water out.
The key to staying warm in wet weather is staying dry and one should always bring extra clothing to change into.
We were told more rain is coming back on Wednesday.
Sunday, most of the campers cleared out. The campground was back to being peaceful again.
April 13, 2016 – Wednesday
We packed up today to go back home.
One of my favorite shots of the boysNanookTakota
Some thoughts about our camping trip.
It was nice being back to Del Valle and sharing the experience with the boys. They did great. We met up with our friend, Kevin who Shiloh and I first met in 2009 at Del Valle. He is a great guy and enjoyed spending some time with him. We also met Kevin and his wife, Joy who ran the campground store, and the boat rentals. Although it wasn’t the best weather, it was still a beautiful week just being in nature. I also learned a few things about our tent, the wood stove, as with a few other things. I also got a fire going by feathering a stick and lighting it by some embers from the night before. It was a good week.
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