Monday, June 30, 2008

The Seven Pointed Star



This is the seven pointed star at the Tallequah Couthouse in Tallequah, Oklahoma. Each point of the star represents one of the seven Cherokee Clans.

ANI-GI-LO-HI The Long Hair Clan

A-NI-SA-HO-NI The Blue Clan

A-NI-WA-YA The Wolf Clan

A-NI-GO-TE-GE-WI The Wild Potato Clan

A-NI-A-WI The Deer Clan

A-NI-TSI-S-QUA The Bird Clan

AN-I-WO-DI The Paint Clan

Tallequah Courthouse


This is the Tallequah Couthouse, in Tallequah, Oklahoma. It is the seat of the Cherokee Nation in the west.

Claret Cup Cactus


It is hard to imagine a more beautiful cactus flower than the Claret Cup

Storm over Mt Blanca


This was a dramatic time over the mountain. Snow fell up there, while we were still in bright sunlight down below.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Butterfly Weed


This is Butterfly Weed, so named because it's color and fragrance attract butterflies to it. This plant can be seen all through the Eastern Woodlands growing along roadways and in ditches, anywhere the land had been disturbed.

Sequoya Statue


This is a statue of Sequoya, the Cherokee man credited with single handedly developing the written language of the Cherokee People. This statue rests at his homestead in Oklahoma.

The Cherokee are the only native tribe to have developed their own syllabary and therefore have their language written in its own 'alphabet'. Before the Trail of Tears the Cherokee had published the Bible written in the syllabry, had a newspaper that was written in both English and Cherokee, and had developed a school system for the children.

Sunset


Sunset in Texas

Tiger


While traveling through the Bayou of Louisana we saw this big guy, we were saddened to see him and his cagemates were half starved.

Clouds



Gorgeous cloud formation out in the Gulf of Mexico, as seen from Gulfport, Mississippi

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Ferns

These are the ferns that grow along the path leading to High Falls, Alabama. Look at it long enough and you will see the fairy faces peeking at you.

I told you it was enchanted!

High Falls, Alabama


Standing at High Falls in Alabama one can hear the fairies playing over the hill.
This is a magical place of rest and enchantment

Sunrise at Mt Blanca, Colorado


A few years back we lived at the foot of Mt Blanca, in the San Louis Valley, of Colorado. We lived at 8,000 ft and Mt Blanca towered over us at 14,000 ft.
East is to the right of this picture, I was facing north to see Mt Blanca.
Mt Blanca is the eastern most moutain of the Sacred Mountains of the Navajo.

Cattails


Cattails can be found anywhere there is enough water. They were used in the past for everything from food, to weaving mats, and diaper linings using the fluff. What a generous plant our Native ancestors had in the Cattail.

Wood Ears


This was taken on a walk through the woods in March in Alabama.
The textures made me stop and study it.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Pretty Flowers


Everywhere we traveled we found beautiful plants. Sometimes we do not know their names.
Such as this one....If you know what it is, let me know. Okay?

Prairie House

As we traveled across America, we noted more than one abandoned house. This one is just an example. Is this the future of America? With more and more people losing their homes?

Wounded Knee Memorial


This is the entrance to the Wounded Knee memorial in the town of Wounded Knee, on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
This is the place where the massacred peoples were laid to rest

Window Rock, Navajo Rez, Arizona


This is Window Rock on the Navajo Reservation of Arizona........this towers over the town