holiday | mermaidcamp

People of the First Light

February 2, 2013 — 1 Comment

The Wampanoag tribe is known as the People of the First Light because they lived, hunted, fished and made wampum along the outer banks of New England before the Pilgrims landed. The dawn as viewed on this side of the Atlantic assures one that Europe is distant. New dawn in a new world is powerful natural medicine. As goes the story all across the nation, that medicine proved to be easily hackable by flim flam Euros. The First Light, and all the real estate with a fine view of same was desired by colonial imperialists as soon as they found it. Bare naked greed was employed to occupy the territory, form a government, and launch right into a big fat slave trade with big fat profits. Early in the disagreements King Philip, a native with a following, attempted to oust the invaders. This was used by the colonists as an excuse to starve and otherwise decimate the surviving native inhabitants in order to occupy all their real estate.

These same religious zealots who gave us the Salem witch trials used the Harvard Indian College as a political ploy to gain financial support in England for conversion of whatever was left of the heathen native people. This institution in Cambridge, like the Indian boarding schools in the western US, was designed to strip the natives of language and culture in order to make them good Christian citizens. Why colonize a place if you can’t decimate the population and make good fearful Christians of the survivors?

Exit the Dragon, Enter the Black Water Snake

February 1, 2013 — 3 Comments

The Chinese New Year will arrive on Feb. 10, 2013, ushering in the year of the black water snake. The lady above and her snake, Precious, demonstrate snake power in action. Long associated with healing, the snake is a symbol of wisdom, contemplation, insight through meditation. In the Chinese zodiac the snake is a fortuitous influence that increases the flow of wealth around it. Snake year bodes well for profit through attention to detail. The significance of the color black is that of deep, unexpected change. It is important to be very mindful and attentive to detail in the coming year to avoid unexpected deeply tragic change. The flow of water inside the body deserves full attention, as the year will be all about kidney chi. Everything is always about kidney chi, but the importance of fluids in every sense, will be key in managing good health in the year of the black water snake.

Wampum

January 27, 2013 — 4 Comments

Wampum, or shell beads has been used for centuries in New England. After colonists arrived in America a currency exchange value was set to convert it European currency. This forever changed the meaning and trade value of what was a Native American tradition and source of historical pride. Once it was adopted by Dutch and English as currency it was manufactured in New York on Long Island as well as by Native tribes that dominated the newly created market for trading currency. Since both Native and Europeans could trade with it, it’s use thrived until the end of the 17th century. Counterfeiting was a problem during colonial times as it was more widely used. It was eventually phased out in favor of metal coins as the official currency of New England.

Before the colonists changed the meaning and tradition wampum was used in ceremonies and agreements.It is important as a covenant record and means of communication. Language was commonly understood in terms of wampum color. Messages and agreements were sealed by way of wampum belts created for the specific meaning. White shells had a brighter meaning and dark purple shells indicated heavier subjects. The tapestry woven into a wampum belt was a story. I am looking forward to seeing the new wampum being made today and perhaps some of the historical pieces. I will be visiting museums as well as living wampum artists. It is a fascinating subject.

Foxy New Year, Downtown Tucson

January 7, 2013 — 1 Comment

New Year’s Eve

uplight

Fox Theater downtown Tucson

stage

Bob takes a call

before the show

lighting fixture at Fox

I had not been in the Fox Theater since the 1970’s when I used to pay $1 to stay all afternoon and watch Woody Allen movies in air conditioned comfort. Downtown Tucson has had a bit of a slow start and restart to our urban renewal concept known as Rio Nuevo. I seriously thought about moving downtown, but did not think it would ever come around to a desirable state. There are still issues, but I am very pleased with what is happening now. We went to a Paula Poundstone show on New Year’s Eve at the historic theater. It was a great comedy concert, but we really enjoyed the design and the atmosphere of the building. We were able to find a cab to take us home, which has been a problem on outings to downtown in the past. Eventually we will have a tram to take us to the restaurants and entertainment venues that are starting to appear. I have high hopes that ten years from now I will be able to hop on the bus in front of my home, connect to the tram to go enjoy the vibrant downtown Tucson deserves. I certainly hope so.

Two Tigers in a Treatment Room

December 30, 2012 — 6 Comments

Elizabeth Hachenberg, White Tiger Acupuncture

Elizabeth, White Tiger Acupuncture

I was lucky to be called when an appointment opened up at the U of a Cancer Center Supportive Care for Healing where I am the substitute. I have been seeing Justine for lymphatic drainage or cranial sacral work regularly by booking the cancellation slots on short notice. The volunteers call me when sessions become available. I was offered the chance to try acupuncture, which I know is good but I have not tried. My iatrophobia extends to all things needle, but I took the opportunity to face my fear. My spleen is delighted that I went, and so am I. I go to practitioners of wellness rather than the drug docs. My presence at the hospital is still for wellness care, but surrounded by drug docs…slightly expanding my knowledge of what they do. So far I have seen no evidence of allopathic negligence, so my phobia cure is working. I think I may be the only one who goes to use it as a self-care facility rather than as a treatment for cancer, but everyone is super kind to me. The cost is about half and the quality about double what is found on the open market. It is a fabulous deal to be the substitute. The practitioners are in it for the value they can give to the community

My session with Elizabeth Hachenberg of White Tiger Acupuncture began with pulse and tongue reading to determine my situation. She concurred with Jon Thomas who told me last month at my Tui Na session that my spleen was trying to talk to me. I listened to her advise about diet, meditation, and demeanor which was brilliantly delivered. She was so right, I was eating on the fringe of my balanced diet, consuming too much alcohol, greasy rich food, and sweets. I had gone too far out of healthy bounds for too long and need to move closer to the center of balanced eating target. She was elegant about saying this without blame or need for sudden radical change. Her deep knowledge of Chinese Medicine is well communicated in language anyone can understand. She was born in the year of the tiger, as was I, so there was a certain compatibility in Chinese terms just because of the 12 year difference in our ages. I had no problem trusting her to work on me.

She placed the needles on my meridians, most with very little sensation. A tiny prick or a tingle quickly passed as she moved around the table quickly inserting the next needle. When she arrived at my left foot I noticed pain, ache, then a dull sensation that followed that particular point, which turned out to be on the liver meridian..the pumpkin pie martini point. It only lasted for about a minute, but it was distinct from the other points she targeted. She let me rest for about 20 minutes to allow the process to take place. She gave me a great meditation to use during the rest. I used an imaginary cheese cloth to strain the contents of my body, starting with the tip of my toes, and slowly removing impurities until I reach the top of my head. I enjoyed the cheesecloth visualization, and collected a huge load o schmutz to dump. I felt really good all day after the treatment, and will go again. I am over my fear completely, just like that. I am correcting the dietary issues and feel better in general after about a week of that. If you have wondered how acupuncture might help you I highly recommend that you try it. Elizabeth works on the far east side of Tucson in Civano, taking appointments Tues-Sat.

Double Down to Feed Our Neighbors

December 27, 2012

: Tucson public art

: art as border

: Culture combination

: SB1070

: Hi E’rybody!

In Tucson we host a lot of transients, create crime/residual poverty, and our economy has depended on boom and bust construction. The present condition of our social safety net to protect our weakest is critical. Our Community Food Bank is now $400,000 underfunded for the year. The shelves are bare and the need increases daily. Last night on PBS Newshour I listed to philanthropy experts discuss the fiscal cliff fiasco and non profit businesses. Small donors are fewer this year because of both uncertainty and lack of extra funds for giving. The uncertainty is exacerbated by the fact that non profits also receive 30% of all funding from government programs. They know that falling off the cliff will eliminate many non profit agencies by simply removing the government support. I take a very dim view of congress in the steam room while non profits fold.

A glimmer of hope in Tucson: “Hi e’rybody, I’m Jim Click.” A well known cowboy car dealer hero has stepped up with Sandy Peebles to double all the contributions made to the Community Food Bank from now until the end of the year. I usually take mine to a local lawyer’s office for doubling, but she was not offering the matching funds this year, so I am late. I am thrilled to see our wealthy business owners ride up on the white horses in the white hats to do the right thing. I always ask friends and neighbors to support the Food Bank of Southern AZ because they get the most bang for the buck. When you give a dollar to the Food Bank they use their leverage to buy $9 worth of food for those in need in Tucson. Some non profits have heavy staff and administrative costs, but the Food Bank is lean and clean. They recently won a grant to put gardens in the schools. Please follow me to the website and donate now while the need is great and your donation will be doubled. Let’s all help Jim dig a little deeper into his car bucks.

I also ask everyone to help me end fraudulent philanthropy. Criminals take advantage of the public by seeking donations for bogus entities. Please have some scrutiny and some consideration when you donate. The experts on PBS taught me that small donors usually do not write off their gifting on Federal income tax. That was surprising to me. Wealthy people strategically use giving to pay less in taxes. If you do not have an extra million to give, please make sure your donation is going to a legitimate non profit with an ethical goal. The gifts are needed by the legitimate non profits more than ever, and it is important to know what happens to your hard earned donation.

Quadequina Wampanoag, 11th Great Grandfather

December 26, 2012 — 79 Comments

Natives of New England

It is with great excitement that I have found an ancestor from my mother’s side in Plymouth Colony. Most of her forefathers sailed to Virginia or below, but this particular Taylor branch had some distinctions. Margaret Diguina Weeks is said to be the Wampanoag daughter of Quadequina. There is dispute about this, but I do hope I can confirm these facts. My 11th great-grandfather, Quadequina, introduced popcorn to the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving.

It becomes complicated because there were two Richard Taylors, both married to women named Ruth. I have not traced them back in England to know if they match up in the old country with the other Taylors. Ruth Wheldon’s father officially objected to her marriage to my Mr. Taylor, helping us narrow down some of the facts. If Ruth Wheldon had a full-blooded Wampanoag mother, Ruth was a kind of Pocahontas of the north. I need to do some research on this to see what I can learn. The story is amazing.

Quadequina Wampanoag (1576 – 1623)
is my 11th great-grandfather
Margaret Diguina Weeks (1613 – 1651)
Daughter of Quadequina
Ruth Whelden (1625 – 1673)
Daughter of Margaret Diguina
John TAYLOR (1651 – 1690)
Son of Ruth
Abigail Taylor (1663 – 1730)
Daughter of John
Martha Goodwin (1693 – 1769)
Daughter of Abigail
Grace Raiford (1725 – 1778)
Daughter of Martha
Sarah Hirons (1751 – 1817)
Daughter of Grace
John Nimrod Taylor (1770 – 1816)
Son of Sarah
John Samuel Taylor (1798 – 1873)
Son of John Nimrod
William Ellison Taylor (1839 – 1918)
Son of John Samuel
George Harvey Taylor (1884 – 1941)
Son of William Ellison
Ruby Lee Taylor (1922 – 2008)
Daughter of George Harvey
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Ruby Lee

Here is one account of the story of Margaret Diguina and her tribe:

“Gordon B. Hinckley, Shoulder for the Lord” by George M. McCune page 35- ” Two of the early immigrants to Plymouth colony were Gabriel Wheldon, of Arnold, Nottingham, England, and his brother (name unknown). Gabriel had been married in England before sailing to America but his first wife named Margaret evidently was deceased at the time of his migration.

Both brothers had a free spirit much like Stephen Hopkins and found their way to the camps of the Wampanoags. There they both fell in love with two of the daughters of Chief Quadequina, younger brother of the Great Chief. They each married and Gabriel gave his second wife the English name ‘Margaret’ after his first spouse. The two counseled with their father-in-law and his older brother Massasoit regarding what to do. The Plymouth Colony would probably punish them for their intermarriage. Massasoit advised them to return to the colony and all would be well.

The Plymouth Colony tribunals saved face by banishing the couples from Plymouth for life but did not send them back to England. Gabriel and Margaret established their home in Barnstable where the Hinckleys came in late 1630’s and here Gabriel and Margaret raised a large family of girls.

One of those girls was Ruth Wheldon. This is a score!!

Christmas Dog Party

December 26, 2012 — 3 Comments

: Dogs’ Christmas

: Dressed to party

: Lodge on the Desert Dogs Party

: Newly Rescued

: Dogs rule the Patio

: Poodle strikes Pose

: Merry Christmas

: We watch from inside

When we arrived for our Christmas party for two at the Lodge on the Desert we were greeted by a festive group of dogs and their owners who clearly came to be of good cheer. These jolly folks gather to eat outside at the Lodge on the Desert because the canine companions are welcome to join in the fun. The Retriever in the fancy dress was given an order of scrambled eggs, which we were able to observe from our seats just inside the doggie patio. A rip-roaring good time was had by all. We are more than pleased to have chosen Lodge on the Desert as our restaurant of the year for 2013. We don’t go out to eat very often, and look for a superior quality that sets a place apart from the rest. Tucson’s reigning Iron Chef is on the job there, and was willing to adapt for my vegetarian requests. He was personally riding the range on Christmas, and waved to us at our table as he walked across the patio. Our food was superb, as was the service. I will detail the gourmet delights for you at another time. For now, if you love your dog and want to party, this is my highest recommendation. My coon hound Artemisia was none the wiser that her parents celebrated Christmas dinner at a dog restaurant without her. I will appreciate it, gentle readers, if you keep this as our little secret. She howls at other dogs, and at food, therefore would be too loud and rowdy at a food centered event. We do love to see quiet well-behaved dogs enjoy the restaurant privileges the Euro dogs take for granted. I believe this hotel, with a recent remodel that has brought back the charm, will build a reputation for hospitality and gourmet dining among the human and the canine connoisseurs of elegance and good taste.

Man in Black, Down Home for Christmas

December 19, 2012 — 1 Comment

For those of you who missed the man in black during his lifetime, he left a legacy of charism. You can have your Perry Como Christmas Special and the June Taylor Dancers, no offense intended. Johnny Cash is America’s Prophet. He married into our most authentic folk music lineage when he and June Carter were hotter than a pepper sprout. She stood by her man through some very difficult times. Together they produced a body of work to lift and enlighten everyone who listens. This, gentle readers, is my curated holiday special gift to you. Thanks so much for visiting my blog and helping me find my voice. May the love be with you this solstice season.