Category Archives: Community

Who Am I?

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Posted by on in Community, Family, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Striving, Travel

June 22, 2016, Springerville, AZ- My father passed away, thirty years ago, today.  Then, as now, I made a long journey.  Then, as now, it took a few phone calls to get the details right.  I arrived at my destination after six hours of travel.  I was comforted by the very people I came to comfort.  He was given a dignified send-off, and from the spirit realm, he still looks after me, in a stern, but loving manner.

Who, exactly, did Dad leave behind?  I was not the easiest of sons to raise, but there was a lot about autism that was not known, that was misunderstood.  There still is, in the perceptions of many people.  There is, however, nothing about who I am that limits me.  I have raised a fine young man, and am gladly here to answer his questions about the time of life that is young adulthood.  I am here to encourage his success, to boost him over the bar.

I am also here to reach out to as many people as possible.  July will be yet another month on the road.  This time, though, it will be focused on family members, some close and some long-lost.  It will be focused, as well, on friends- some in pain, some offering joy.  I will be keeping an eye on things in Arizona, though there are still those nagging critics who take umbrage at my having missed this meeting, or not being available for that event during the coming four weeks.

I am not easy to define.  Mostly, my living consists of proferring love on those around me. It’s the most basic thing in the world, and in the Universe, for that matter. There will always be those who try to obfuscate and throw me off course. There will always be those who hear the word “widower” and think, “troll”- as is the case with one of my co-workers here at the fire shelter.  No matter:  I am here to do a service, and I will continue, whether this person likes it or not.  I am very open about my wife’s having passed on.  The other part is that I am open about being comfortable with how my life is now.  This life is full of bonds, and true friendships.  The false of purpose, and the fearful, need not worry about my presence.

Another thing that colours my life:  Commitment to the generations coming up behind me; not just my son and young relatives, but the well-being of all.  A case in point:  When I stopped for dinner at one of my “A-List” California restaurants, en route back to Prescott, I was struck by the humidity inside the place, and concerned for two young ladies, who were dressed in Victorian attire, in their roles as servers, and who were about to crumple from the stifling air.  The manager, herself about to keel over, had them go into a small staff room, which was more comfortable.  We need to pay close attention to those who work hard on our behalf.  Fortunately, all three ladies recovered nicely.

This is my 1,000th Word Press post.  To leave you with more of a sense of who I am, here are a few scenes from my coastal visit on Monday.  First, here are two scenes of Cardiff State Beach, west of Encinitas.

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Not your typical June Gloom, but a bit of mist was there, on San Elijo Beach.

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Beach artistry is alive and well.

Up the coast, at Dana Point, I enjoyed a lengthy lunchtime conversation, with a longtime friend, at another of my California “A-list” establishments.

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Harpoon Henry’s is at the south end of Dana Point Harbor.

Who am I, really?  I’m just a human being who treasures those in his life, who is glad for the form in which I find myself, who does not have a need to judge the paths and courses of life taken by others, insofar as they do not harm those around them and who looks forward to whatever tale each day has to present.

Post 1,001 will look at an estuary- the mixing of fresh and salt water, and why brackishness is a good thing.

 

Going Forward

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Posted by on in Community, Inspiration, Social, Striving

June 14, 2016, Prescott-  A few days ago, I mused about the possibility of emulating the resilience of Israeli society, in the face of the terror it experiences, almost on a daily basis.  Someone responded that Americans already do the same thing, so why look any further?

There is much to admire about our country, its systematic way of uniting vast areas of land and diverse people, its checks and balances and, yes, our society’s ability to go on, after a tragedy.  The question, as to how we might do better, in the face of such as happened on September 11, 2001- and on June 12, 2016- was initially raised by a commentator in the Arizona Republic, who suggested looking at how people in Israel go forward, after a violent attack.  He could have substituted India, Iraq, Lebanon, Spain, the United Kingdom, or any number of societies.

People are, by nature, resilient.  Otherwise, there are innumerable horrors that could have sent us the way of the dinosaur, or the dodo.  Israel is perhaps notable, however, because of its unity, when terror strikes.  There is no paralyzed Knesset, no waffling Executive, and no emphasis on finger-pointing, in the immediate aftermath of the attacks.  Therein, lie points to ponder.

Yes, there is a vast difference in complexity, as well as in the size of the populace, between the two nations.  No, I don’t want to leave America.  The quality of life here equals, if not exceeds, that of any other nation.  We do, however, in my humble opinion, have to make a choice as to HOW we move forward.  Will it be with recrimination, denial and following a fickle news cycle?  Will it be by listening to one another, taking the valid points from SEVERAL stated opinions, and blending them into a viable solution?  Will it be with a knock-down, dragged-out fight against those whose points of view differ from one’s own?

We have seen the results of each approach listed above, both in the history of this nation, and in the fortunes of other countries, throughout the history of the planet.  We are at a crossroads.  One valid point our President made the other night:  We have to choose what kind of country we want to have.

Pulse

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Posted by on in Community, Personal Values, Social

June 12, 2016, Prescott-  My week was largely occupied with helping to man a shelter, for some 37 people who were evacuated from two communities, Yarnell and Peeples Valley, once again threatened by fire.  This time, no one died.  This time, there was minimal property damage.  This time, the fire was taken seriously, from the get-go.

The shelter closed this morning.  I helped with the breakdown, helped inventory the necessities.  Then, I went to the Raven Cafe, had brunch and came home.  My middle brother, in the course of a phone conversation, told me of Orlando.  He told me there were 50 dead.  He told me there were 50 other people, whose lives were in the balance.  He told me of the worst terrorist act on U.S. soil, since 9/11/2001.

Orlando/Beirut:  Many dead, in the former; many terrified, in the latter.  Two fine cities, united by atrocity.  The list of affected cities and towns grows.  The list of innocent victims multiplies. The hate continues.

Three years ago, when I was in yet another of the fogs that come with grief, and was making some terrible choices, one person came to my aid. One person called me and said, directly and convincingly, “This needs to stop.  You are acting crazy and it’s not going to end well.”  That person reset my mental clock.  That person, as fine a friend as I’ve ever known, is a member of the LGBT community.  That person and his fellows deserve all the respect and human dignity that those of us who are heterosexual, cissexual, or any other designation, can possibly muster.

Pulse is now a place of mourning.  Orlando is now a city dealing with two shocks: One small in scale; the other, the worst firearms attack in American history, outside of war.  Both shatter the convoluted logic that, if only good people had firearms, the bad would be at a disadvantage.  Yes, quick, decisive action by police officers did prevent more lives from being lost, in both incidents.  Yet, both shooters reportedly acquired their weapons legally.

So, our choice is this: 1. Honour the souls who have gone on, and not make excuses, as we have done- every single time before, including after 9/11 (“That Frenchman said the U.S. Government did it.”) and after Newtown (“Don’t you know those kids are in hiding.  Nobody really died, except Lanza.”)

2.  Stay in the mindset of ignorance, and denial, and watch, “helplessly”, as the carnage goes on, and gets worse, and comes to a theater near you.

I am listening, thinking, waiting- and mourning.  I will not stand idly by, if a demon rages  in my view.

Stairstepping in Kodachrome Land, Part 2: Cathedral Gorge and Panaca’s Box Butte

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Posted by on in Community, Hiking and Nature, Travel

June 3, 2016, Panaca, NV- Kodachrome turned into monochrome, once I left Pioche.  No matter, though; Miller Point overlook, on the north side of Cathedral Gorge, has views that elicit thoughts of how the Grand Canyon must have looked, back in the Triassic Era.

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Cathedral Gorge, from Miller Point

The Edwards Brothers, Nephi and Elbert, discovered Cathedral Gorge in 1911, making it a playground for their family. They built a series of ladders and explored several caves here.  The Edwards family pushed to have the State of Nevada safeguard the gorge, and in 1935, it became a state park.

Here are several more views from Miller Point, and along the first section of trail, below the Point.

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Cathedral Gorge, from Miller Point

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Cathedral Gorge, from Miller Point

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Cathedral Gorge, from Miller Point

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Cathedral Gorge, along Miller Point Trail

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Cathedral Gorge, along Miller Point Trail

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Cathedral Gorge, along Miller Point Trail

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View of Juniper Draw Loop, from Miller Point Trail

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Eagle Point, from Miller Point Trail

It’s a reasonable assumption that I will be back here, relatively soon, for a full exploration of Cathedral Gorge on my own.  The heat precludes doing so in summer, so maybe next Spring.

Panaca, a short distance down the road, is a rather utilitarian community, with modern buildings that distinguish it from Pioche- as does the sere Great Basin landscape. It is a friendly town, and when my attention was drawn to the sizable butte, just beyond the fence of Lincoln County High School, two girls playing in a nearby yard called to their father, who came outside, saw where I was heading, and shook his head, in a good-natured way.  Not many visitors, apparently, are interested in this formation- which goes by the simple name of Box Butte.

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Box Butte, Panaca, NV

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Small cave, Box Butte, Panaca, NV

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Small cave, Box Butte, Panaca, NV

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West side of Box Butte, Panaca, NV

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Free-form mural, inside cave, Box Butte, Panaca, NV

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East side, Box Butte, Panaca, NV

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Crane-lifted slabs, top of Box Butte, Panaca, NV

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East side, Box Butte, Panaca, NV

As I drove off, I heard the girls call- “Daddy, he’s leaving now.”  It is unusual to be of note, but something tells me I’d be welcome back, if only to take further examination of this local play place.

I didn’t spend a whole lot of time stopping and photographing the innumerable wonders of southern Utah- if for no other reason than I had a destination, in the Native American Baha’i Institute, some 380 miles further southeast.

NEXT UP:  Navajo Lake and Orderville Canyon, Utah

 

 

 

Amen To All That

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Posted by on in Community, Family, Personal goals, Striving

May 17, 2016, Prescott- Things went better at work today, as I knew they would.  Contrition replaced stridency, and my supervisor announced, at the start of the day, that no one would be allowed to talk politics in class.

My son had a successful laser eye treatment, this morning, and is now at his home, enjoying renewed clarity of vision.  We had a fine conversation, this evening, as usual. He is proactive with his personal affairs, so I feel a firm foundation was set, both with our guidance and with our mistakes, from which he learned.

Preliminary job feelers have come out, regarding next academic year, from my current department.  It’s nice to be again making a good impression.  I would be primarily responsible for helping a young autistic man, with academics and life skills, and, by extension, working with others who need academic assistance.  The process should take not much more than a week.

I have been admonished by some who feel I am too busy.  Well, there is always a lot going on, but here I am with the free time to write, in clear-headed fashion.  There are end-of-year events, this week and next, along with a charity dinner for the family of a woman who died from childbirth complications.  I will need to get my vehicle serviced on Friday, and head to an old stomping ground, Keams Canyon, on Saturday, to support Baha’is who have moved there recently, at a devotional meeting they are having.  Then, once school is done, it’ll be time to help a friend in Reno move to Carson City.

Busy, somewhat, but feeling productive is a good thing, for me.

NEXT:  Another hike along Prescott Circle, this time in Granite Basin.

 

 

 

 

Nature’s Terror

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Posted by on in Assistance, Community, Service Activities

May 7. 2016, Prescott- Today is a rare kick-back day.  I did saunter down to our Saturday market, which is now back in my neighbourhood, until October.  The fresh produce will go into a Spring soup, once I pick up some organic meat at Trader Joe’s.  I also met some of the market’s other regulars, from last year.  It’s a lot more relaxed around here, than it was then.

Thinking of taking a short hike, I encountered rain that was serious enough to send me back inside.  Studying maps and reading took up the time, instead.  I have an inkling to go down to Prescott Valley, this evening, and join a group of friends who are attending a spiritual rock concert.

Our little Drum Circle thumped and chanted, last night, for, among other things, relief for Fort McMurray, Alberta.  It is a city of about 85,000 people, now mostly evacuated, due to the worst forest fire in North America, since our own Indian Fire, of 2002.  The fact that people were evacuated northward, then they ran out of food, is especially frightening.  Now, they have to somehow be brought out of harm’s way, and there was no safe route, as of this morning.  With all the tar sands nearby, the place may be extra incendiary.

I know that Canada, as a nation, is up to the horrific challenge- and as a North American, I will offer any support that the people request.  This is why we do best not to quibble about the inconsequential.

In Utmost Isolation

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Posted by on in Community, Hiking and Nature, Uncategorized

April 30, 2016, Black Canyon-  This is a few days late getting to print, but here is what happened today. I started out in mid-morning, stopping in for breakfast at Flour Stone Bakery, a lovely little spot in the old mining town of Mayer, some 30 miles southeast of Prescott.  It has authentic challah, and finely baked rye and other loaves of bread.  I am inclined to stop here on future forays along Black Canyon National Recreation Trail, which I started walking, in segments, about 15 months ago- just north of Mayer.

Here is Flour Stone Bakery, inside and out.

Flour Stone Bakery, Mayer, AZ
Flour Stone Bakery, Mayer

It seemed that the entirety of western Yavapai County, from Prescott to Mayer, was hopping, with one form of mass entertainment or another- Bicycle Marathon, Antique Car Show and, here, just plain Antique Shows.

I needed to get back into the wilderness, though, at least for several hours.  So, on to Black Canyon it was.

The segment I hiked today extended from Black Canyon City’s trailhead to Cottonwood Gulch, about 6 miles one way.  It is roughly 3/8 of the Black Canyon-Table Mesa Road section of this amazing high desert system.  In a nutshell, that means I have hiked a bit more than half of the entire trail (44 of 81 miles), over the past 15 months. Manageable segments work well for me, in this regard.

Here are a few scenes from along the trail, which alternates between hugging the Agua Fria and exploring the rugged hills and mesas, west of the river.

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Here is a view of Horseshoe Bend, about two miles south west of the trailhead.  A family was enjoying the water of Agua Fria, at this serene spot. They were among the few people I encountered this afternoon.  Six bicyclists, here and there, rounded out the “companionship”.  Mostly, though, it was the desert and me, alone.  Plants, though, were quite prolific.

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Flowering barrel cactus, Black Canyon

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Emerging cholla, in basalt field

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Mr. Sandstone

He didn’t bring me a dream, but his presence was oddly reassuring, in the quiet of the afternoon.

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Hilltop bench, Cheapshot Mine region

I chose this little redoubt, atop Cheapshot Hill, to rest and write a bit in my journal. After a brief interlude here, I kept on going to Cottonwood Gulch, just shy of an intriguing Thumb Butte-like mesa, whose name escapes me.  I will check that one out on my next segment hike, from Table Mesa Road, probably next Fall.  Here is where I chose to turn around.

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This bush reminded me a bit of mimosa, though I know it is something different- just don’t know its name.  It looks like a four-wing saltbush, but the flowers resemble those of saltcedar.

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Desert lily, Cottonwood Gulch

Well, those last two gave me a reason to pick up a wildflower book, which was actually part of a map of Death Valley, of all places.

This trail was certainly the most isolated I’ve experienced since Seven Falls, northeast of Tucson, and it was every bit as satisfying a challenge- 12 miles in a day.

.Upon returning to community life, a poetry reading and a lively jazz-funk concert rounded out this last day of April.

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Heart-shaped Prickly Pear colony

 

Seismic

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Posted by on in Assistance, Community, Social, Uncategorized

April 21, 2016, Prescott-  I have been thinking, a lot, about the recent flurry of earthquakes that have caused so much destruction in places like Manta, Ecuador and Kumamoto, Japan.  on our turbulent planet, quakes seem to come and go in series, but the truth is, Earth is never still.

Some react to these events by issuing stern warnings about the “Big One”.  Others, and I include myself in this category, have been rather “business as usual”, in that regard.  I don’t feel like anything humongous, other than at a relatively local level, is going to happen, any time soon.  I have an emergency bag at the ready, but that has as much to do with living at the edge of a dry forest, as it is about getting ready to flee a broken coastline.

Nonetheless, there is only so much turbulence that our resilient planet can handle, so the question begs:  How seriously do we take the prophecies of doom?

Irons and Fire

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Posted by on in Community, Personal Values, Striving

April 20, 2016, Flagstaff- En route to this superb university town, in northern Arizona’s Sky Islands, known otherwise as the San Francisco Peaks, I thought of the various “irons” in my collective fire.  Interestingly, each time I consider letting one of these go by the wayside, something occurs to put it back, front and center, again.

My Baha’i beliefs are the core of my being, so they are only becoming more important, as the bedrock for everything else. Working with children and youth is the next level, and as it gives me a livelihood, also is unquestionably important.

I am not the world’s greatest businessman, but sharing and educating on the use of Certified Pure, Therapeutic Grade essential oils is crucial to my commitment to promoting health and wellness.  There are many people and companies claiming to have the “finest” such products.  I can only testify to what works for me.

I am not available as often as the Red Cross might like, but being ready to step in, on the occasion of a local emergency, during the school year, and anytime when I am off work, even when on the road, is also not something I will relinquish.

Then, there are my itchy feet, the icing on the cake.

It’s a good life,  of many pieces.  Have you ever felt like you needed to give up one of your activities?

Friends, Like These

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Posted by on in Community, Inspiration, Personal Values

April 12, 2016, Prescott- I was determined to not let yesterday’s minor irritations be like rocks in my shoe.  Today started out fresh, with the promise of being a full day- work would be followed by a professional workshop, then a meeting of Slow Food Prescott, with its vegetarian dinner.

I got to work, with plenty of time to spare, and a styrofoam box of freshly made pancakes, from Cupper’s Coffee House- hoping for breakfast time.  As it happens, I did enjoy the pancakes, only in the automotive classroom, rather than with my charges in Resource Center.  Well, things went smoothly enough, the auto shop students did their own project, and the three classes focused on the academic aspects of automotives were mostly dawdlers, but hardly difficult to manage.

That is one aspect of my current position- flexibility, that will only enhance my position. Be invaluable, the voice said during my meditation, last night, and so the flow took me to a place of worth.  During the free hours, I found that my new colleagues were glad for what help I could offer them.  It has been a long year for many, and being a voice of reason makes a person welcome, in these parts, by teachers and students alike.

Afterward, a workshop was offered, on the Google calendar, by two imaginative and tech-savvy teachers, one of whom I regard almost as a daughter.  She will have a long and fabulous career as an educator.  I picked up some good points from this workshop, and can organize my overall time, in a far clearer manner, using this tool.

Slow Food’s April meeting transpired in an amazingly lovely Manzanita Village, a cooperative housing scheme, overlooking the city and some intervening valleys.  I didn’t have my camera tonight, but will be sure to go back up there and take a few photos to share, in the not too distant future.  The meal featured some fermented foods:  Kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and dosa- a crepe, made from fermented lentils and brown rice, soaked for 24 hours, then blended into a batter.  It hails from south India, and was thoroughly delectable.  I was even given some batter to take home.  So guess what breakfast will be tomorrow!

This sort of feeling more connected has generally happened more in Spring, the past several years- and is what keeps me in growth mode.  Friendships like these are worth growing.