Tag Archives: childcare,

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 22

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Education, Family, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

October 13, 2026- Today was Yunhee’s birthday, so Aram and I sang “Happy Birthday”, first thing this morning, while Hana smiled and danced, in the playpen. She talked to her mother, quite a bit this afternoon. seemingly about the food she was given for dinner. (She ate almost all of it.) Her speech cadence is quite impressive, with the intonation of her babbling quite measured and emphatic when it would seem to be appropriate. She answers “yeah” and “no”, in response to opinion questions.

We went on two walks today: The first was along our old route, in Hoblitzelle Park, near the middle school and then back to the house. As it was cloudy this morning, Hana’s sun shield could be retracted. In the afternoon, it was sunny again, so we went along a route that allowed full sun shield and saw a few Halloween displays, on various streets. Hana is, of course, too young to be taken around trick or treating, but she is noticing the different decorations. She wants to go up and touch some of them, so she is a bit disappointed that I don’t take her in the stroller, onto people’s lawns.

HANA’S NOTE- It was a happy birthday for Mommy. Of course, I wish she didn’t have to work during it.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Iowa- I have been through the Hawkeye State, end to end, only once. Parts of Iowa have been on my itinerary three other times. In 1997, we crossed from Davenport to Council Bluffs, in the midst of a tornado watch, but never encountered any twisters. My solo visits took in Des Moines, in 2013; Wapello and the Quad Cities, in 2019 and Sioux City, in 2022.

The turf- Iowa is largely covered by rolling hills, especially in the west (Loess Hills) and by bluffs along the Mississippi River, in the east and along the Missouri River, in the far west. The state is as affected by glacial activity as Wisconsin and Minnesota were, and has several small lakes in its midsection. Iowa is drained by the Mississippi, Missouri, Iowa, Skunk, Des Moines, Cedar, Wapsipinicon,Big Sioux, Little Sioux, Nodaway, Raccoon, Nishnabotna, Boyer and Thompson Rivers.

First Nations-Iowa is the ancestral home of the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk), Otoe, Iowa (Baxoje), Missouri, Kaw, Omaha, Osage and Ponca peoples. Dakota, Pawnee, Arikara, Potawatomi and Ojibwe peoples have had a presence in Iowa, especially in the 18th and 19th Centuries. The first settlement at Council Bluffs was made by a Potawatomi band. Today, only the Sac and Fox (Meskwaki) Nation has a reservation in Iowa, at Tama, which is named for a Nineteenth Century Meskwaki chief. Omaha people have a claim to an area called Blackbird Bend, near Onawa and Decatur.

Iowa has not experienced major conflicts between Native Americans and Whites, as neighbouring states have. I t has been more of a way station for above-mentioned tribes, either passing through, en route to Kansas and Oklahoma or briefly staying, to conduct bison and elk hunts.

Where I most feel at home- Council Bluffs, Des Moines.

Where I most feel at peace-Altoona, Council Bluffs

NEXT: Illinois

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 21

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Posted by on in children, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 12, 2026- Hana holds her own. When her Dad needles her about something he thinks should be obvious, she talks right back. She then gives him a knowing smile. This is something I noticed, over the years, from both my mother and my wife. Nothing gets past an attentive lady.

We got in a morning walk, and spent the rest of the day indoors, as AUGtober has returned for a few days and I don’t take Hana outside if the temperature clears 90F. More seasonal temperatures are forecast, from Thursday onward. Hana was happy to walk around the first floor several times, stopping here and there to take in a book she had overlooked or to savour the softness and scent of one of her mother’s blankets, or to visit Yunhee in her office.

HANA’ NOTE- I like to go in my mommy’s office, except when Papa says she looks busy. It’s okay, when she looks up and calls me to come in.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Wisconsin- I have been through the Badger State, solo. four times, each time when traveling between Illinois and Minnesota. The basic decency of the people and the serenity of countryside have cemented fond impressions of the state. I was quite impressed with the layout of Madison and the State Capitol, in particular. On my second visit, in 1987, the three of us were welcomed to a Christmas dinner in Milwaukee. Our only other visit as a family was in the course of passing from South Dakota towards Michigan. We stopped briefly in Wisconsin Dells.

The turf- All of Wisconsin, save a section of the southwest, was covered by glaciers, in the lat Ice Age. The state’s prime recreational feature on land is the Ice Age Trail, which follows the glacial moraines. The west is generally upland, as is the north, except for a coastal plain along Lake Superior. There is a Central Plain and the eastern part of Wisconsin is upland (along Lake Michigan).

Wisconsin is drained by the Mississippi, Chippewa, Wisconsin, Rock, Black, Milwaukee and Fox Rivers, along with their tributaries. It is bounded by Lakes Superior and Michigan, along with the latter’s large inlet: Green Bay. Lake Winnebago is a large glacial lake in south central Wisconsin.

First Nations- Wisconsin is the ancestral home of the Ojibwe, Dakota Sioux,Pottawatomi,Winnebago(Ho-Chunk), Menominee, Fox & Sauk peoples. In time, the European settlement of neighbouring regions pushed the Cheyenne, Huron, Illini, Stockbridge-Munsee, and Oneida peoples into Wisconsin as well. In 1804, a treaty was signed between the Governor of Indiana, who controlled Illinois and Wisconsin at the time, and the chiefs of the Sac and Fox tribes. In 1820, lead was discovered on Sac and Fox land, and settlers moved in to take advantage of that mineral. When Sac Chief Black Hawk and his men returned from a winter hunt, in 1829, they found settlers living on their land. This sparked the Black Hawk War, which ran from 1830-1832. The Battle of Bad Axe (1832) was the major battle fought in Wisconsin during that was. It was a major defeat for Black Hawk and his forces, largely because of Dakota and Menominee warriors fighting on the side of the U.S. Army. Several hundred Sac & Fox warriors, along with their tribal allies, were killed in the battle. Black Hawk and his ally, White Cloud, eventually surrendered to the U.S. Army in August, 1832, at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

In 1975, Menominee in northern Wisconsin were angered by the termination of their tribal status, by the Federal government. Militants took over a semi-abandoned property in Gresham, known as the Alexian Brothers Novitiate. The Menominee Warrior Society and members of the American Indian Movement at first tok the caretaker and his family hostage, then released them. A group of white vigilantes tried to storm the Novitiate, but the Wisconsin National Guard was deployed to keep the peace. Some shots were fired by both the Gresham whites and the Menominee, but in the end, the commander of the National Guard negotiated a truce, the Menominee leaders were arrested, tried and convicted. The property was purchased by the Tribe for $1, but was relinquished after the Tribe was re-instated as Federally-recognized. in December, 1975. (This incident drew the presence and support of the actor Marlon Brando).

Where I feel most at home- Milwaukee, Madison, Hudson, Mauston

Where I feel most at peace- Capitol grounds, Madison

Future Five- Apostle Islands, Door Peninsula, Ice Age Trail, Kenosha, Peshtigo Memorial

NEXT-Iowa

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 20

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Posted by on in children, Community, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 11, 2026- Today was Hana’s first visit to someone else’s house. She went with her mother and visited one of Yunhee’s friends. They had a good time, with Hana sitting for a while in the lady’s left over high chair and practicing walking a bit. She didn’t want to leave, so the ride back was rather boisterous, according to her mother.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Aram was busily re-arranging the family room and living room. The playpen went into the old living room and the big chairs went into the old family room. I helped with the heavier furniture. When Yunhee got back, she switched her nursery table with the dining table, so we will eat in the kitchen and the old dining room table will serve as the nursing station. It will all be more intimate, which I know will make Hana feel happier.

We had Yunhee’s birthday dinner, two days early,. Her choice was Kura Rotating Sushi Bar, about 1.5 miles from the house. We sat in a booth, and took small plates of food, as we spotted items that appealed to us. Hana had already eaten, of course, but was happily interacting with the attendants and with people at a nearby table.

HANA’S NOTE- I like to go places, but I don’t like sitting by myself in the back seat. The restaurant was fun,because the machine brought water to Daddy and Papa. I also like seeing so many nice people.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Minnesota- The Mississippi River divides the United States, somewhat evenly, into east and west. Having looked at two of Texas’s neighbours- Arkansas and Louisiana, that are at the lower end of the great waterway’s course, it is time to look at the other states through which this mighty river passes.

Minnesota, where the Mississippi begins its journey, largely out of Lake Itasca, is also the northwesternmost state bordering the Great Lakes, It is partly a prairie state and partly covered by tree-lined lakes. The turf- Prairie and the Buffalo Ridge occupy the southwest and west central part of the state. Glacially-carved uplands take up the southeast, including the Twin Cities region. Bluffs line the Mississippi Valley, along the border with Wisconsin. Glaciers also left behind 11,.842 lakes with areas of 10 or more acres. The geologic activity that formed the Canadian Shield left Minnesota with a rugged upland, collectively called the Iron Range. It is this area that also contains many of the state’s larger lakes, including Lake of the Woods, which it shares with Ontario. Then, there is Minnesota’s long western shore of Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes. Minnesota is drained by the Mississippi, Minnesota, Rainy, Pigeon, St. Louis, St. Croix Rivers and by the Red River of the North.

First Nations- Minnesota is the ancestral home of the Dakota, Ojibwe and Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) peoples. There are today 7 Federally-recognized Ojibwe tribes and 4 Federally-recognized Dakota (Sioux) tribes in the state. Historically, the Ojibwe and Sioux were at odds, over hunting and fishing rights. Clashes between the two nations were more frequent, as European settlers increased their presence, especially in the southern part of Minnesota. Treaties were signed between the Sioux and the United States, and broken by the latter. The Dakota War (1862) led to the execution of 38 Sioux warriors, who had been judged guilty of rape and other “war crimes”. The Dakota were largely moved out of Minnesota by 1866, with many settling in the Dakota Territory, especially in the Black Hills region. The Ojibwe were not expelled from Minnesota, but were forced to move onto reservations in the state, leading to the deaths of 400 people at Sandy Lake, in 1850. Most of the animosity between tribes was stoked by the British, and to a lesser degree by the French, as a lucrative fur trade arose in the Great Lakes region, from 1670 onward. American settlers aggravated the matter, with the pursuit of Manifest Destiny, as many neither understood the First Nations people nor saw much beyond their plans to establish new lives, under the Homestead Act,

Where I most feel at home- Certainly the St. Paul area, where I have extended family, Minneapolis, Pipestone, Luverne, Rochester.

Where I most feel at peace- Wakan Tipi, Wicahapi, Pipestone National Monument, Blue Mounds

Future Five- Duluth, Northwest Angle, Iron Range, North Shore of Lake Superior, Lake Itasca

NEXT: Wisconsin

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 19

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Posted by on in children, Community, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

October 10, 2026- Hana’s walking effort got a boost today, in the form of a support harness. This will do two things. It’ll give her more arm and back support. It will also give her adult helper more back support. She walked about seventeen feet, with her father tending the harness. With my Red Cross Blood Donor Ambassador session today, her parents took her for a walk in the stroller. The three of them also went to H Mart, and to a car wash, which Hana thought was rather exciting.

Hana had plenty to say, at mealtime. She warmed up to the ground beef that her mother prepared for her, but didn’t take so much to the white cabbage, which is rather bland. All in all, though, my granddaughter is more inclined towards a vegetarian diet. We will see how that shakes out.

HANA’S NOTE- I was so glad to have both Mommy and Daddy on the walk this morning!

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Kansas-The Sunflower State is often the Poster Child for “flyover country”, which to me is an epithet. I have driven across much of Kansas about a dozen times. My first visit was in 1972, partly on a Greyhound bus and the rest of the way in a van that got me as far as Kansas City, MO. There were a few other van rides in the ’70s. We camped at Wa Keeney, in 1997. I explored parts of the state’s southern tier, on three different visits, finding much more variety and scenic beauty than is commonly recognized.

The Turf- Kansas is largely flat, but not as treeless as is commonly thought. The western Great Plains region is largely treeless, but has several small arroyos and canyons. The Flint Hills and Smoky Hills dominate the central part of the state, while eastern Kansas is home to many rugged hills, which are more forested. Kansas is drained by the Missouri, Kansas,Arkansas, Republican, Solomon, Neosho and Cimarron Rivers, along with their tributaries.

First Nations-Kansas is the ancestral home of the Kiowa, Comanche (Numunuu),Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kanza, Pawnee, Wichita, Otoe, Osage and Missouri peoples. Prior to Kansas’ statehood, clashes between Native peoples and the U.S. military took place at Solomon Fork (1857) and at Crooked Creek (1859). In 1867, Cheyenne and Sioux warriors attacked a unit of the U.S. Cavalry at Beaver Creek, killing 12 men. Numerous clashes continued until 1878, when the Cheyenne returned to their home in the Black hills of South Dakota. Today, the Kickapoo, Iowa, Potawatomi and Sac & Fox nations have reservations in Kansas.

Where I most feel at home- Dodge City, Hays, Sedan, Emporia, Wellington

Where I most feel at peace-The Hollow, at Sedan; Flint Hills

NEXT: We leave the Great Plains and look to the states that are drained by the mighty Mississippi-starting with Minnesota, where the Father of Waters begins.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day18

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Posted by on in children, Education, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

October 9, 2026- Hana showed interest in a long cord that was plugged into an outlet, by her favourite book shelf. I ran my fingers up the cord and showed her that it was attached to a very large air purifier, on top of the bookshelf. She has since stayed away from the cord, and will occasionally look up at the machine, then will focus on the books.

We have walked around the first floor, an average of 3 times per day. We went on two outside stroller walks today, which we will be able to do a few more days, until AUGtober returns next week, albeit for just a few days. Then SOGGtober will cool things off. Hana loves both kinds of walks.

HANA’S NOTE- Papa had to go out somewhere tonight. I wish he could have stayed home.

(I went to help clean up, after a Baha’i Regional Conference.)

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Nebraska- I have visited and crossed the Cornhusker State, six times. My first was in 1979, for a visit to Scotts Bluff National Monument, then across to Omaha. In 1984, we stopped at Crazy Horse’s gravesite, at Fort Robinson Historic Site, Crawford and visited the Omaha Reservation, in Macy. In 1997, we came across and stopped at Henry Doorly Zoo, to visit the rainforest, as Aram was nine and had interest in that environment.. It happened that he left his plastic Batmobile on the ledge of the rear window. It was 104 that day. So long, Batmobile. Traveling solo, I’ve stopped in North Platte, York and Lincoln, since 2011.

The Turf- The Sand Hills and the southern third of Pine Ridge cover Nebraska’s western half. Dissected Till Plains, left after the glaciers retreated, cover the eastern portion.Nebraska is drained by the Missouri, Niobrara, Platte and Republican Rivers. along with their tributaries. The Missouri separates Nebraska from Iowa.

First Nations-Nebraska is the ancestral home of the Oglala Sioux, Santee Sioux, Otoe, Winnebago, Omaha, Sac and Fox, Pawnee and Ponca peoples. The Ponca were forced to move to Oklahoma, in 1877. This was challenged by the Ponca leaders, in court, and in 1879, Standiing Bear vs. Crook was decided in favour of the Ponca. Today, they have a small reservation in Knox County. Not all relations between tribes were peaceful. The Sioux and Pawnee clashed repeatedly, in the early 1870s, over hunting rights. In 1873, a party of Sioux warriors attacked a band of Pawnees, at what is now called Massacre Canyon. As many as 150 Pawnees, mostly women and children, died in the attack. While occasional clashes took place until 1875, there were no further such massacres, though it was not until 1925 that the Pawnee and Sioux smoked the pipe of peace.

Where I feel most at home- Macy, Lincoln, Big Springs, North Platte, Big Springs, Scottsbluff

Where I feel most at peace- Scotts Bluff National Monument; Golden Spike National Monument, Nebraska National Forest (Chadron)

NEXT: Kansas

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 17

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

October 8, 2026- Hana has increased her level of walking activity. She is insistent on at least three complete circuits of the first floor, in an afternoon. The playpen is satisfying to her for about an hour at a time and that’s the limit. She likes certain books, especially “Len Lion’s Wobbly Tooth”, which is ironic, because of her four lateral incisors-top and bottom, erupting in the past two weeks. She proudly showed me her bottom laterals, this afternoon.

My granddaughter has set a limit on how much food she will eat. She generally will eat a full meal, if there has been no bottle for at least two hours. If the meal comes too soon after a bottle, then Hana will eat 2/3 to 3/4 of the solid meal and put her spoon down, in a way that says “I’m done.” Her mother accepts that and we go on with our day. There is certainly no lag in Hana’s energy!

HANA’S NOTE– I like walking around the house and seeing new things, each time. My mommy showed me a pair of slipper shoes, that she says I can wear this winter.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: South Dakota- Somehow, the Coyote State is one of my favourites, outside of the five Southwestern states. The Black Hills play a big part in that, but I also like Sioux Falls, for the hospitality shown me, on my three visits there. I’ve been across South Dakota about a dozen times.

The Turf- The Black Hills occupy the southwest of South Dakota, with the Badlands and high grasslands occupying the rest of the region west of the Missouri River. East of the Missouri is mostly short grass prairie. South Dakota is drained by the Missouri, which runs north to south, and by the Belle Fourche, Grande, White, Cheyenne, James, Big Sioux and Vermillion Rivers, with their tributaries.

First Nations- South Dakota is the ancestral home of the Sioux Nation, who are organized into eight tribes across the state and the Oyate people, of the Sisseton Reservation.The Sioux, Santee and Cheyenne, across the northern Great Plains, fought with the U.S. Army cavalry over the period 1862-1866. The Great Sioux Reservation was the temporary result of these conflicts. In 1876-77, warriors led by Chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse fought with the U.S. Army, in order to defend the sacred Black Hills. The Sioux and Cheyenne warriors were eventually defeated. In 1890, the Ghost Dance movement, started by Paiute medicine man Wevoka, reached the Sioux Reservations. Many people adopted the way of Ghost Dance, which predicted that the whites would be buried by a new layer of soil, while the grass and the bison would return, with the ghosts of Native Americans suspended in mid-air. The U.S. Government regarded this as a doctrine of terror, and moved to crush the Ghost Dance. When a Miniconju warrior at Wounded Knee Creek refused to surrender his rifle to the Cavalry, a shot rang out and the soldiers sprayed the camp with rounds from a Hotchkiss rifle, killing 300 men, women and children. Wounded Knee remains a place of sorrow. In 1973, Richard Wilson, a conservative who was Chairman of the Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux Tribe, outlasted an impeachment trial, on charges of corruption. Traditional Oglala leaders appealed to the American Indian Movement for assistance, in removing Wilson. Nearly 200 Lakota, accompanied by AIM members, occupied the town of Wounded Knee, for 71 days. Acts of violence resulted in the deaths of five activists and at least two FBI agents. After the death of activist Buddy Lamont, a truce was negotiated, and AIM withdrew. Problems stemming from Wilson’s autocratic governing style were blamed for 64 deaths, even after the end of the occupation. Wilson was defeated for re-election in 1976.

Where I most feel at home- Sioux Falls, Deadwod, Custer, Wanblee, Wall, Vermillion

Where I most feel at peace- Black Elk Peak, Badlands

NEXT- Nebraska

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 16

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Posted by on in children, Community, Family, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

October 7, 2026- We used a new, higher-riding stroller for the first time, today. Hana sits facing me and thus can express herself more. She sings as we walk and lets me know more directly, if the sun is bothering her, so I pull the canopy down further. We took an old route through Hoblitzelle Park, that I had been avoiding for several months, as the rear-facing stroller had her heading into the sun, on that route.

Back at the house, we took a couple of walks around the first floor. She spent a fair amount of time at the bookshelf, as she was particularly interested in “Len Lion’s Wobbly Tooth”, which she thumbed through and looked at for several minutes. We then continued to the kitchen, where she managed to open the door to a cabinet. She wasn’t interested in the pots and pans that were inside. It was enough to be able to open the door.

HANA’S NOTE-Papa said I had a top knot after my shower tonight. It is something to do with how my hair looked after Mommy dried it with a towel.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: North Dakota- The Peace Garden State is the only one in which I have never driven, having made one visit, in 1987, whilst on a bus from Seattle to Chicago. It was February, there was a blizzard happening and the three stops-Dickinson, Bismarck and Fargo, were quite short. I’d gladly go back someday, for a more appropriate visit.

The Turf- Badlands cover the southwest fourth of the state. The area due north and east of the Badlands is Great Plains. In the center of the state, the Missouri Plateau, with the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Hills separating it from the Red River Valley, which occupies the eastern part of North Dakota. The state is drained by the Red River of the North,the Misouri and Souris Rivers, and their tributaries. As in other Great Plains and Prairie states, North Dakota has seen its share of floods, especially in Spring.

First Nations- North Dakota is the ancestral home of the Siouan(Dakota, Lakota and Nakota), Mandan, Arikara, Hidatsa, Chippewa(Ojibwe) and Oyate peoples. While there were no major skirmishes between Native peoples and settlers in North Dakota, per se, during the 19th Century, the Battles of Little Big Horn, in neighbouring Montana and Wounded Knee, in South Dakota affected the Siouan nations in the north, as large reservations were broken up across the Plains region. Conflict has taken place over an oil pipeline that passes through Standing Rock Reservation, home to many Siouan people. The demonstrations against the pipeline, in the 2010s, failed to stop its development. The events did, however, spur efforts to decrease reliance on oil and gas in First Nations communities, with several renewable energy initiatives being brought into being.

Where I most feel at home-Dickinson, Mandan

Where I most feel at peace-the Badlands

Future Five- International Peace Garden, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Bismarck, Standing Rock, Turtle Mountains

NEXT: South Dakota

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 13

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

October 4, 2026- Hana and I were about halfway through our walk, when the raindrops started falling on my head. She was safe under the canopy of the stroller. I had an umbrella, so up it went and we were at a turnaround point, anyway. By the time we got back to the border between Hoblitzelle Park and the middle school, the rain had stopped. Hana complained. I think she was enjoying the plink on her stroller’s canopy.

Yunhee received a cloth globe, as an early birthday gift. Hana was drawn to the bright colours of the different countries and states. The print was a bit too small to keep her interest very long, though. Also, the cloth was a bit too rough. My granddaughter prefers smooth.

HANA’S NOTE- I was so excited this afternoon, that I stayed awake and got myself all tired out and dizzy. I fell down and bumped my pride, more than my body. I need to go to bed.

(So, she did, right at 7 pm.)

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Idaho – The Gem State has greeted me five times. In 1982, Penny and I stopped briefly in Blackfoot and Idaho Falls, mostly to have a picnic lunch and for her to stop at a K-Mart. I made transit passages through Idaho in 1972 and in 1987. In 2015, I came down from Spokane and explored a bit of northwest Idaho, crossing back into Oregon, after a brief visit to Snake River Gorge. My last visit, in 2022, was a bit serendipitous. There are two towns named St. Anthony, in North America. One is in Newfoundland. The other, in Idaho. Whilst in Newfoundland, I made a reservation for a room at an inn, in St.Anthony. I did not notice that it was in St. Anthony, ID. After some back and forth, I was given the opportunity to stay there, “within a year’s time.” I chose to combine that stay with one of my forays up to Nevada. That was in October of that year.

The turf- Southern Idaho is a blend of rugged high desert (Great Basin) and the Snake River Plain, th estate’s breadbasket. Central Idaho is mountainous, as is the northeast. The northwest, including the Panhandle is a mix of forested mountains, deep blue lakes and the eastern sector of the Palouse.- an arid high plain.

First Nations-Idaho is the ancestral home of the Kunaxa(“ku-na-ha), also called Kootenai, Nez Perce, Shoshone-Bannock, Coeur d’Alene (Skitswish), and Shoshone-Paiute peoples. Conflicts with settlers, principally instigated by miners, included the Coeur d’Alene War, the “Snake” Wars (1,762 people killed altogether), the Bear River Massacre (250 Native people were killed). These costly wars ended with First Nations people being placed on reservations, such as Fort Hall, near Blackfoot; Nez Perce, between Coeur d’Alene and Lewiston; and Duck Valley, on the border with Nevada. I knew and worked with a Shsohone-Paiute woman from Duck Valley, while I was at Jeddito School. She was an elegant and principled lady, well-spoken and offered her students a good education. Alas, she died before her time.

Where I most feel at home- St. Anthony, Craters of the Moon, Boise, Moscow, Lewiston

Where I most feel at peace- Craters of the Moon, Snake River Canyon

NEXT: Wyoming

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 12

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Posted by on in children, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

October 3, 2026- My granddaughter noticed my thumb resting on the wall of the changing table, just above her head. She reached up and moved it away from its rest. Hana is establishing her boundaries. She does not want her space to be crowded by any of us, at certain times of day. It seems to be both an early morning, “Give me space to wake up” and a late in the day, “Leave me alone; I’ve had it.” We three will honour those feelings and will teach her how to deal with those who won’t.

We all went back to Fairview Farmers, for another breakfast. This time, we took a table in the shaded outdoor section, and were the first ones there. In short order, seven more parties arrived, giving Hana much to look around and watch. She was for a time, however, very much interested in studying the menu, opening it up and examining the inside pages. Printed pages, with graphics, are her delight.

I have heard the term, “Big Personality”, used to describe outgoing, expressive people. Penny was certainly in that category, as was her father-and mine, for that matter. Hana also is coming to fit the bill, as well.

HANA’S NOTE- I like to see how letters are put together. My grownups can make sounds with them. I want to do the same.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Oregon- I’ve made six trips to the series of delights that is this land of four terrains. Portland is often criticized for being a wild, semi-civilized place, but I have had only pleasant experiences there. The Coast, the Willamette Valley, Cascades and high desert likewise have their unique gems.

The turf:The Beaver State, like its northern and southern neighbours, Washington and California, has a moist, rocky and forested coast, bordered to the east by the Cascade Mountains, which then give way to the arid Columbia Plateau and Great Basin. Oregon is drained by the Columbia, Klaskanine, Youngs, Wallooskee, John Day, Clatskanie, Willamette, Clackamas, Collawash, Tualitin, Molalla, Yamhill, Luckiamute, Santiam, Calapooia, Marys, Roaring, McKenzie, Blue, Sandy, Hood, Deschutes, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Klamath, Coquille, Umpqua, Chetco, Rogue, Applegate, New, Smith, Sixes, Coos, Siltcoos, Suislaw,Yachats, Alsea, Yaquina,Silets, Salmon, Tillamook, Trask,Nehalem, Necanicum Owyhee,Powder, Malheur, Imnaha and Snake Rivers, along with hundreds of tributary creeks and streams.

First Nations- Oregon is the ancestral home of 25 Nations, the largest of which are the Upper Umpqua, Chinook, Umatilla, Siletz, Klamath, and Shasta peoples. The racism and ignorance of some settlers, and their leaders, in the period 1845-1860, led to the Linn Massacre of 1849 and the Rogue River Wars of 1844-56. Jingoistic “Indian agents” and a demagogic governor, George Law Curry, whipped up fear among the settlers, exacerbating the Rogue River conflict. Curry also raised an Oregon militia to fight alongside Federal troops, during the Yakima War, in neighboring Washington Territory. By the time the Rogue River conflict ended, in June, 1856, 100 First Nations people and 94 Whites lay dead. Reservations were established, across Oregon. Several have been “terminated”, by an Act of Congress, but First Nations people retain water and fishing rights.

Where I feel most at home- Bandon, Astoria, Brookings, Portland, Salem. Culver, Jordan Valley, Rogue River Gorge, Crater Lake.

Where I fell most at peace- Portland Chinatown, Smith Rock, Azalea Park (Brookings), Oregon Dunes, Sea Lion Caves, Pillars of Rome

NEXT: We leave the Pacific states and look to the Northwest Interior, and Idaho

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 11

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, Community, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

October 2, 2026- Hana and I took a longer walk today-2 miles, round trip, going along a paved path in Hoblitzelle Park that passes Hedgecoxe Elementary School and followed the connecting street to its junction with Hedgecoxe Road. There, at the corner, was Montessori Children’s House. So, I noted to my granddaughter that we had passed two possible schools in her future. She was happy; probably because of the delight in my voice.

Later in the afternoon, Hana showed interest in a book I am reading on a more esoteric subject. She noted the two people on the cover, also feeling how smooth the cover was. Then she opened the book and was looking carefully at some charts and graphs. I explained what those were, in very simple terms. She continued looking at the printed pages, for nearly fifteen minutes. I read the title of the book and the authors’ names to her, a couple of times. This is consistent with her keen interest in books, whether they are simple cloth books, pop-ups or more detailed volumes.

HANA’S NOTE- I like Papa helping me with my breakfast and lunch, but i want Mommy to be home and help me with dinner. Papa lets me wait for her, which is nice.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Washington State-The Evergreen State, like northern California, is a place of enormous contrast. I’ve enjoyed all parts of the state, in five different visits.

The Turf- Western Washington, especially the Olympic Peninsula, is covered by rain forest, and along with southeast Alaska, is one of the wettest parts of the mainland United States. Islands fill the Straits of Juan de Fuca, which separates Washington from Vancouver Island, and Puget Sound, between the Olympic Peninsula and the Seattle area. East of Puget Sound are the foothills of the Northern Cascades. Seattle has some of the sharpest elevation grades of any American city, rivaling San Francisco., East of Metro, the Northern Cascades rise in earnest. Beyond the Cascades, the Columbia Plateau is semi-arid, getting almost desert-like in the southeast corner, known as the Palouse. North of the plateau, the Columbia Mountains extend nearly to Spokane, ameliorating the dry conditions that are prevalent in the southeast of the state. Washington is drained by the Columbia, Snake, Skagit, Toppenish,Snohomish, Cascade, Sauk, Snoqualmie, Sammamish, Duwamish, Puyallup, Nisqually, Okanagan, Cowlitz,Yakima, Spokane, Chelan and Wenatchee Rivers, among nearly 300 divers, streams and creeks,

First Nations- Washington State is the ancestral home of 29 First Nations. The largest of these are the Colville, Cowlitz, Lummi, Makah, Muckleshoot, Nooksack, Port Gamble(Kitsap), Puyallup, Quinault, Spokane, Swinomish, Tulalip and Yakama. In the 1850s, a four-year, territory-wide war between the Yakama and their affiliated nations on the one hand, and the U.S. Army, the Territorial Governments of Washington and Oregon, and the Snoqaulmie Nation, on the other, was sparked by the wanton murder of two Yakama women and an infant, by a party of drunken miners, followed by the husband and father of the victims killing a government emissary and several settlers. The conflict resulted in the establishment of reservations for the Yakama, Spokane and Walla Walla people. Relations between Native and white people today are generally peaceful.

Where I feel most at home- Tacoma, Olympia, Quinault, Neah Bay, Forks, Port Angeles, Spokane, Pullman, Goldendale.

Where I feel most at peace- Neah Bay, Goldendale

NEXT: Oregon