Tag Archives: developmental skills,

The Hana Chronicles: Month 10, Day 22

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Posted by on in children, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Travel

November 12, 2026- Hana had an idea about the shelf that holds several story books. She likes to take books off the shelf, but realizes that I don’t like it when either her mother or i have to pick them up off the floor. So, she handed them to me, one or two at a time, in rather staccato fashion. I don’t mind that little game. It gives her a way to build hand-eye coordination and also is a co-operative activity.

She has also started speaking words and short phrases in Korean, while interacting with her mother. Yunhee was taken aback, at first, but she is rather pleased. The words will start to come more readily now, in both languages.

HANA’S NOTE- I am almost ready to walk by myself. I can get up from sitting, without help, so it won’t be long.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Nova Scotia- I was drawn to Nova Scotia by the presence of an active Baha’i community of Mi’kmaq believers, one of whom has been an online friend of several years. Before I was a Baha’i, in 1973, I spent the night in New Glasgow, just inland from the Northumberland Strait. The place enchanted me, if only because I happened upon a small community of poets and musicians=always a comfort. I have been back to Nova Scotia twice since then, both times mainly to visit with the Baha’is of Eskasoni, on Unama’ki, or Cape Breton Island. Of course, I have also taken in the northern, “Celtic” side of the island, and its National Park. Eskasoni, and Bras d’ Or Lake have nonetheless set the tone for what felt like a homecoming.

The Turf: Nova Scotia is largely a peninsula, attached to North America by the Isthmus of Chignecto. The entire province lies within the Appalachian Mountains, with the Annapolis Valley along the Bay of Fundy, the southwest coast, and southern Cape Breton as lowlands. The Cobequid Range and the bulk of Cape Breton are the most rugged parts of Nova Scotia. The coastline, except along the Bay of Fundy, is almost invariably rocky. Nova Scotia is drained by the Annapolis, Gaspereau, Hebert, Avon, Stewiacke, Shelburne, Sackville, St.Mary’s, Margaree, Baddeck and Pictou Rivers, as well as their tributaries. The province, being comprised of a peninsula and a large island, is bounded on three sides by water: Gulf of Maine, Bay of Fundy, Bay of Chignecto, Northumberland Strait, Cabot Strait, Gulf of St. Lawrence and North Atlantic Ocean.

First Nations-Nova Scotia is the ancestral home of the Mi’kmaq people. The Mi’kmaq, along with the Maliseet and Passamaquoddy, signed a series of friendship treaties with Great Britain, during the Eighteenth Century. These treaties were not recognized by the Canadian government, with respect to hunting and fishing rights, until 1985. The Mi’kmaq have largely regained their cultural rights, including the right to speak their Native Language, over the past fifty years. Today, there are 15 First Nations Reserves for Mi’kmaq people, throughout Nova Scotia.

Where I most feel at home- Eskasaoni, Whycocomagh, New Glasgow, Margaree, Bras d’Or, Amherst

Where I most feel at peace- Eskasoni, Ingonish Beach, Whycocomagh

Future Five- Kejimkujik, Halifax, Yarmouth, Cape Canso, Louisbourg

NEXT: Newfoundland and Labrador (+ St. Perre & Miquelon)

The Hana Chronicles: Month 10, Day 20

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

November 10, 2026- Hana has a few preferences for after lunch: She wants to walk around the house, at least twice, and play “hide and seek”, which means she hides behind a curtain, I call for her and she peeks out to let me know where she is. She also wants to look at a couple of books and for me to read one of them, for which she may or may not sit still. After all that, she is ready for a nap.

She is beginning to understand the value of neatness. After pulling things off a shelf, she goes through them and either puts a few of them back, or gives them to me to put back. She is also less prone to putting things into her mouth.

HANA’S NOTE- While we were out walking, I was feeling a bit sad. papa let me hold his sunglasses, and that made everything better.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: New Brunswick- Canada was home to my paternal forebears, so it is a natural draw for me, when making journeys of exploration. New Brunswick, Atlantic Canada’s border province, was settled by my paternal grandfather’s forebears. Their home base was Shediac, on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, northeast of Moncton. I’ve been to New Brunswick ten times, first visiting St. Stephen and Fredericton, in 1973. I made it to Shediac in 2024.

The Turf: New Brunswick’s north country is covered by the Appalachian Mountains-in three segments: The Notre Dame Mountains, in the far north; Chaleur Uplands, east of the Notre Dame; and Miramichi Highlands, just south of the two. Plains alternate with rolling hills, in the southwest of the province. The southeast has lowlands that alternate with the Caledonia Highlands. The central and eastern areas of New Brunswick are lowlands. The province is drained by the Saint John, Petitcodiac, Miramichi, Richibucto, Restigouche, St. Crox, and Nashwaak Rivers, and their tributaries. These rivers eventually flow into New Brunswick’s marine neighbours: Chaleur Bay, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Northumberland Strait, Chignecto Bay, Bay of Fundy and Passamaquoddy Bay.

First Nations- New Brunswick is the ancestral home of the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet (Wolastoquiyik) peoples. The Mi’kmaq got on well with the early French explorers and fur trappers, in the 17th and 18th Centuries. They had tense relations with the English, especially with the Loyalists who settled New Brunswick, after the American Revolution. There were serious abuses of indigenous children in New Brunswick, as elsewhere in Canada, when it came to their being placed in boarding schools, where they were not alowed to speak their native languages or uphold cultural traditions. A concerted effort is being made to address those abuses, at both the provincial and Federal levels. Logistically, Mi’kmaq and Maliseet communities are organized into reserves, of which there are fifteen in New Brunswick.

Where I feel most at home: Moncton, Shediac, Edmundston, Saint John, Sackville

Where I feel most at peace- Wolastoq Park (Saint John), Shediac, Fundy National Park

NEXT: Prince Edward Island

The Hana Chronicles: Month 10, Day 19

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

November 9, 2026- It was overcast today, so I was able to leave the canopy retracted on the stroller. letting Hana see things like the big Turkey Pilgrim, on one of the side streets near Legacy Boulevard. She was also able to get a better sense of the neighbourhoods through which we walked. My granddaughter is still a bit skittish, when going into unfamiliar areas, but she adjusts quickly, as long as I tell her it’s okay .

Hana spent much of the day wanting to be close to my side or in my arms. She is, though, better able to play independently, when we go up to her future room. She only comes to me there, when she is getting tired. She also “talked” a blue streak today, even looking at some small books and “reading” what she saw. This may work well, when it comes time for her to learn to read.

HANA’S NOTE- When we went outside, this afternoon, there were some kids kicking a ball, with two men helping them. One man was very loud and kept yelling. Papa said he was probably just excited.

EXPANDING CIRCLES:Maine- My paternal ancestors include members of the Penobscot Nation, on my grandmother’s side. This makes Maine as much a part of my ancestral homelands as Upstate New York or eastern Missouri. The Pine Tree State is home to several of my extended family. It was my home for two years, in the mid-1970s.. I have been back there, about 20 times, since moving westward, in 1978.

The Turf: The Mahoosuc Range and Appalachian Highlands cover Maine’s west central and north central regions, and are often considered the most difficult terrain along the Appalachian Trail, whose traditional northern terminus is atop Mt. Katahdin. As elsewhere in Maine, the western mountains are the result of intense glacial activity, during the last Ice Age. So, too, with the Central Uplands, which feature two of Maine’s larger lakes, Moosehead and Chamberlain. Several isolated mountains, or monadnocks, are found throughout the Central Uplands. At the southern end of the Uplands are several smaller lakes, such as Sebago, Kezar and the Belgrades. North of the Uplands lies the Aroostook Plain, a flat and very fertile area, which is well-suited for growing potatoes and bets. The Coast features sandy beaches in the southern area of York County, granite headlands and islands along the Midcoast, from Portland to Ellsworth. Islands like Mount Desert, Matinicus and Beals are the remnants of mountains, which were weighted down by the Laurentian Shield and submerged when the glaciers retreated and the Atlantic Ocean surged inland. Mount Desert Island has an actual fjord: Somes Sound. Maine is drained by the Piscataqua, Androscoggin, Kennebec, St. Croix, St.John, Aroostook, Machias, Narraguagus, Penobscot, Piscataquis, St.George, Presumpscot, and Saco Rivers, as well as by their tributaries.

First Nations: Maine is the ancestral home of the Mi’kmaq, Abenaki, Peskotomuhkati (Passamaquoddy), Maliseet, Pequawket, Pennacook and Panawahpskek(Penobscot) peoples. The Abenaki were allied with the French and with the forces of Metacomet (King Philip) during the French and Indian Wars, from 1670-1763. Much of their animosity stemmed from the English practice of kidnapping Abenaki men and selling them into slavery, in Spain. Decimation of the populace, due to European-introduced diseases also contributed to the tension. Today, the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Mi’kmaq and Maliseet have Federally-recognized reservations in Maine. In 1980, the State of Maine also recognized the four nations, though it also secured control over natural resources on tribal lands. This has dampened the economies of the First Nations of Maine, making them more dependent on the State.

Where I feel most at home: Boothbay Harbor, York, Eliot, Dexter, Kingfield, Bangor, Jonesboro

Where I feel most at peace: Castine, Boothbay Harbor, Cadillac Mountain, Jonesboro.

NEXT:The Pine Tree State is the last of the states about which I am writing in this series, Going forward, I will write about the places from which Hana’s forebears came to the United States, starting with Canada. Korea will follow, then all the European nations from which Penny’s and my ancestors came. I will start with New Brunswick.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 10, Day 18

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

November 8, 2026- Hana and I worked on puzzles, this afternoon. They were a farm animal puzzle and a dinosaur puzzle. I put the pieces in the puzzle and she took them back out again. She especially liked to hold a sheep and a horse. When I told her the sounds these animals make, she copied my sounds.

Hana’s day with her parents was also very vocal. She “makes a case” for us letting her eat chocolate and sip coffee. Neither is going to happen, any time soon, but I give her credit for trying. She enjoyed playing with Yunhee, in her future bedroom.

A small group of kids, who were visiting our downstreet neighbour, were playing kickball, in the cul-de-sac. It does my heart good to see this. When I was a child, the street and all the nearby yards and fields were ours to roam. To the greatest extent possible, I want to see that again.

HANA’S NOTE- I am starting to recognize the animals that Papa shows me in books and on the puzzles. I like to make groups of animals that look the same.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: New Hampshire- The Granite State was our vacation spot, along with Cape Cod, for the first seventeen years of my life. There was a comfort of sorts, in knowing we would have three or four days in the White Mountains or somewhere in the vicinity of Lake Winnepesaukee. I loved The Flume and Old Man of the Mountain, a granite outcropping, that sadly collapsed, about ten years ago. My first overnight camping trip was on Mount Chocorua and I have been to the top of Mt. Washington, three times. The beaches also bring fond memories: Kingston and Hampton, especially. Several extended family members live in various parts of New Hampshire.

The Turf: The southwest of the state is covered by rolling hills and a rough plain, from which rises Mount Monadnock. The central part of the state is covered by lakes, the largest of which are Winnepesaukee, Umbagog and Sunapee.. The southeast is a riparian plain, with a short seacoast in the very east. The White Mountains lie to the north of the Lakes Region, and are an extension of the Appalachian Mountains, entering from Vermont and continuing on into Maine. Far northern New Hampshire is thick forest-even using the moniker, Great North Woods. New Hampshire is drained by the Connecticut River, (which rises out of the Connecticut Lakes, near Pittsburg.), as well as by the Merrimack, Piscataqua and Salmon Falls Rivers, along with their tributaries.

First Nations-New Hampshire is the ancestral home of the Abenaki and Pennacook peoples. The people suffered mainly from disease, when coming into contact with Europeans, in the Seventeenth Century. The tribespeople largely moved away from New Hampshire, or intermingled with the Europeans. Clashes between the two groups were not as common, or as severe, as conflicts in Massachusetts or New York. There are no First Nations communities in New Hampshire, in the present day.

Where I feel most at home: Portsmouth, Kingston, Hampton, Manchester, North Conway, Franconia, Mount Washington.

Where I feel most at peace: Franconia, Alton Bay, Kankamagus Highway

NEXT: Maine

The Hana Chronicles: Month 10, Day 17

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

November 7, 2026- Hana celebrated having her mother back, by crawling all over her, as they were together in the playpen. They also took a mother-daughter stroller walk, around Hoblitzelle Park. By early afternoon,they were both exhausted, but Yunhee fell asleep first. So, Papa got Hana lulled to sleep, and I held her for the better part of two hours, including giving her the afternoon feeding.

Aram was off on Navy Reserve business, so I was keeping myself around the house, for the very reason that Yunhee would need a second pair of hands, after her own long trip, yesterday. When Aram returned, this evening, and we had dinner, he wondered aloud as to how much Hana understands of our conversations. I said she likely understands more than he might think. Hana chortled at that, as if to say: “You have no idea.”

HANA’S NOTE– I am trying to stay one step ahead of my grownups. It’s not easy, since they have been where I am, which Mommy never tires of reminding me.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Vermont- The Green Mountain State has been on my route, about a dozen times. I first went to Vermont in 1969, just before entering the Army. A brief drive through Vernon and Brattleboro was shortened by my having to lose some locals who were tailing me. The next time I passed through was on a bus from Boston to Montreal, in 1972. We stopped in White River Junction and in Burlington. I would have more leisurely and more pleasant visits to Bennington, Bellows Falls, Rutland and St. Johnsbury, whilst studying at the University of Massachusetts. Since 2011, I’ve been through Vermont while making return trips from Maine to Arizona, and cutting across to the Tri-Cities of New York, through Bennington.

The Turf- Most of Vermont is mountainous. The Taconic Range covers the southwest portion of the state, while its central and eastern portions are the province of the Green Mountains, and thus, the state’s nickname. (The Long Trail runs 273 miles, along the spine of the great mountain chain, which runs north-south and intersects with the Appalachians, as they veer off into New Hampshire.) The Champlain Valley is a lowland region, bordering Lake Champlain, in the northwest of Vermont. It is the location of the state’s largest population centers and much of its agriculture.Vermont is drained by the Connecticut, White, Missisquoi, Lamoille and Winooski Rivers. It shares Lake Champlain with New York and Quebec, and Lake Memphremagog, with the latter.

First Nations- Vermont is the ancestral home of the Abenaki, Mahican and Pennacook peoples. The indigenous peoples suffered greatly from diseases brought by the French and British settlers. The French brought Abenaki warriors into their fold, during the French and Indian Wars- 1688-1763. Many of the Abenaki left the area, once Vermont broke off from New York and became a state, in 1791. Those who stayed, gained State recognition as three Abenaki communities: Missisquoi, Nulhegan(Coosuc) and Elnu. The Mazipskwik Community is not state-recognized, but maintains Abenaki traditions.

Where I most feel at home- Bennington, Burlington, Springfield.

Where I most feel at peace- Springfield

NEXT: New Hampshire

The Hana Chronicles: Month 10, Day 14

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

November 4, 2026- Hana likes to brush her own teeth. She also insists on holding the round container of brushes, with a picture of a baby on it, while taking her evening bottle. I don’t see any harm in it, so I play along. I do make sure to give her teeth a once over, after she has “finished” her own brushing.

Her mother is away for three days, as part of her work. Hana seems to understand at some level and isn’t showing anxiety, the way she did when Yunhee was working 45 minutes away. If anything, my granddaughter is showing more signs of independence, playing by herself more happily in the playpen, or in her upstairs room. Of course, I am right there in the same room.

HANA’S NOTE- Papa helped Daddy and me with my bath and putting on my pajamas tonight. Then, he went to a meeting somewhere. He was carrying a black bag.*

  • I went to Baha’i Feast, where I presented the news from the Local Spiritual Assembly, so I brought my laptop with me, and read off it.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Connecticut- The Nutmeg State has seen me about 25 times, since my parents took us down there in 1958, to see some paternal relatives in Stamford. Each road trip, either from Virginia or from Arizona, has involved either I-95 or I-84, through Hartford. South Windsor, Danbury and Killingworth have been overnight stops, as has the capital. Connecticut is by turns bustling and serene.

The Turf- Northwest Connecticut contains part of the Appalachian Mountains, known as the Taconic Range. The Connecticut Valley Lowland lies in the center of the state. The Coastal Lowlands run along the southern shore of Connecticut, which borders Long Island Sound. The Eastern New England Uplands cover the eastern part of Connecticut. The state is drained by the Connecticut, Yantic, Niantic, Scantic, Thames and Farmington Rivers, as well their tributaries.

First Nations- Connecticut is the ancestral home of a large number of Indigenous Peoples: The Wiechquaesgeck, Pequannocks, Paugusett, Pootatuck, Schaghticoke, Mohican, Tunxis, Quinnipiac, Hammonassett, West Niantic, Wangunk, Agawam, Podunk, Nipmuc, and Mohegan-Pequot peoples. These tribes suffered dramatic losses, through disease and warfare, caused by the pressures of European colonization. Several of the tribes merged or took in survivors of intertribal conflict or war with the English. Today, the Mashantucket Pequot and the Mohegans are the last remaining Federally-recognized tribes in Connecticut. Both are in southeast Connecticut.

Where I most feel at home- Danbury, Killingworth, Newtown, Bethel

Where I most feel at peace- Killingworth, Bethel

NEXT: Rhode Island

The Hana Chronicles: Month 10, Day 12

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

November 2, 2026- Hana pointed at the United States, on the cloth globe, and babbled a question. I took the opportunity to point out Texas, then run my finger westward across the country and the Pacific ocean, to South Korea. I told her that was where her mother is from. One never knows what can settle in little minds.

My granddaughter got a good report from one of her doctors today. She is progressing very well. I pretty much come to the same conclusion, each day. She is fairly intuitive, likes compliments and has a feistiness about her, with a healthy sense of humour.

HANA’S NOTE– I was happy when I went to the doctor. He didn’t say much; just that I am strong.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: New Jersey- The Garden State gave me a wife and a stellar extended family. At Longmeadow Farm, in Pluckemin, my love for horses was rekindled and I came to know New Jersey as far more than a land of industrial cities and crowded beaches. Central New Jersey is as fine an equestrian country as any in the world.

The Turf: Northwest New Jersey is covered by the Appalachian Mountains, locally known as the Kittatinny Range. An area known simply as The Highlands falls east of the mountains, and includes the Ramapo Range. Piedmont runs south and east of The Highlands. This is prime horse country, and is where Longmeadow Farm was located. It is also where most of the state’s industrial centers are found. South and east of the Piedmont lies the Inner Coastal Plain, New Jersey’s Garden region. The outer coastal plain contains the Pine Barrens, a large wetland that is prime berry growing country. It also contains most of the Jersey Shore, with its celebrated beaches and barrier islands. New Jersey is drained by the Delaware, Passaic, Hackensack, Hudson, Raritan, Musconetcong and Mullica Rivers, along with their tributaries.

First Nations: New Jersey is the ancestral home of the Unami, Minisink and Unalachtigo peoples, all regarded as Lenni Lenape. Most of the Lenni Lenape left New Jersey, following colonial expansion in the 1740s, yet small communities still live in Vineland, Bridgeton, Rancocas and Mahwah.

Where I most feel at home- Pluckemin, Princeton, Califon, Vineland, Barnegat, Teaneck, Morristown

Where I most feel at peace- Teaneck, Barnegat, Pluckemin

NEXT: New York

The Hana Chronicles: Month 10, Day 10

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

October 31, 2026- Hana didn’t “do Halloween”. Some parents bring their infants and toddlers around, in strollers and such, dressed in costumes that fit their parents’ whimsy. Her parents chose to put an oversized pumpkin sweatshirt on her and take two pictures-early this afternoon. By the time trick or treaters started coming to our cul-de-sac, though, Hana was asleep. We had 26 people come by and put a huge dent in our candy stash, which made my manning the table outside worthwhile.

My granddaughter likes to make “whooping” sounds, babbling while running the back of her hand up and down. I’m not sure what prompted this, but it is a fun thing for her. Our only rule is not to do it at the table. She is still in the finger food and messy stage, but she can learn a table manner or two, and she seems to understand that it is not polite to “whoop” at mealtime.

It was a good day for Hana, though. She went on a long walk with her Mommy and Daddy, and we all walked and played with her around the house. The upstairs, especially her future bedroom and the common room, is more becoming her favourite part of the house. Hana is already outgrowing the playpen.

HANA’S NOTE- I felt like a big kid, when I had on the orange onesie with no snaps. It had a pumpkin on the back.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Delaware- The First State must have felt quite lonely, a placeholder for the Constitution of the United States, until it was joined by its much larger neighbour, Pennsylvania, a few months after ratifying the great document.

I have been in, or through, Delaware only five times. The first was on a train, through Wilmington, in 1969. I’ve driven through the northern tip of the state, three other times. In 2019, I drove from south to north, stopping to take in the Federal period ambiance of Dover,Delaware’s capital, which sits in the center of the state.

The Turf-Northernmost Delaware is Piedmont, with rolling hills, Most of the state, however, is Coastal Plain. Delaware is drained by the Delaware, Nanticoke, Indian, and Mispillion Rivers, as well as Brandywine Creek. Delaware Bay borders the state on the east.

First Nations- Delaware is the ancestral home of the Unami Lenape (Delaware) and Nanticoke peoples. Both are recognized as tribes by the State of Delaware. The Lenape chose to move westward, after repeated clashes with Dutch and Swedish settlers, in the 1750s. The Nanticoke, living near what is now Seaford, followed suit, about ten years later. There are no Federally-recognized tribes living in Delaware, at present.

Where I most feel at home- Bridgeville, Dover, Newark

Where I most feel at peace- Bridgeville

NEXT: On to the Northeast, and Pennsylvania

The Hana Chronicles: Month 10, Day 9

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

October 30, 2026- Hana cried when she watched me getting adjusted at the chiropractor, this afternoon. She stopped when she saw that I was okay. I told her that the doctor was a good person, who helps us stay strong. She comes with me when Yunhee has a tight schedule, as she did today.

When we got home from Frisco, Hana wanted to go for a stroller walk, so we did our medium loop to the middle of Hoblitzelle Park, and looped back around, past the middle school. She was satisfied with that and I gave her some vegetable pieces,which she ate ravenously.

I carved a pumpkin I had bought earlier in the week, but by evening, the whole thing had collapsed. I went and got another pumpkin, that was not on its last moments. Hana saw me carve both pumpkins. She is seeing persistence, in a way.

HANA’S NOTE-Mommy wasn’t home when we got back from Papa’s doctor. We went all over the house, looking for her, then Papa saw a note on his phone and told me she was running an errand. I felt better then.

EXPANDING CIRCLES:Maryland- The Old Line State has seen me 20 times, over the years. First was on a train that stopped in Baltimore, (1969), and about eight times while I was at Fort Myer, walking to places like Rockville and Coral Hills, suburbs of Washington. I visited an Army buddy and his family in Essex, east of Baltimore, in 1972. Baltimore itself, Annapolis, St.Marys, La Plata,Assateague, Hagerstown, Frederick, Hancock and Cumberland have all been stopovers, Havre de Grace is the home of an online friend and is thus on a future itinerary.

The Turf- Western Maryland is split between the Allegheny and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Appalachian Trail goes through the state, around Hancock. East of the mountains lies the Piedmont, around Frederick, Hagerstown and Columbia, then northeast to Elkton. The Coastal Plain covers the area from Baltimore south to La Plata and Lexington Park, and takes in the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay. Maryland is drained by the Potomac, Patapsco, Patuxent,and Susquehanna Rivers and their tributaries.. Chesapeake Bay receives the waters of these rivers and streams.

First Nations- Maryland is the ancestral home of the Choptank, Nanticoke, Lenape, Matapeake and Susqueannock peoples. The Piscataway and Accohanock are recognized by the State, and still maintain communities in Maryland. There is a large community of Lumbees in Baltimore. The other nations have dispersed to the Great Lakes region, Oklahoma and Ontario, Most departures of indigenous people from Maryland have been voluntary and were affirmed by treaty.

Where I most feel at home- Essex, Cabin John, Hagerstown, Hancock, St. Marys. Annapolis.

Where I most feel at peace- Hancock, Havre de Grace

NEXT: Delaware

The Hana Chronicles: Month 20, Day 8

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

October 29, 2026- Hana decided to roll a ball to me and we did this, back and forth, for about five minutes. This was while we were in her future bedroom, where I am getting her used to the plush toys and other playthings, like a plastic chute, on which a ball is placed on top and let go down a series of spirals. She will also hand me something with which she has been playing, as a way of sharing.

My granddaughter has started to talk to people outside the house, and to the Halloween characters we see on our stroller walks. She had some comments about a couple of the scenes in people’s front yards. When these words of wisdom start coming in English or Korean, people will likely take note.

HANA’S NOTE- Papa put a coat on me, this morning, saying it was a little cool out. It felt nice. When we went out this afternoon, I reminded him about the coat, but he said we didn’t need it. He was right. It had gotten a little too warm.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: District of Columbia- Our nation’s capital was my weekend hangout for most of the time I lived at Fort Myer. Georgetown and Southeast were my places to meet up with friends. The C & O Canal and Rock Creek Park were my havens. I’ve been back for visits eight times, since leaving in 1971.

The Turf- Washington, D.C. may be a small area, but it is divided into two topographic areas. The western side of the District is Piedmont, with rolling hills and valleys. The eastern side is riparian plain. Washington is drained by the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, and the Potomac tributary of Rock Creek.

First Nations- The District of Columbia is the ancestral home of the Nacochtank and Piscataway peoples. The former were decimated by disease and with relocation, the surviving members of the nation merged with the Piscataway, who themselves relocated across the Anacostia River, to southern Maryland. The Rappahannock Nation also frequented the area, and still hold gatherings in the District, each year.

Where I most feel at home-Georgetown, Rock Creek, Southeast

Where I most feel at peace- Rock Creek Park, C&O Canal, U.S. National Arboretum

NEXT: Maryland