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		<title>2,500 Paper Bags</title>
		<link>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/2500-paper-bags/</link>
		<comments>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/2500-paper-bags/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 2011 04:36:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TravelingAlchemist</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Activities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[historic landmarks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arizona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christmas Eve 2011]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[luminarias]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tumacacari]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/?p=1199</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[That&#8217;s the number of paper bags filled with sand and votive candles for the Christmas Eve 2011 Luminarias celebration at Tumacacori National Historical Park.  The bags were hand-folded by a 92 year-old volunteer over the summer.  Two piles of sand, about 20-30 staff and volunteers, two hours of filling, carting and placing the traditional nighttime [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=travelingalchemist.wordpress.com&amp;blog=10499231&amp;post=1199&amp;subd=travelingalchemist&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/005.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1200" title="005" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/005.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>That&#8217;s the number of paper bags filled with sand and votive candles for the Christmas Eve 2011 Luminarias celebration at Tumacacori National Historical Park.  The bags were hand-folded by a 92 year-old volunteer over the summer.  Two piles of sand, about 20-30 staff and volunteers, two hours of filling, carting and placing the traditional nighttime lights.</p>
<p>Two thousand, six hundred visitors between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/007.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1201" title="007" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/007.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Loading a wagon for delivery</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/008claire-rotated.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1202" title="008Claire rotated" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/008claire-rotated.jpg?w=225&#038;h=300" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>Lifting candle wicks and inserting into sand in bag</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/018rotated1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1203" title="018rotated" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/018rotated1.jpg?w=225&#038;h=300" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>Placing luminarias on roof</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/019.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1204" title="019" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/019.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Delivery for mission sanctuary</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/022garden.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1205" title="022garden" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/022garden.jpg?w=225&#038;h=300" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>In the Garden</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/032.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1206" title="032" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/032.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>On the Garden Wall</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/033cropped-for-blog.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1208" title="033cropped for blog" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/033cropped-for-blog.jpg?w=300&#038;h=213" alt="" width="300" height="213" /></a>All done!!!</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/0251.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1209" title="025" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/0251.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Front of Mission</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/040choir.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1210" title="040choir" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/040choir.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>About 20 voices singing carols while visitors wait for the doors to open.</p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/056.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1211" title="056" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/056.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Hundreds of dozens of <strong>homemade</strong> cookies made by staff, volunteers, and friends of the community, and 50 gallons of Mexican hot chocolate</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/057from-the-portico.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1212" title="057From the portico" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/057from-the-portico.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>A beautiful sight. (Click on this photo to see larger)</p>
<p>A beautiful night.</p>
<p>Note:  The photographer (<em>Moi</em>) also filled bags, placed candles, sang in the choir, and served cookies&#8230;and had a great time!)</p>
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			<media:title type="html">057From the portico</media:title>
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		<item>
		<title>This Little Light O&#8217; Mine</title>
		<link>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/this-little-light-o-mine/</link>
		<comments>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/this-little-light-o-mine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:57:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TravelingAlchemist</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[enlightenment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Light]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/?p=1193</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s been many years now, since the dream I had of being in a dark house &#8211; so dark I could not see anything &#8211; no &#8220;phantom&#8221; lights, no street lights, no moon.  Just darkness.  EXCEPT the flickering light of a candle in the living room.  I wasn&#8217;t in the living room, I could only [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=travelingalchemist.wordpress.com&amp;blog=10499231&amp;post=1193&amp;subd=travelingalchemist&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/candle-in-the-dark.jpg"><img class="alignright  wp-image-1194" title="candle-in-the-dark" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/candle-in-the-dark.jpg?w=230&#038;h=152" alt="" width="230" height="152" /></a>It&#8217;s been many years now, since the dream I had of being in a dark house &#8211; so dark I could not see anything &#8211; no &#8220;phantom&#8221; lights, no street lights, no moon.  Just darkness.  EXCEPT the flickering light of a candle in the living room.  I wasn&#8217;t in the living room, I could only see the flickering of the light.</p>
<p>That was one of the early dreams that led me into making significant changes in my life.  I wasn&#8217;t living, really.  Yet the light was still glowing, showing me the way.  That is why my favorite scripture is &#8220;The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.&#8221;</p>
<p>This is the Season of Light all around the world, regardless of religious beliefs.  As humans we understand our need for the light, for our sun, the life-giver of this planet.  We have created metaphors and symbols about light because we are drawn to it, just as a moth is drawn to the flame.</p>
<p>We carry the light in the cells of our bodies.  Our bodies know the light.  Our bodies carry our mind and our spirit.  They too, know the light.  Christians celebrate the Christ light in this season; yet, the Christ light shines within all humans, although it may be called by some other name by others.</p>
<p>It is when we become aware of the light within us that we are &#8216;enlightened&#8217;.  We aren&#8217;t permanently enlightened because we&#8217;re human, and we forget.  So there&#8217;s a process of gradual opening to the magnificent light we carry within ourselves.  You&#8217;ve probably heard the saying, &#8220;I&#8217;ve seen the light.&#8221;  Yes, that&#8217;s what it means when we have an awakened moment.</p>
<p>On this Winter Solstice, as the light begins to increase during the dark winter, I wish the warmth of the light for all.</p>
<p>Let there be Light.</p>
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		<title>The Desert Crones of Tucson</title>
		<link>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/the-desert-crones-of-tucson/</link>
		<comments>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/the-desert-crones-of-tucson/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:25:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TravelingAlchemist</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Activities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arizona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Desert Crones of Tucson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[elder women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PCOA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tucson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women's drumming cricle]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/?p=1186</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Four and a half years ago I was living in Tucson in an RV park with my partner.  Unexpectedly he passed away, and I began making adjustments.  One of those adjustments was to wait for a year before deciding what to do about where to live.  The day before my partner died I&#8217;d planned to [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=travelingalchemist.wordpress.com&amp;blog=10499231&amp;post=1186&amp;subd=travelingalchemist&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/006cropped1.jpg"><img class="alignright  wp-image-1188" title="006cropped" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/006cropped1.jpg?w=128&#038;h=167" alt="" width="128" height="167" /></a>Four and a half years ago I was living in Tucson in an RV park with my partner.  Unexpectedly he passed away, and I began making adjustments.  One of those adjustments was to wait for a year before deciding what to do about where to live.  The day before my partner died I&#8217;d planned to go to a meeting of a group I&#8217;d read about in the newspaper.  Afterward, once I&#8217;d dealt with the immediate issues, I went to a meeting of  the Desert Crones of Tucson, a group of women over 50 who meet once a week for friendship and personal growth.  I needed them.</p>
<p>I made some very close friendships through my attendance at these meetings.  I grew a lot, and the support of these women helped me heal from my loss.  After that first year I decided to start traveling solo, and wasn&#8217;t able to get to the meetings; however, I supported the group and attended their annual holiday luncheon in December.  Those first years on the road by myself I stayed in Deming, NM for the winter because the headquarters for the solo RV club I belong to is located there, and I could afford it.  It&#8217;s only a few hours from Tucson, so I&#8217;d drive over and stay with my friend so I could go to the luncheon.</p>
<p>The group supports itself with minimal annual dues, personal gifts, and the raffle that takes place at the luncheon.  Each woman brings gently used items they no longer want, or items they&#8217;ve made or purchased for the occasion, and tickets are sold.  It is great fun to see who gets what, and the trades that are made at the end of the event.  And it&#8217;s an easy way to support the group.</p>
<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/007cropped.jpg"><img class="alignright  wp-image-1189" title="007cropped" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/007cropped.jpg?w=133&#038;h=173" alt="" width="133" height="173" /></a>In addition to having guest speakers, a monthly writing day and a monthly drumming circle, these ladies support groups within the community.  Each week they bring their change to support a charity they&#8217;ve voted on.  This year they decided that their contribution would be given to the Pima Council on Aging.  This past Monday they presented a check for $500 to the representative of the Council at this year&#8217;s luncheon.  In the past they have also given large sums of money to the Community Food Bank.</p>
<p>I want to publicly acknowledge this group of older women, the &#8216;elders&#8217; of the community, for their good work.  If you know of a woman who is 50 or over, and who lives in the area, and who is looking for a place to make friends, send them to the Desert Crones of Tucson.  They are a great group of women!</p>
<p>I was planning to provide a link to the Desert Crones web site; however, it is currently under construction to include updated information.  You can find a brief article about the group at <a href="http://womensplaza.arizona.edu/honor/view.php?id=132">http://womensplaza.arizona.edu/honor/view.php?id=132</a>.   If you would like to receive an email about the weekly meetings, please let me know and I will pass your request to the newsletter editor.</p>
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		<title>Two for Tucson</title>
		<link>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/two-for-tucson/</link>
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		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:15:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TravelingAlchemist</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arizona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[De Grazia Gallery of the Sun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fiesta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guadalupe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sonoran hotdog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ted de Grazia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tucson]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/?p=1165</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[While not much happens here in the summer, things are apoppin&#8217; now. This past Friday I went with friends to the annual December installation of the 4th Avenue Street Fair. This is a four-day presentation of several blocks of booths with all kinds of arts, crafts, jewelry, furniture, food &#8211; you name it. We arrived [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=travelingalchemist.wordpress.com&amp;blog=10499231&amp;post=1165&amp;subd=travelingalchemist&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>While not much happens here in the summer, things are apoppin&#8217; now.</p>
<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/0281.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1167" title="028" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/0281.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>This past Friday I went with friends to the annual December installation of the 4th Avenue Street Fair. This is a four-day presentation of several blocks of booths with all kinds of arts, crafts, jewelry, furniture, food &#8211; you name it.</p>
<p>We arrived in the downtown around 10:00 a.m., just as the fair was opening.  We left downtown at 6:00 p.m., just as the fair ended, and the night began.  What a day!  Because I was concerned that I wouldn&#8217;t be able to continue on my feet all day, I carried a folding chair in its bag, on my shoulder, so I could rest if needed.  What I found out was that by carrying that bag on my left shoulder my back didn&#8217;t hurt.</p>
<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/006cropped.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1168" title="006cropped" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/006cropped.jpg?w=300&#038;h=180" alt="" width="300" height="180" /></a>I spent my time perusing the beautiful items in the shops and talking to the artists and business owners, also taking pictures if given permission.  I learned that many artists were leery of photographs because of other people copying their work.  I think that their concerns are valid, and they want to protect their original work; however, that&#8217;s hard to do.  I find that, as an artist of a sort myself, that I like to see others&#8217; work to get inspiration for my own ideas and designs.  Yes, it&#8217;s possible that someone will copy my stuff, but as a customer in one store commented to the artist, there is karma involved in plagiarism.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/008cropped.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1169" title="008cropped" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/008cropped.jpg?w=138&#038;h=300" alt="" width="138" height="300" /></a>Yard Art</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/022cropped.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1170" title="022cropped" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/022cropped.jpg?w=300&#038;h=279" alt="" width="300" height="279" /></a>Gilded Glass Octopus</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/013cropped.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1171" title="013cropped" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/013cropped.jpg?w=300&#038;h=273" alt="" width="300" height="273" /></a>Ceramic Octopus (I LOVE Octopi!!!)</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/027.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1172" title="027" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/027.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>The Ancient Ones</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://donacalles.blogspot.com">donacalles.blogspot.com</a></p>
<p>I&#8217;ve included photos of some of the art and websites where you can go to see the artists.  I told them I&#8217;d be blogging with their photos, so all of these here have given me permission.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/018rotated.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1173" title="018rotated" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/018rotated.jpg?w=225&#038;h=300" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>Weathered Wonders &#8211; Birdhouses</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHwPhpv622I">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHwPhpv622I</a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/019rotated.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1174" title="019rotated" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/019rotated.jpg?w=225&#038;h=300" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>Duct Tape Wallets</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/DuctTapeCreationsAZ">www.facebook.com/DuctTapeCreationsAZ</a></p>
<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/001cropped.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1175" title="001cropped" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/001cropped.jpg?w=300&#038;h=284" alt="" width="300" height="284" /></a>On Sunday (yesterday) another friend and I went to the De Grazia Festival de Guadalupe at the De Grazia Gallery in the Sun.  This, too, is an annual event around the date of December 12, which was declared a liturgical holiday by Pope John Paul II to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Ted de Grazia was an artist, originally from Italy, who settled in Tucson and created art on his 10-acre retreat, where he had his house and studio.  His work is much beloved by the people in Tucson and worldwide.</p>
<p>De Grazia was a friend of the native peoples from this area and much of his art reflects this connection.  The festival provides cultural expressions of the area including traditional dances from Mexico and the sacred deer dance of the Pascua Yaqui people.  There are also the traditional foods, and the breaking of the candy-filled pinata for the children.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/025.jpg"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-1180" title="025" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/025.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Mission in the Sun &#8211; dedicated to Father Kino, in honor of the Lady of Guadalupe</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/010cropped.jpg"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-1177" title="010cropped" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/010cropped.jpg?w=265&#038;h=300" alt="" width="265" height="300" /></a>Dancer from Ballet Folklorico Tapatio</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/014cropped.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1178" title="014cropped" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/014cropped.jpg?w=268&#038;h=300" alt="" width="268" height="300" /></a>Dancers from Ballet Folklorico Tapatio</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/033.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1179" title="033" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/033.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Pinata Challenge!</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/003.jpg"><img title="003" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/003.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/20100608sonoranhotdogs.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1181" title="20100608sonoranhotdogs" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/20100608sonoranhotdogs.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>This was the first time I&#8217;d been to the festival, although I&#8217;d visited the gallery once before.  I was informed that this particular event seemed much smaller than festivals in earlier years.  There were fewer booths of traditional arts and crafts, as well as food offerings.  My friend was really wanting an Indian Taco (taco ingredients &#8211; meat, beans, onions, salsa, cheese, etc.) on fry bread, a traditional American Indian food.  It was not to be had, so we ate scaled-down Sonoran Hotdogs instead &#8211; without guacamole or bacon&#8230; (Sonoran hotdog &#8211; beef hotdog wrapped in bacon and grilled, placed in a grilled bun with beans, onions, cheese, mayo, guacamole and salsa &#8211; and a grilled hot chili on top)</p>
<p>Last week the weather was cold but the last several days have been so pleasant with highs in the sixties.  Perfect for these events.  Oh yeah, another reason I love Tucson in the winter!</p>
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		<title>Visiting Near the Mexico Border Again</title>
		<link>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/visiting-near-the-mexico-border-again/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:59:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TravelingAlchemist</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[historic landmarks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arizona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[corn husk creche]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[corn husk dolls]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fiesta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mexico]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nogales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nogales Sonora]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Santa Cruz River]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Santa Rita mountains]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tumacacori]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WNPA]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/?p=1150</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Over the weekend I traveled south of Tucson, enjoying friendships begun last year as a volunteer at Tumacacori National Historical Park.  On Friday, with my friend who lives in Nogales, AZ I had lunch in Nogales, Sonora, just across the border.  Approaching the city one can see the Nogales, Sonora houses on the hillsides.  They [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=travelingalchemist.wordpress.com&amp;blog=10499231&amp;post=1150&amp;subd=travelingalchemist&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/300px-nogales.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-1151" title="300px-Nogales" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/300px-nogales.jpg?w=450" alt=""   /></a>Over the weekend I traveled south of Tucson, enjoying friendships begun last year as a volunteer at Tumacacori National Historical Park.  On Friday, with my friend who lives in Nogales, AZ I had lunch in Nogales, Sonora, just across the border.  Approaching the city one can see the Nogales, Sonora houses on the hillsides.  They had recently been painted in varying colors of blue, pink, green, turquoise, yellow and orange and they looked so charming.</p>
<p>The day was cold and breezy, and it was a chilly walk across the border from downtown Nogales into Mexico.  We warmed ourselves in the cozy atmosphere of a small cafe with tortilla soup and burritos, along with some hot tea.  I had not been in Nogales, Sonora before, except to cross the border from Mexico into the U. S. by car when I traveled with a group to Magdalena, Mexico.  On foot one gets a more intimate experience of the city.  It was generally peaceful, with only the shopkeepers and &#8216;hawkers&#8217; shouting out for us to stop and buy something.  We weren&#8217;t interested&#8230;and just kept walking.  (We didn&#8217;t want to buy &#8216;no yunk&#8217; &#8211; Mexican &#8220;junk&#8221;, lol.)</p>
<p>After lunch we returned to Nogales, AZ and parted company.  I was on my way to stay with a volunteer friend from Tumacacori National Historical Park who had offered her hospitality while we volunteered at the 41st annual Fiesta de Tumacacori on the weekend.  I stayed in a lovely home at the end of a dirt road, just southeast of Tumacacori.  We enjoyed informal conversation and meals, and playing with their six-month old puppy Tuffy.  The puppy will be a very nice dog in the future; however, his young habits put him in the dog house with me.  He managed to chew the lace off one of my shoes, and the shoulder strap and corner off the purse I was carrying.  Also he pulled a glove and ski band out of the pocket of my jacket and began chewing the band.  I&#8217;ve been invited to stay there again later this month after the luminarias display.  I will have to really watch where I put my things.</p>
<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/wnpa.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1152" title="WNPA" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/wnpa.jpg?w=300&#038;h=243" alt="" width="300" height="243" /></a>For two days of very cool, stormy weather folks came to the fiesta grounds at Tumacacori to enjoy music, dancing, food, and cultural exchange.  I volunteered to man the Western National Park Association (WNPA) booth for both days.  The WNPA publishes the books that are found in the bookstores and gift shops of the western national parks.  Their headquarters is in Tucson.  Each park has a WNPA staff person who manages the books and gift items available at the national parks.</p>
<p>For this weekend, I assisted in unloading the boxes and  putting the items out for display, talking with customers about publications, and receiving payments for the various items.  The day began about 8:30 and lasted until 5:00.  On Saturday the time was shortened slightly because of a sprinkle of rain &#8211; just enough to make us dash to cover and protect the merchandise.  Each night we had to box everything up and remove it from the area.  The next day we repeated this scenario.  And each day it was very cold.  I had on five layers to keep warm &#8211; long underwear, a turtle neck shirt, my volunteer shirt, a volunteer fleece jacket and a hooded, puffy nylon jacket to cut the wind.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/034fiesta-view.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1155" title="034fiesta view" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/034fiesta-view.jpg?w=300&#038;h=217" alt="" width="300" height="217" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:left;">There were many vendors who offered food and beverages, and it was easy to get a taste of authentic Mexican and Sonoran food.  The &#8216;sonoran&#8217; hotdogs I&#8217;m guessing, weren&#8217;t quite authentic, but they were very good.  The big pepper they added to the top managed to keep my mouth and lips on fire for quite a while!  I also sampled Mexican hot chocolate, beef tamales, and a kind of Mexican rosette cookie with cinnamon and sugar.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/mata-ortiz-pots.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1156" title="Mata Ortiz pots" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/mata-ortiz-pots.jpg?w=300&#038;h=197" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>Mata Ortiz Pots</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/020.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1157" title="020" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/020.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Tumacacori Mission Tile &#8220;Night&#8221;</p>
<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/snow-on-the-santa-ritas.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1153" title="Snow on the Santa Ritas" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/snow-on-the-santa-ritas.jpg?w=300&#038;h=194" alt="" width="300" height="194" /></a>It was nice to see many of the other volunteers I met last year, and to learn of other volunteer opportunities closer to Tucson.  Saguaro National Park (East) is looking for volunteers to take a saguaro census, and this sounds like something that could be fun.  I also enjoyed catching up with the friends with whom I connected most strongly.  The staff and volunteers are very nice, caring people, and always had a ready smile.</p>
<p>After the fiesta closed we were all invited for snacks and drinks before dinner, a group dinner of chili and cornbread, and assorted desserts.  It was a great ending to a busy and chilly day!  And I was pooped.  I&#8217;d been invited to stay an extra night at my friends&#8217;; however, I was wanting to get home to check on the heat and water for the trailer.  So I drove the hour and 15 minute drive back to Tucson, and arrived around 8:15.  Shortly afterward I was in bed, snoozing!</p>
<p>I love to go to Tumacacori.  It&#8217;s hard to describe why I like it so much.  It&#8217;s the feeling I get when I am there.  That, and the friendship of the park service folks, staff and volunteers alike, make it feel homey to me.  The grounds are so peaceful, and the whole site is hugged by the mountains and the Santa Cruz River, with its cottonwood trees.  A place for the spirit to enjoy.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/033fiesta-dancer-best.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1154" title="033fiesta dancer best" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/033fiesta-dancer-best.jpg?w=225&#038;h=300" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>Fiesta Dancer in Visitor Center</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/021.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1158" title="021" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/021.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Corn Husk Dancer Dolls  from Guadalajara, Mexico</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/022.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1159" title="022" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/022.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Corn Husk Creche</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>The Great Turkey Caper</title>
		<link>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/the-great-turkey-caper/</link>
		<comments>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/the-great-turkey-caper/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:52:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TravelingAlchemist</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[give away]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[giving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[potlatch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poverty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Salvation Army]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thanksgiving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turkey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wealth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/?p=1143</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last week I heard on the radio, and my friends read in the paper that the local food bank and the Salvation Army would not have enough food for Thanksgiving, especially turkeys.  Now, it&#8217;s a great tradition to pack Thanksgiving food boxes for the less fortunate, and to provide a wonderful Thanksgiving meal for the [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=travelingalchemist.wordpress.com&amp;blog=10499231&amp;post=1143&amp;subd=travelingalchemist&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/turkey_6.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1144" title="turkey_6" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/turkey_6.png?w=224&#038;h=300" alt="" width="224" height="300" /></a>Last week I heard on the radio, and my friends read in the paper that the local food bank and the Salvation Army would not have enough food for Thanksgiving, especially turkeys.  Now, it&#8217;s a great tradition to pack Thanksgiving food boxes for the less fortunate, and to provide a wonderful Thanksgiving meal for the homeless and poor.  The increased and increasing requests for food, however, have caused my community food bank to be straining to get enough food, let alone turkeys.</p>
<p>In our effort to make an offer of gratitude by providing turkeys to the Salvation Army, where they feed 4,000 people on Thanksgiving Day, my friend and I decided to buy four to five turkeys to deliver to the center.  First we stopped at Fry&#8217;s (a Kroger store) to inquire about obtaining a donation.  We were told that we could only get one turkey at a time, at the discounted price, if we bought $25 worth of groceries.  The manager explained that the company was being very strict about this policy, because, you see, there is a turkey shortage.  What?!!!  We hadn&#8217;t been aware of any turkey shortage.  The manager said they almost didn&#8217;t have enough turkeys for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season last year as well.  Since we weren&#8217;t going to buy $125 worth of food to get five turkeys, we thanked the manager and headed to Safeway.</p>
<p>At Safeway we found the manager, and told him we were wanting to buy four to five turkeys for the Salvation Army, and could he give us a discount.  Boy, were we naive!!!  He asked us how did he know we were giving them to the Salvation Army?  Did we have an organizational ID to buy the turkeys?  So, after a few more entreaties and our statement of good faith that we were shopping to give away our turkeys, the manager agreed to let us buy two turkeys at the discounted price, without having to buy $25 worth of groceries for each one.  Geesh!  We didn&#8217;t know how hard it was going to be to give turkeys away!</p>
<p>So, with two 20-pound (or so) turkeys in the back of my friend&#8217;s car we headed to the Salvation Army.  As it turned out the two turkeys were my friend&#8217;s contribution, and I provided a cash gift of like amount.  I was delighted to see that, as we arrived, others were also bringing frozen turkeys (and a couple of hams) to the center.  One fellow, with five turkeys &#8211; when asked &#8211; said that for each one purchased a $25 purchase for groceries was required.  We surmised that five people had contributed a turkey and paid the grocery price to get the advertised discount.</p>
<p>Today, because I was curious, I researched the turkey shortage.  Apparently the terrible weather in many parts of the country over the past year or so, where people raise turkeys, has resulted in turkeys dying, creating a shortage.  This is not good news.  I heard recently, too, that chickens will be more expensive because the cost of feed is escalating.  I think people will have to become much more creative about how they eat in the future.  There is enough food to go around &#8211; maybe not a turkey for every family in America on Thanksgiving Day &#8211; but food.  Plain, healthy food.</p>
<p>And I think that perhaps some attitudes need to change about what we MUST have for our special holidays, or tailgate parties, or Super Bowl Sundays.  Perhaps we also need to rethink our giving habits.  Can we give year-round to our local food banks instead of focusing so much on the one big box of stuff for Thanksgiving or Christmas (or Easter)?  Yesterday I listened to an interview with a national food bank representative (I don&#8217;t remember her name, or organization) who advised that the dollars given to the food banks go a lot farther than personal bags of groceries purchased at the local grocery store.  When I give to the food bank again, it will be via a check, and I&#8217;m going to forget about turkeys for Thanksgiving.  Just maybe we need to create new traditions for our national day of gratitude (and football).</p>
<p>In some American Indian traditions, the turkey is the &#8220;Give Away Eagle&#8221;.  It&#8217;s a symbol of giving to help others and denotes a generosity of spirit.  &#8216;Give-away&#8217; is not to give something that is easy to give &#8211; it is to let go of something of value to share with others.  In the Northwest the Indians have potlatch ceremonies to give away what is needed by another. I like to think that we eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day because of the graciousness and sharing of the American Indians who helped the newcomers to this continent to survive.  And in turn, we give &#8211; perhaps a turkey &#8211; to show our appreciation and gratitude for our own prosperity (not to be confused with wealth and material goods, although these are part of prosperity.)</p>
<p>Of course, there is a caveat about this; we must become aware of times when we strive for more than what we need.  The initiation of &#8220;Occupy&#8221; presents this idea of redistribution of wealth.  In truth, there is plenty to go around for everyone in the world; the problem lies in the distribution of the goods.  My friend and I were so surprised to meet with what I see as bureaucratic and economic barriers to offering assistance.  I&#8217;m sure we&#8217;re not the only ones to have this kind of experience.</p>
<p>And finally, I want to offer my gratitude for the ability to write, and to be able to post my ideas and thoughts in this format.  Thanks also to all who read these meandering topics.</p>
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		<title>Praises to the Gods of War</title>
		<link>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/praises-to-the-gods-of-war/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:27:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TravelingAlchemist</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[decision-making]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fighting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hymn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Corps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marines Hymn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[patriots]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[revolution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Veterans Day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[war]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/?p=1136</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yesterday morning I opened an email that contained a tribute to the United States Marine Corps on its 236th anniversary.  I became emotionally distressed when I viewed and listened to the enclosed video.   The images of training young men to be war machines, and of the former military actions they have been involved in over [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=travelingalchemist.wordpress.com&amp;blog=10499231&amp;post=1136&amp;subd=travelingalchemist&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/planet-mars.gif"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1137" title="planet-mars" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/planet-mars.gif?w=286&#038;h=300" alt="" width="286" height="300" /></a>Yesterday morning I opened an email that contained a tribute to the United States Marine Corps on its 236th anniversary.  I became emotionally distressed when I viewed and listened to the enclosed video.   The images of training young men to be war machines, and of the former military actions they have been involved in over the decades, brought me to tears as I felt all the loss of humanity through war.</p>
<p>The video was a tribute to these human war machines through the &#8216;brotherhood&#8217; of fighters.  At the end of the video there was a list of all the battles, skirmishes, and actions the Marines have been a part of beginning with the American Revolutionary War.  And to wrap it all up into a tidy presentation, of course there was the Marine Hymn &#8211; you know &#8211; the one that begins with &#8220;From the halls of Montezuma&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p>I wondered why this music is called a hymn and I looked at the definition of a hymn.  Briefly, this is what I found:</p>
<p>A song of praise or thanksgiving to God or a deity</p>
<p>A song of praise or joy; a paean (a joyous song or hymn of praise, tribute, thanksgiving, or triumph)</p>
<p>A song praising other gods, a nation, etc.</p>
<p>Then I researched the Marine Hymn.  From this link &#8211; <a href="http://www.usmcpress.com/heritage/marine_hymn.htm">http://www.usmcpress.com/heritage/marine_hymn.htm</a> &#8211; I read the following:</p>
<p><em>The U.S. Marine Corps is the United States&#8217; military band of brothers dedicated to warfighting. The proud Brotherhood of Marines is guided by principles, values, virtues, love of country, and its Warrior Culture. This brotherhood of American Patriots has no song. Instead, Marine Warriors have a <strong>hymn</strong>. When <strong>The Marines&#8217; Hymn</strong> is played, United States Marines stand at attention. They silently show their pride in their fellow Marines, their Corps, their Country, their heritage, and their hymn.<br />
<strong>The Marines&#8217; Hymn</strong> is a tribute to Warriors. Marine Warriors stormed fortress Derna, raised the American flag, and gave us &#8220;the shores of Tripoli.&#8221; Marines fought their way into the castle at Chapultepec and gave us the &#8220;halls of Montezuma.&#8221; Marines exist for the purpose of warfighting. Fighting is their role in life. They &#8220;fight for right and freedom&#8221; and &#8220;to keep our honor clean.&#8221; They fight &#8220;in the air, on land, and sea.&#8221; The Marine Corps is Valhalla for Warriors. U.S. Marines need no song. They have a <strong>hymn</strong>. </em></p>
<p><em></em>(<strong>Note:  </strong>Valhalla is the afterlife &#8220;Hall of the Slain&#8221; where the Valkyries, the goddesses who decide who will die in battle, bring the dead.)</p>
<p>I guess I look forward to the day these warfighters become a dying breed, while keeping their other values, virtues, and love of country. I look forward to the day when there will be no need to have a brotherhood of this kind.  A day when the energies associated with fighting are transformed into supporting all beings with compassion.</p>
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		<title>A Life&#8217;s Dream</title>
		<link>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/10/29/a-lifes-dream/</link>
		<comments>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/10/29/a-lifes-dream/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 29 Oct 2011 05:52:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TravelingAlchemist</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Pie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Don McLean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fox Theater]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guitar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tucson]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/?p=1130</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Forty years ago I was a young new mom with an infant child, when Don McLean came to town for a concert at Old Dominion College (now University) in Norfolk, VA.  I so badly wanted to see him as his American Pie album was so popular, and as I thought he was the greatest, most [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=travelingalchemist.wordpress.com&amp;blog=10499231&amp;post=1130&amp;subd=travelingalchemist&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/don-mclean.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1131" title="Don McLean" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/don-mclean.jpg?w=200&#038;h=300" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a>Forty years ago I was a young new mom with an infant child, when Don McLean came to town for a concert at Old Dominion College (now University) in Norfolk, VA.  I so badly wanted to see him as his American Pie album was so popular, and as I thought he was the greatest, most beautiful poet and songwriter.</p>
<p>I didn&#8217;t get to go to that concert; however I began collecting his music on LP albums, tapes, CDs, and a book of written music.  Over the years I&#8217;ve picked up various CDs with new music, but it seemed that much of his work was a &#8216;rework&#8217; of his older music.  As my children grew and learned of my interest in this artist they added to my collection at birthdays and Christmas.    When my son got married the song he and I danced to was &#8220;And I Love You So&#8221;, one of the most beautiful of Don McLean&#8217;s creations, in my estimation.</p>
<p>I never considered seeing Don McLean in person as an item on my bucket list.  But tonight I had the extraordinary experience of seeing him in person, almost exactly 40 years since that first impulse to be in his living musical presence.  I learned only about a week ago that he was going to be in town, and I was determined to see him this time.  I consider it a highlight of my life.</p>
<p>He is personable, and engaged with the audience, and it almost felt like we could have been in a coffee house, just hanging out.  He sang for 90 minutes, without an intermission.  Of course he HAD to sing Starry Night and American Pie.  The audience was invited to sing American Pie with him, and I stood right along with the others, knowing all the words. An awesome experience.</p>
<p>He welcomed photos from the audience, and afterward he came out to greet his public for signings.  I waited in line with a CD of music I&#8217;d not heard before, and my ticket receipt.  He graciously agreed to sign both for me, and we exchanged a few brief words.</p>
<p>WOW&#8230;He is still beautiful.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			<media:title type="html">Don McLean</media:title>
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		<title>Canyon de Chelly Adventure</title>
		<link>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/canyon-de-chelly-adventure/</link>
		<comments>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/canyon-de-chelly-adventure/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2011 03:27:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TravelingAlchemist</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[historic landmarks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arizona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Canyon de Chelly National Monument]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chinle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Navajo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petroglyphs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pictographs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Salt River Canyon]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/?p=1105</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Early Sunday morning I met the group from the church where I take exercise classes for a road trip to Canyon de Chelly National Monument.  We left Tucson at 7 a.m. and arrived in Chinle, AZ around 4 p.m., standard time.  Chinle and the Navajo reservation are on Mountain time, so it was actually 5 [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=travelingalchemist.wordpress.com&amp;blog=10499231&amp;post=1105&amp;subd=travelingalchemist&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Early Sunday morning I met the group from the church where I take exercise classes for a road trip to Canyon de Chelly National Monument.  We left Tucson at 7 a.m. and arrived in Chinle, AZ around 4 p.m., standard time.  Chinle and the Navajo reservation are on Mountain time, so it was actually 5 p.m. there.  There were 10 of us, excited to tour the monument on Monday.  After a simple dinner we settled into our rooms in the Thunderbird Lodge to rest for the activities of the next day.</p>
<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/018-salt-river-canyon-bridge2.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1106" title="018 Salt River Canyon Bridge" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/018-salt-river-canyon-bridge2.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>On the way to Chinle we passed through Globe, AZ and the Salt River Canyon, a windy, winding road with sharp turns and increasing and decreasing elevations.  It&#8217;s a beautiful thing to see; however, it is not that easy to drive.  My hat is off to the driver of our van (one of two vans) who negotiated this part of the trip with aplomb.</p>
<p>On Monday, after a difficult night of interrupted sleep my roommate and I set out for a good breakfast and the all-day tour of the canyon via a special vehicle &#8211; a military off-road truck, outfitted for about 16-18 visitors.  Although the seats were padded, I&#8217;m grateful to my roommate who provided extra cushions for our comfort.</p>
<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/065-tour-vehicle-better.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1107" title="065 Tour Vehicle better" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/065-tour-vehicle-better.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Riding in one of these vehicles reminded me of riding a bull or bucking bronco, or perhaps a roller coaster that turns left or right all of a sudden &#8211; or perhaps a combination of those.  I&#8217;m surprised that it wasn&#8217;t my back that hurt, but my neck, almost like whip lash.  My shoulders and neck ached in the evening.  Some analgesic cream to the areas, however, and a couple of Tylenol helped a lot.</p>
<p>Regardless of the jostling our bodies took, the tour was well worth the price of the trip, with stops to see petroglyphs, pictographs, cliff dwelling ruins, and beautiful views of canyon walls and groves of cottonwood trees in their fall finery.  We had a few chances to meet Navajo people who live in the canyon and buy their jewelry and paintings.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/077-the-road-in.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1108" title="077 The Road In" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/077-the-road-in.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>The road into the canyon</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/150-ruins-closeup.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1109" title="150 ruins closeup" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/150-ruins-closeup.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Ruins</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/183-antelope-pictographs-cropped.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1110" title="183 antelope pictographs cropped" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/183-antelope-pictographs-cropped.jpg?w=300&#038;h=122" alt="" width="300" height="122" /></a>Antelope Ruins pictographs</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/230-cropped-horses.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1111" title="230 cropped - horses" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/230-cropped-horses.jpg?w=228&#038;h=300" alt="" width="228" height="300" /></a>Free range horses</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/113-first-ruin-closeup.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1112" title="113 First Ruin closeup" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/113-first-ruin-closeup.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>&#8220;First Ruin&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align:left;">The first leg of the tour into the canyon ended in Canyon del Muerto where we had a bag lunch of roast beef sandwiches with chips, cookie, orange, and drink. On the turn-around, we headed into Canyon de Chelly where the tour ended at Spider Rock, named after Spider Woman who lived there, and who brought weaving to the people.  There we had some watermelon and a chance to prepare for our return to the Lodge.</p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/098.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1115" title="098" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/098.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p>It&#8217;s hard to present a history here, or a full description of this awesome place.  If you are interested in more information please go to other web sites that give that information.  The tour for me was a visual, emotional, and visceral experience.  I felt connected to the elements of the sandstone, trees, and streams, the wind and the colors.  The history was secondary to my wonder about this place.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/227-spinning-rock.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1116" title="227 spinning rock" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/227-spinning-rock.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Spinning Rock</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/324-window-rock-first-side.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1117" title="324 window rock first side" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/324-window-rock-first-side.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Window Rock</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/120-spider-rock.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1118" title="120 Spider Rock" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/120-spider-rock.jpg?w=300&#038;h=226" alt="" width="300" height="226" /></a>Spider Rock</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/133-cottonwood-grove.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1119" title="133 cottonwood grove" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/133-cottonwood-grove.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Cottonwood Grove</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/352-cropped-golden-trees.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1120" title="352 cropped - golden trees" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/352-cropped-golden-trees.jpg?w=300&#038;h=204" alt="" width="300" height="204" /></a>Golden Trees</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/054-red-virginia-creeper.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1121" title="054 Red Virginia Creeper" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/054-red-virginia-creeper.jpg?w=225&#038;h=300" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>Virginia Creeper</p>
<p style="text-align:left;">Our tour guide was a Navajo man named Ron.  He did a fine job driving through the pathway (it&#8217;s not exactly a road!) and offering us the story of the canyon&#8217;s history, adding in some humor along the way.  On our way back to the lodge we had a flat tire, which Ron quickly and efficiently changed.  He&#8217;s been doing these tours since the mid to late 90s.  So he&#8217;s had plenty of experience.  He said he&#8217;s had up to three flat tires in one trip.  Lucky for us we had only one flat tire!</p>
<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/290-flat-tire.jpg"><img class="aligncenter" title="290 flat tire" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/290-flat-tire.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/291-new-tire-on.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1114" title="291 new tire on" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/291-new-tire-on.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>New tire goes on</p>
<p style="text-align:left;">We arrived back at the lodge just before dinner time.  After getting cleaned up a little we had an early dinner and rested in our rooms.  I guess i was over-tired, and sore, so I had trouble getting to sleep.  In addition my roommate was suffering with allergies and unfortunately for me, she snored all night, keeping me awake until the early morning hours.  I finally fell asleep around 3:30 a.m. with a planned &#8216;wake up&#8217; at 6:30 a.m.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/063-gift-shop-closer.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1122" title="063 Gift Shop closer" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/063-gift-shop-closer.jpg?w=300&#038;h=244" alt="" width="300" height="244" /></a>Gift Shop</p>
<p style="text-align:left;">Our group left after breakfast, around 8 a.m. Mountain Time and headed for the South Rim drive to view the canyon from the overlooks.  I&#8217;m so glad we did this as it afforded a totally different perspective of the canyon. Awesome!</p>
<p>After viewing the canyon from the overlooks we began our trek back to Tucson.  We stopped in Show Low for lunch and in Globe for gas and a snack, and arrived in Tucson around 7 p.m.  When I got home I dropped my bags and turned on the computer to download my photos. I took a couple of pain tablets and went to bed, and slept like a baby!</p>
<p>I&#8217;m so glad I had this opportunity to see Canyon de Chelly, one of the spots I wanted to see while traveling in the RV, but didn&#8217;t get there.  I took over 350 photos, so it&#8217;s hard to select only a few to give a good idea of the place.  Perhaps this will be a place you will want to see for yourself!</p>
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			<media:title type="html">travelingalchemist</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">018 Salt River Canyon Bridge</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">065 Tour Vehicle better</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">077 The Road In</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">150 ruins closeup</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">183 antelope pictographs cropped</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">230 cropped - horses</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">113 First Ruin closeup</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">098</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">227 spinning rock</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">324 window rock first side</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">120 Spider Rock</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">133 cottonwood grove</media:title>
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		<media:content url="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/352-cropped-golden-trees.jpg?w=300" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">352 cropped - golden trees</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">054 Red Virginia Creeper</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">290 flat tire</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">291 new tire on</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">063 Gift Shop closer</media:title>
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		<title>Food for Thought</title>
		<link>http://travelingalchemist.wordpress.com/2011/10/16/food-for-thought/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sun, 16 Oct 2011 12:25:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TravelingAlchemist</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[#BAD11]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[differentiation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food choices]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[This week I answered an invitation to blog about Food, by posting on Blog Action Day 2011, October 16, 2011, which happens to coincide with World Food Day, an observance endorsed by the UN General Assembly in 1980. There are so many avenues to take in a discussion about food, so I&#8217;m going to try [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=travelingalchemist.wordpress.com&amp;blog=10499231&amp;post=1091&amp;subd=travelingalchemist&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/mp900430542.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1101" title="Full white pantry with wire baskets and floral shelves" src="http://travelingalchemist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/mp900430542.jpg?w=200&#038;h=300" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a>This week I answered an invitation to blog about Food, by posting on Blog Action Day 2011, October 16, 2011, which happens to coincide with World Food Day, an observance endorsed by the UN General Assembly in 1980.</p>
<p>There are so many avenues to take in a discussion about food, so I&#8217;m going to try to keep my comments focused on personal, local, and regional aspects, and try not to globalize too much.</p>
<p>If you haven&#8217;t thought about it much, you may not recognize that the deepest conditioning that we receive in life is through food.  From the time we are born and receive either our mother&#8217;s milk or formula, we are being taught about taking in nurturance for our bodies.  As we grow we learn to eat the foods that are presented to us at our daily meals.  These foods are cultural, perhaps from an ethnic tradition or region of the country we live in, or an area where our mother, the traditional meal preparer, came from.  We are taught what is good for us, or not so good for us.  As small children we don&#8217;t get to choose so much the kinds of foods we eat .  Later, when we learn about sugar and McDonald&#8217;s and are faced with school lunches that aren&#8217;t like what Mom makes, we begin to adjust our diets, for good or not.</p>
<p>I began eating at my mother&#8217;s breast.  What she ate, I ate.  As I grew and could tolerate more foods, I ate what the doctor and child experts said were the right foods to eat.  When I was five I developed asthma and my mother suspected that there was a connection to the 40% Bran Flakes I ate for breakfast.  As it turns out, I&#8217;m allergic to wheat.  For years I ate bread &#8211; LOVED bread, craved bread, made bread, and served bread &#8211; in all its forms (cakes, pies, cookies, etc.) &#8211; not realizing how I was harming the cells in my body.  And I bear feelings of guilt sometimes when I remember that my son began eating at his mother&#8217;s breast too, and she drank milk.  And years later I realized that he was allergic to it.  You know, &#8220;milk is good for you, you need three servings a day&#8221;, etc.</p>
<p>I passed onto my children the same ideas that I&#8217;d grown up with and followed the same &#8220;current thinking or science&#8221; about food and what is a healthy diet.  Now in retirement I&#8217;m still learning what is good for ME according to how I feel and what I feel about what I learn about food, and supplements.  There is no &#8220;One Size Fits All&#8221; diet for humans.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve looked at the Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, <span style="text-decoration:underline;">Diet for a Small Planet</span>, The Body Type Diet, The Blood Type Diet, <span style="text-decoration:underline;">Your Last Diet</span> (from the author of <span style="text-decoration:underline;">Potatoes, Not Prozac</span>, about sugar addiction), and others.  They all have their valid points; however, what is right for ME?  Not all people are supposed to be vegetarians, regardless of their spiritual practices.  Not everyone is supposed to eat only raw foods.  It just gets ridiculous to see all the proselytizing that goes on about food.  It&#8217;s like religion, and politics &#8211; and it&#8217;s so confusing!</p>
<p>Our bodies are amazing!  MY body is amazing!  It does the very best it can regardless of the food I put into it.  If it&#8217;s the wrong kind of fuel, my body sputters and keeps on going, until it can&#8217;t anymore.  That&#8217;s when it breaks down and disease (dis-ease) begins.  Being in touch with my body, and considering what is good for it &#8211; not by what others say is good for it &#8211; helps me to be on the right track.  It&#8217;s also important that when I take in food, whatever it is, that I do it in a WAY that is right for me, so I can digest it in the way that is best for my body.</p>
<p>In the past year I have lost nearly 40 pounds.  I did it by changing what I eat., which means for me, no wheat and no dairy.  I eat in a manner that many might consider radical, unappetizing, boring, and just plain no fun.  But it works for me.  My blood work for cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and all the other measurements are in range for what is considered &#8220;normal&#8221;.  My blood pressure has been lowered 30 points, and I no longer have to take medication to keep it down.</p>
<p>Not everyone should eat as I do either.  I have had some advice about what and how to eat, which has helped me.  Each person, when he/she is born, has a way he/she is created to take in nourishment &#8211; not just food, but also things that nurture or nourish one&#8217;s well-being.   I have been following the information I have received for ME, and for me, it is working.</p>
<p>Food is personal and supports our lives so we can be whole and free, and not homogenized like milk.  Consider whether you eat something because everyone else says it&#8217;s good, or healthy for you.  Maybe it is.  Maybe it isn&#8217;t.</p>
<p>Note:  For more information, see these links:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/food/index.html">http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/food/index.html</a></p>
<p><a href="http://blogactionday.org/"> http://blogactionday.org</a>/</p>
<p><a href="http://www.worldfooddayusa.org/">http://www.worldfooddayusa.org/</a> .</p>
<p>You might also enjoy seeing this short video from Jovian Archive:</p>
<p><a title="Jovian Archive &quot;RaZen - Food&quot;" href="http://www.jovianarchive.com/Media_Library/Videos/14/RaZen?itemId=201">http://www.jovianarchive.com/Media_Library/Videos/14/RaZen?itemId=201</a></p>
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