This is already a blog.......written some time ago.........and I blog it again ..
on request.......
on request.......
The Secret of the Cottonwood Stars
1971
After one enjoyable hike with my friends, Rog Red Elk and Pat Pumpkin Seed, to the Badlands
where we’d found some of the most beautiful and fascinating fossils I’d ever seen outside
of a museum, we stood by a couple of cottonwood trees, sipping strong black coffee.
After one enjoyable hike with my friends, Rog Red Elk and Pat Pumpkin Seed, to the Badlands
where we’d found some of the most beautiful and fascinating fossils I’d ever seen outside
of a museum, we stood by a couple of cottonwood trees, sipping strong black coffee.
Pat Pumpkin Seed caught my eye, smiled, and held out his hand.
Slowly he opened his fingers, revealing a bunch of small cottonwood twigs he'd picked up
from the ground..
Pat looked down at his hand, handed us the twigs, and turned his eyes up to the sky.
Slowly he opened his fingers, revealing a bunch of small cottonwood twigs he'd picked up
from the ground..
Pat looked down at his hand, handed us the twigs, and turned his eyes up to the sky.
“I’m holding many new stars, here, here in my hands,” he said.
“Did you know my ancestors believed all things come from Mother Earth?
They believed that the stars in the sky above begin their life
in the earth beneath our feet.
in the earth beneath our feet.
When they’re ready, they search for the roots of the magical
cottonwood trees.
They wriggle their way inside the roots, and begin to climb up
the tree trunk.
The tiny stars finally come to rest in the small twigs at the end
of the cottonwood branches.
Here, they wait................and wait………….until they are needed.
cottonwood trees.
They wriggle their way inside the roots, and begin to climb up
the tree trunk.
The tiny stars finally come to rest in the small twigs at the end
of the cottonwood branches.
Here, they wait................and wait………….until they are needed.
When the Spirit of the Night Sky decides that she needs more
twinkling, beautiful stars,
she calls on the Wind Spirit to shake all the cottonwood trees.
twinkling, beautiful stars,
she calls on the Wind Spirit to shake all the cottonwood trees.
The Wind Spirit blows and blows, and, as the cottonwood twigs
break off,
the twinkling stars are released and race up to a special place
in the Night Sky.
break off,
the twinkling stars are released and race up to a special place
in the Night Sky.
So,” said Pat, “if YOU want to add a new star to the night sky,
find some dry cottonwood twigs, wait for a clear night,
and hold up your twigs to the sky -
and SNAP them on the circular growth line.
find some dry cottonwood twigs, wait for a clear night,
and hold up your twigs to the sky -
and SNAP them on the circular growth line.
Then, look up into the night sky again.
Look closely. You will see YOUR star twinkling.
Look closely. You will see YOUR star twinkling.
Imagine,” continued Pat, “you can add a beautiful new star to
the night sky kingdom whenever you want.”
We broke the dry cottonwood twigs at the growth rings, and,
sure enough, there, in the middle, were the homes of the tiny stars, which,
which now, said Pat, were shooting up to the sky above.
We dedicated the stars to Pat and his family.
sure enough, there, in the middle, were the homes of the tiny stars, which,
which now, said Pat, were shooting up to the sky above.
We dedicated the stars to Pat and his family.
What a wonderful story, I thought -
and what a way to fan a young scientist’s fire and
celebrate young scientists’ successful engagement
with scientific activity.
and what a way to fan a young scientist’s fire and
celebrate young scientists’ successful engagement
with scientific activity.
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