Article I forwarded to be published in a local magazine

I spent a lot of time living in the Pine Ridge Wounded Knee Ogllala Sioux Reservation in 1970 - 1971. During that time I learned a wonderful story that I often share - especially with young scientists when we’re out for a nature walk.

Here’s that story:

The Secret of the Cottonwood Stars

1970………..Wounded Knee Reservation, South Dakota

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,
we stood around our cars, sipping strong black coffee. 

Pat Pumpkin Seed caught my eye and held out his hand. Slowly he opened his fingers,
revealing a bunch of small cottonwood twigs. 

Pat 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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

Then, look up into the night sky again. 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, 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 celebrate something special. …………

The next time you’re out and about, pick up a few dry cottonwood twigs,
tell your kids the story,  and break them at the growth line.
You’ll be delighted with what you see.

**********

Spring is just around the corner...........

Well, February arrived in style yesterday................we drove in the early morning sunlight 65 miles to Taos by way of the Rio Grande...........and everything looked just incredible! The huge , colorful rocks, the stunted trees, the fast moving river.................and the occasional crows, looking for brekkie, beautiful!

And, today, sun, blue sky, no wind..........all made my early morning walk to feed the goldfish in the horse trough so enjoyable.  As I was walking and looking, I thought about the ants and the black beetles who can't wait for spring to come.......much too cold still for all of them, though.

But, hey, it'll happen - and the trees will grow new leaves.

Actually, I can't wait........

Then, I read again the super article in the Op Ed  page of the NYT...........January 27th.....
'A SEED IN DARGEST WINTER' by Margaret Renkl................someone who disliked winter..........until "I fell in love with the way the peeling bark of the sycamore reveal a ghost tree reaching for the sky, and the way the faded beach leaves cling to their branches and rustle in the wind like castnets. A shivering beech tree in a damp winter forest gives off its own light in the same way that dogwood blossoms in springtime look like tiny ground-borne suns."

When I became a scientist - edited version

                                  'Curiosity is the cure for boredom. There's no cure for curiosity.'


    
When I became a scientist, July 14th, 1947

Family walks to the nearby seaside close to St. Michael's Mount
were the highlight of my childhood.

When the tide was out, we’d first look to see what had been washed up on the beach.

Then we’d stare into the rock pools, hoping to see a tiny red and blue crab scuttling under the dark brown weed. They'd move so fast.

Then, we’d collect some smooth pebbles.

We’d look especially for those pebbles shaped like a heart, or, even better, those with a vein of milky-white quartz running through them.

They were special. VERY special!

Mum said they were special because they were wishing rocks.
You could hold one in your hand and send someone a wish.

Finding a wishing rock made me feel good.
I’d pick it up, hold it in my hand and slowly wrap my fingers around it. When the pebble felt warm,  I closed my eyes and thought about someone very dear to me…..

Of course, I always sent my very best wishes to my Mum and Dad.

 I loved going to the beach, and I can remember one very special time I went hunting
for wishing rocks.

It was the day of my fifth birthday, I was really surprised when my Dad 

met me at the end of the school day.

Dad said we were going hunting for pebbles on Lariggan Beach. Wow! Just me and Dad. Pebbling. On Lariggan Beach! After school - on my birthday!
Could it get any better than that?

I felt so special, and I knew in my bones that something magical was about to happen. And, I was right - what a memorable treat it turned out to be.

The sky was bright blue and the sun a shimmering yellow. The tide was out and the smooth black and grey and white pebbles were wet and shiny.

As we stepped over the pebbles, Dad reached in his pocket and brought out two tins. “Here,” he said, giving me one, “take this treasure tin - and fill it. With wishing rocks.” With a broad smile and a twinkle in his eye, he said, “Bet I fill mine first!” The competition was on!         

I filled mine with heart-shaped pebbles and wishing rocks as fast as I could. I so wanted to tell Mum that I filled my treasure tin before Dad filled his.

Then, I spotted something different. There, lying with all the other pebbles, was a bright yellow stone.  It didn’t look like any of the other pebbles. It was so different, more like a tiny slice of pineapple.

Whatever was it?




It stared up at me, wanting to be touched and admired - by me!

I bent over and picked it up…… I showed my Dad. Because I knew he knew everything, I asked: “What’s this, Dad?”

I was so surprised when Dad said he didn’t know. “Don’t know. Never seen a rock like that before.Take it home,” he said, “ and show your Mum. 
She’ll know.”

When we got home, I was beside myself with excitement. “Mum, Mum, I beat Dad!
I filled my treasure tin first!”

I showed her the wishing rocks I had collected on the beach  
“And, see what else I found!’ I said, as I showed her the yellow rock.
Mum didn't know what it was either, but I knew by the look on her face that the yellow rock was special. And, I found it on my birthday!
"Take it to school tomorrow and show Miss Harvey.

She'll know - teachers know everything!"

When I went to bed, I tucked my wishing rockand the yellow rock under my pillow.

I couldn't wait to get to school the next day. I bet Miss Harvey would know what I found.

As I stood by her tall desk the next morning, I spluttered, "Miss Harvey, Miss Harvey, see what I found on the beach yesterday. 

Went there with my Dad, you know, after school. When the tide was out.”

Every word came out in a rush…..As Miss Harvey looked inside my scratched OXO tin, her eyes widened! It wasn’t, apparently, a pebble. 

She said it was called AMBER, a fossil and millions of years old.

Miss Harvey held my golden amber in her hand,and said loudly,
so everyone in class could hear,“Show it to everyone.
Pass it around. Share it - that’s what scientists do. 
And,Johnny Paull, you’re a lways collecting rocks and things - you're a real SCIENTIST!!”

My head glowed. It was on fire. Me, John Paull, that was it. 
I was a SCIENTIST!

I was hooked. I couldn’t wait tell my Mum and Dad what my teacher had called me. They both smiled....

"'Course you're a scientist, Johnny.......we've always known that!'

              

And, I’ve been a SCIENTIST - and an admirer of nature's delights - ever since, thanks to my Mum and Dad and my teacher.

The years have flown by, and, when opportunities and challenges came my way, I have wished and wished - clutching my favorite wishing rock and my beautiful amber.

I know that sometimes the wishing rock really does send wishes……

....................................................................

Many years later, when teaching 5th graders,we were sharing their treasure tins at the start of another day, the tins were renamed by Michael, one of my students, when he said to me, “My tin is like a museum, don’t you think?

My dad says mine is a pocket museum.

Can we call them pocket museums, Mr. Paull”

What a great idea, I thought. I asked the class what they thought 

and everyone agreed that POCKET MUSEUM was the best name for a
treasure tin.

The Eldorado, Santa Fe, sky..................

Each day, early morning and late afternoon, the beautiful sky in Eldorado is colored by the rising and setting sun................I often sit and stare and smile...........

Fabulous, yes??

Weekend trip., shopping in Denver...............

.................to Denver...............

Booked Friday night  in the Hilton Garden Hotel, had Friday lunch at Smashburger when we arrived in Denver, after a 5 hour drive...FF went shopping.......................night in the fancy hotel, 8th floor, overlooking Colorado Blvd.....................Saturday, early breakfast, shopping, then back home at 4.45....B and F so pleased to see us.......

And, today, Sunday, catching up with my emails, a distressing letter from Daniel O'Hara, a college friend from 1960.............his wife, Josie, died last week.

Poor Daniel..................Josie was 84. They been together for a long, long time.

NYT January 20........Opinion page

I've just finished reading  the two page Opnion pages in today's NYT that focuses on the editors' choice for presidency.

If you get chance, go online and read it..................it's quite a brilliant piece. The last column, in particular, made me want to stand up and clap!

I did write to the NYT and thanked them.

Oh, and Janjuary 22nd, Frank Bruni's article is right on the button.............

Pecos - nearby historic site, first inhabitated by Native Americans, then Spaniards

Not far from where I live, Pecos is one of my favorite places to visit, walk........................look...........and think............................

The Native American's first lived here, farming and trading turquoise over a thousand years ago. Forced out by the Spaniards around 15th C.....................then, regrouped and forced the Spaniards out!!