whale talker

Woke up this morning to the first “restless” day. No, not me being restless, but the weather. Restless to me means undecided, dark, loaded with potential and filled with raw energy. There was a small squall that passed by yesterday morning so I kayaked out to take a closer look. It was too far away to be of any threat to me but close enough so that I could feel it’s presence, hear the thunder within it, and see the flashes of lightening illuminating it’s clouds…. ah, nature, nothing, absolutely nothing, like it. This morning there was even more “restless” energy. It is now 10:00 am and the Sea is forming white caps and I can again feel the potential. I have been here long enough now to read this as just a minor passing “tempesta” (storm) but it signifies the coming seasonal climate change. I do love to see Mother Earth and Father Sky do there dance!!

Speaking of dancing I sent the picture below to National Geographic’s “Your Shot” program.

I took this in 1992 on The Island of Innisfallen on Lough Le'in (modern Leane, meaning Lake of Learning) near Killarney, Ireland. I was investigating an ancient Monastery (Innisfallen Abby circa 7th century and perhaps Irelands first University), thinking I was the only person on the Island. I heard this Faire like laughter coming from one of the rooms and happened upon this young girl twirling about while singing and laughing. I don’t think I have ever heard such a beautiful, ethereal sound or witnessed such a heart-warming sight. I got this shot without her ever knowing I was there. I have no idea who she was but I later saw her with her parents leaving the island on a small boat. Until that moment I had almost convinced myself that she had been an apparition or maybe a Faire. She was a gift.
Since writing this on the 16th, today being the 19th, it has indeed been chosen as one of today's "Daily Dozen" in their "Your Shot" program. To see it on their site go to: ngm.nationalgeographicmagazine.com/myshot/. Each month one of the "daily dozen" is chosen to be included in the next issue of ngm. If anyone sees it, please let me know.

As long as I am showing some pictures here’s the latest of my Pagan Pictographs.

This is undoubtedly familiar to many if not most of you and it happens to be one of my favorites. This is a symbol that represents the essence of The Native American Medicine Wheel. Various traditions use different colors (red instead of yellow for East, yellow or green for south instead of red, blue for west instead of black, north pretty much always white) the ones I used are those used by The Huichol of Mexico and a number of other North American Peoples. The symbol’s origin is very ancient, most likely predating the entrance of The Native American into The Western Hemisphere (+ or – 20-22,000 BP) and possibly even used by late Homo erectus peoples as early as 200,000 BP. It is a symbol that is also shared by just about all primal peoples throughout the world; possibly one of the three earliest symbols of human’s emerging awareness. Very basically it represents the Cyclical Nature of Existence and The Inherent Energies of The Four Cardinal Directions. Different traditions have different ways of interpreting The Medicine Wheel but the “essence” is the same. I heartily recommend to everyone to at the very least google it and let your spirit be lifted.

I was premature in my suggesting that The Great Dragon Fly Migration has begun. They are here, and in good numbers but I don’t see them all moving north in the constant flow of last year. I think that within the next 2 weeks however it will begin. They are by the way, Red Skimmers. When the sun shines through their wings at just the right angle it is breath taking. Like crystal clear rubies with fine deeper red etchings all over them….a sight to see!

A Red Skimmer, not my photo

My Red Ant friends are here but have not yet begun their march in front of me under my palapa. I became enamored of them last year about this time when I saw how happy they were to receive the flys I swatted and flipped in their path while sitting here (that’s where I am writing from right now).

I have been writing for ½ hour now and the wind has picked up a bit. I think we have a good afternoon blow coming (12-14 knots). Again nothing serious but we have had very little wind for the past month. Everyone is anticipating a rain soon. If we get three good days of rain it is considered to be sufficient for the year. Seeing the desert bloom during that time is awesome (and I mean the REAL awesome).

Due to a reawakened enjoyment in watching movies (friend's CDs) I have recognized a basic truth….TV is indeed very, very bad for the human race. I do not mean this in any jest; it is plain bad, bad, bad. Now that does not mean I will stop watching when I feel like it or suggest you do, but the overall effect of that constant kind of stimulation is really messing with the brains of our children and the brains of our less discriminating (kindest way I can put this) adults. Without question TV draws us away from our relationship with nature. As immersed as I am in Nature, I nevertheless am “over stimulated and distracted” from being “connected” when I watch television. If that is the case for me, a biologist living in a paradise of nature, what must it be like for a child watching TV 6-8 hrs/day? Frightening, truly frightening. Read to your children (grandchildren for many of you) the works of Loren Eisley, Jane Goodall or any number of other naturalists and give them something REAL to identify with. Of course the nature shows aren't bad but that is still not REAL!

I just looked up to see The Red Ants are on the move, they are back and passing by my way again….how cool!! Now my fly swatting will take on a much greater significance. The ants are soooo important to the planet.

A short while back I was concerned, as were my doctors, about my physical health. I chose to surrender to the Healing Forces within and without me. I'm feeling pretty damn good!


Namaste’