Dam

Dam Site (Tomasito photo)

It is a shame that we humans seem to destroy nature every time we try to make things more comfortable and safe for ourselves.

I wonder if we will ever understand this problem in time to do something about it.

Tomasito, 2009

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Change

Ecological Destruction at Work 2008 (Tomasito photo)

Change—there is No Alternative

Poisoning, polluting and destroying the atmosphere, the waters and the habitat of most of the earth’s creatures and the natural balance of the earth’s ecosystems, the odd technologically-oriented species Homo sapiens has become THE global disaster: the cancer of the planet.

We are the problem.

Since we have the mentality to see this quite clearly, we could change-- hopefully in time to survive and perhaps even flourish as a species in a different “new world”.

Homo sapiens could accept our responsibility now for the general maintenance and well being of the earth or we will be eliminated as sure as any other too successful parasites die after witlessly murdering their host. We commit slow suicide as we destroy our host planet!

And, as a misinformed and arrogant leader in so many other ways, The United States of America is presently leading in the disastrous wasting of the earth.


So it is only appropriate that we unfortunate citizens of the USA lead in the process of regenerating the earth.

I do not believe the current spate of wars are the answer--killing each other is not enough.

We should change!

We could find the will—we have the means---to control and limit the human population now .

We might preserve and protect the other creatures that share our earth.

Or...

Tomasito, 2009

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Santa on Bridge

Tanya on Diestelhorst Bridge, December 2008. (Tomasito photo)


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Yearly Cycle of Dances

Bear Dancer, January 2009 (Tanya photo)

Yearly Cycle of Dances

I have seen in many parts of the world folk dances celebrating the changing seasons of the area.

This seem to me to be a natural healthy thing to do and I have always enjoyed watching and even participating to a very small extent in the folk celebrations.

Of course most of these celebratio0ns have become folk dance for pay touristic attractions--with the usual spin-off trinkets and souvenirs. Most often the origin and the purpose of the dance cycle has been more or less forgotten--but I have experienced dances for and by simple people for their own cultural reasons--maybe "religious" maybe just to have a good time together.

Since I like to make papier mache masks and have worked some in theater I thought it would be interesting and fun to start a series of celebrations--featuring costumed dancers performing in a yearly cycle--and since the creatures of the earth are so threatened by the explosion of humanity--I though it would be fitting to honor some of the creatures of the area in which the dances are performed.

We are presently in Redding, California--the home of the very unusual Sundial Bridge across the Sacramento river. The gnoman of this sundial is HUGE since it lifts the cables supporting the heavy pedestrian bridge across this fairly wide river.

I thought this spot would be god for such a series of quasi-folk dances and a six-month yearly series of celebrations--sort of like those done by the Hopi Indians of Northern Arizona--but not religious and with participation not limited to the local people (Like the Hopis).

This idea has not born any fruit at all--but I thought it would be fun anyway to begin in a VERY small way the series of "dance celebrations".

The photo above shows the "bear dancer"--the first of the series--near the Sacramento River--but not very near the Rainbow Bridge.

Tomasito, 2009


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Eagle Above River Trail

Eagle in the Wild (Tanya photo)

Wild Eagle

We walk a mile or so on the Sacramento River Trail in Redding, CA almost every day and on our New Years Day walk we were lucky enough to see and photograph the bald eagle pictured above for the very first time.

We see other birds daily--hawks, ducks, wild geese and others, but this eagle sighting is unique for us.

It is wonderful that in spite of the awful destruction of habitat around here by humanity in the last hundred years or so--the hunting, placer mining, the dams and all--and the current proximity of so many people with all their city sprawl--a few of the creatures native to the area have managed to somehow survive into the early twenty-first century.

Tomasito, 2009


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Happy New Year

A very Happy New Year

from

Constable Crab, Tanya, Tomasito
and Maggie the Part-time Cat

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Wounded Knee Anniversary

Bloody Snowflake, 29 December, r, 1890


Not so good, Black Elk.

Nothing much has changed.

Tomasito, 2008

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