"To stick your hands in the river is to feel the chords that bind the earth together in one place". Barry Lopez. Thinking of you…chords bind us together…

These three three Elemental spirits human the animal and the mineral are important. The mask is Athabasca Yukon from the lower Yukon, a messenger mask representing a crow. We just watched an hour-long film about Grizzlies and I was reminded again of their amazing Spirit here in the wilderness. It was a deep personal connection to the spirit of bears.

Canada’s KluanE national Park and the US adjacent Wrangle St. Elias National Monument were jointly nominated to the UNesco world heritage list in 1979 as part of the natural and cultural heritage of humanity. Together the property represents an unbroken, pristine natural system, with a rich variety of vegetation patterns and ecosystem. A wealth of Wildlife populations including grizzly bears, dall sheep, the largest single concentration in the world, and a number of rare plant communities. They also contain the largest non polar ice field in the world and some of the world’s most spectacular glaciers. We hiked here before breakfast in our campsite!

De

​e
r have been known to the Eagle and Raven clans of the ​Tlingit​
tribe as the most peaceful animal in the forest. Because of this​,​
during ceremonies at the end of a war a member was chosen to negotiate the settlement of peace and was known as the deer. He would go to this Rock where he could think deeply and carefully meditate about peace so that the best terms would result for his people. Here at this Rock​, he ​
wo​uld listen, meditate and
offer​ ​
the initial peace ​agreement ​
over ​day​
s. Hi​s ​
levels of diplomatic skills were used and after many days a peaceful settlement would finally be agreed upon. Thus the rock where peace negotiations occurred was designated as de​e​
r peace Rock and stood for peace now and forever. It was unfortunately blasted in the construction of a road by white people​, ​
And​ ​
reassembled here in its original location.

Juneau

Mountains, falls and glaxier…

Next to Mendenhall glacier, Juneau. ..hiked 2 miles on the layover here…Sunshine and a rainbow, eagles, shared taxi with newlyweds….Lots of good karma!

Carved cedar polls represent much more than a work of art. Every symbol has great significance. Each of the style eyes carvings represents something important and are worthy of documentation. It could be right one, Alliance is formed, spiritual experience is or other celebrations. That’s too keen planets are famous for their complex and powerful images carved into totem pole sand house posts

Coming south out of Tracy arm glaciers, sunny gorgeous day to be on Alaska Maine Highway ferry on the inside passage! Seeing whales, pods of dolphin, some stellar seala, the big ones!

and unto Dust we shall return. Everything living becomes life for something else…we are all dying, perhaps there is beauty in it, and lifegiving too, this one precious life! Seems bit clearer here in the Tongass rainforest