What's Happening in the Forests?

Back to Story - Help

Mexican marijuana cartels sully US forests, parks

By TRACIE CONE, Associated Press Writer2 hours, 40 minutes ago

National forests and parks — long popular with Mexican marijuana-growing cartels — have become home to some of the most polluted pockets of wilderness in America because of the toxic chemicals needed to eke lucrative harvests from rocky mountainsides, federal officials said.

The grow sites have taken hold from the West Coast's Cascade Mountains, as well as on federal lands in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Seven hundred grow sites were discovered on U.S. Forest Service land in California alone in 2007 and 2008 — and authorities say the 1,800-square-mile Sequoia National Forest is the hardest hit.

Weed and bug sprays, some long banned in the U.S., have been smuggled to the marijuana farms. Plant growth hormones have been dumped into streams, and the water has then been diverted for miles in PVC pipes.

Rat poison has been sprinkled over the landscape to keep animals away from tender plants. And many sites are strewn with the carcasses of deer and bears poached by workers during the five-month growing season that is now ending.

"What's going on on public lands is a crisis at every level," said Forest Service agent Ron Pugh. "These are America's most precious resources, and they are being devastated by an unprecedented commercial enterprise conducted by armed foreign nationals. It is a huge mess."

The first documented marijuana cartels were discovered in Sequoia National Park in 1998. Then, officials say, tighter border controls after Sept. 11, 2001, forced industrial-scale growers to move their operations into the United States.

Millions of dollars are spent every year to find and uproot marijuana-growing operations on state and federal lands, but federal officials say no money is budgeted to clean up the environmental mess left behind after helicopters carry off the plants. They are encouraged that Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who last year secured funding for eradication, has inquired about the pollution problems.

In the meantime, the only cleanup is done by volunteers. On Tuesday, the nonprofit High Sierra Trail Crew, founded to improve access to public lands, plans to take 30 people deep into the Sequoia National Forest to carry out miles of drip irrigation pipe, tons of human garbage, volatile propane canisters, and bags and bottles of herbicides and pesticides.

"If the people of California knew what was going on out there, they'd be up in arms about this," said Shane Krogen, the nonprofit's executive director. "Helicopters full of dope are like body counts in the Vietnam War. What does it really mean?"

Last year, law enforcement agents uprooted nearly five million plants in California, nearly a half million in Kentucky and 276,000 in Washington state as the development of hybrid plants has expanded the range of climates marijuana can tolerate.

"People light up a joint, and they have no idea the amount of environmental damage associated with it," said Cicely Muldoon, deputy regional director of the Pacific West Region of the National Park Service.

As of Sept. 2, more than 2.2 million plants had been uprooted statewide. The largest single bust in the nation this year netted 482,000 plants in the remote Sierra of Tulare County, the forest service said.

Some popular parks also have suffered damage. In 2007, rangers found more than 20,000 plants in Yosemite National Park and 43,000 plants in Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park, where 159 grow sites have been discovered over the past 10 years.

Agent Patrick Foy of the California Department of Fish and Game estimated that 1.5 pounds of fertilizers and pesticides is used for every 11.5 plants.

"I've seen the pesticide residue on the plants," Foy said. "You ain't just smoking pot, bud. You're smoking some heavy-duty pesticides from Mexico."

Scott Wanek, the western regional chief ranger for the National Park Service, said he believes the eradication efforts have touched only a small portion of the marijuana farms and that the environmental impact is much greater than anyone knows.

"Think about Sequoia," Wanek said. "The impact goes well beyond the acreage planted. They create huge networks of trail systems, and the chemicals that get into watersheds are potentially very far-reaching — all the way to drinking water for the downstream communities. We are trying to study that now."

Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Tyson Schrade Update

http://www.centraloregonian.com/PCONews1.shtml

www.CentralOregonian.com (541) 447-6205 558 N. Main St., Prineville, OR 97754
Active search for missing hiker concluded Tyson Schrade remains missing after more than a week of searching By Kevin Gaboury
After searching in vain for a 27-year-old missing hiker for more than 10 days, Crook County Search and Rescue (SAR) officials suspended the search for Tyson Schrade on Monday pending further developments in the case.
Schrade, a Salem resident, reportedly disappeared from a Rainbow Family gathering near Indian Prairie in the Ochoco National Forest on Sept. 11, but SAR officials weren't notified until Sept. 13.
"The search is ongoing. It's not the (SAR) command trailer and the big parade of volunteers, but we're not giving up," said Crook County Special Services Commander Brandon Smith. "We're still investigating this and we're hoping some clues might give us an idea of where else to look."
After finding footprints on Sept. 18, that investigators believe are Schrade's, SAR personnel followed them for 2 « miles before reaching a hard-packed dirt road, where the footprints disappeared.
"On the last day, we walked along that road about six miles, flanking it and trying to find clues, but we just couldn't come up with anything," Smith said.
The footprints, which matched Schrade's print pattern and size, led investigators north through the rugged area of the Bridge Creek Burn before vanishing.
Smith said that on any given day of the search, there were approximately 20 SAR volunteers from Wheeler, Crook and Deschutes counties looking for Schrade, along with helicopters, airplanes and dogs - and they also utilized some less conventional methods, including the use of a psychic at the request of Schrade's mother.
However, officials are now concerned that with the recent drop in temperature, Schrade may have succumbed to hypothermia. If this is the case, Smith said he may have left behind some clothing, which could lead to his whereabouts.
"He wasn't really dressed for the elements," Smith said. "We had really cold nights last week, and he probably would have started shedding clothing. During hypothermia, the body makes you think that you're hot."
The Crook County SAR encourages hunters and anyone else in the area to keep an eye out for a studded belt, black pants cut below the knee, a black t-shirt with AUDIO written in white and a conductor-style hat - the last clothes that Schrade was seen wearing.
Schrade is described as a Caucasian male, 5' 10" in height and weighing 175 lbs. He has dark brown hair cut into a Mohawk and blue eyes.
Despite the recent developments, Smith has a feeling that Schrade is still out there.
"I'm about 80 percent certain he's still out in those woods, but there's a 20 percent chance that he jumped in with somebody and got a ride out of there," he said. "We think because of his medical condition that he's up there somewhere."
Schrade's condition reportedly causes hallucinations and delirium tremens (DTs), which are normally associated with alcohol withdrawal. It is unknown whether this was the case in Schrade.
However, Smith feels that this situation could have been prevented if Schrade had received help earlier.
"It's really a tragedy that the folks there weren't decent enough to call authorities when he was exhibiting medical problems the night before," Smith said. "He should have been hospitalized that night, but the folks there refused to do that. Then, with the conditions they knew he had, they allowed him to wander into the woods and didn't call us for two days. My heart goes out to the Schrade family."

Timeline of Schrader search

Story copied from http://kohd.com/news/local/45469
Search for Missing Man
09/22/08 Ochoco Nat'l Forest

Progress is made in the search for 27 year old Tyson Schrade who wandered away from a gathering in the Ochoco Nat'l Forest in Wheeler County last Thursday. Below is the timeline of the search.

Monday, September 22, 2008

On Saturday afternoon after 8 days of searching, officials have suspended the search for Tyson Schrade pending further developments in the case. We are asking that anyone that may be in that area keeps their eyes open for a studded belt, black pants cut right below the knee, a black t-shirt with AUDIO written in white, and a conductor's hat. Please notify Crook County Sheriff's Offfice if you have any information.

Friday, September 19, 2008 Update
Searchers will return to the Search area today to continue to track foot prints followed yesterday. Ground teams will continue searching in the hopes of finding new clues to determine Tyson's direction of travel.
Thursday, September 18, 2008 Update

Wednesday's Search was very productive. Searchers located a set of foot prints heading to the north toward private land and through the recent Bridge Creek burn. Searchers followed the tracks nearly 1 mile through very rugged terrain. The shoe print pattern and size are consistent with Tyson's.

10 Searchers from the Crook County Sheriff's Office and the Wheeler County Sheriff's Office will return to the Search area today in an attempt to re-locate and follow these foot prints. We would like to thank the public for all of the tips that have come in.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 Update

The Search for Tyson Schrade will continue for today. Search crews will focus their efforts on a location to the East of the gathering.

Tuesday , September 16, 2008 Update

Thirty Search and Rescue Personnel representing Wheeler County, Crook County, Deschutes County and the United States Forest Service returned to the area around Indian Prairie. Tyson's family arrived in Prineville today to assist with the search.

Monday, September 15, 2008 Update

The Search Continues for Tyson Schrade. The Civil Air Patrol and Crook County Search and Rescue searched the Ochoco National Forest today. Tyson Schrade's family has been located in Northern California and is on their way to Prineville to assist in the search efforts. Authorities appreciate the assistance of the public and are following up on leads.

Sunday, September 14, 2008 Update

Members of the Wheeler County Sheriff's Office, Crook County Sheriff's Office, and Crook County Search and Rescue volunteers continue to look for Tyson Schrade (pronounced Schrad E) in and around the Indian Prairie area. Information gathered today leads authorities to believe that Tyson is more than likely still in the forest and we are looking for the publics help. If anyone has seen Tyson or a person meeting Tyson's description, please contact the Wheeler County or Crook County Sheriff's Office.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

While performing Search and Rescue training on Saturday September 13, 2008, the
Crook County Search and Rescue Team was flagged down by Rainbow Gathering participants near Indian Prairie in the Ochoco National Forest, Wheeler County Oregon. The Search and Rescue Team was informed that Tyson Glenn Schrade (age 27) had wandered away from the gathering the morning of Thursday, September 11th.

Tyson is described as a Caucasian male, 5'10", 175 lbs, dark brown hair and blue eyes. Tyson was last seen wearing black cut off "Dickies" style work pants, a black t-shirt with 6"-8" white horizontal lettering on the front spelling out the word "Audio". Tyson has a Mohawk style hair cut, but was last seen wearing a train conductor's hat. Tyson may be suffering from a medical condition causing hallucinations and delirium.

At this time, it is unclear if Tyson is in the forest or has hitched hiked out of the area. If anyone has information about Tyson Schrade's whereabouts, please contact the Wheeler or Crook County Sheriff's Office

Search for Tyson Suspended

Search for missing Salem man suspended

Posted: Sep 15, 2008 05:38 PM PDT

Last Updated: Sep 22, 2008 04:57 PM PDT

Flyer prepared by Crook County Sheriff's Office for missing man, Tyson Schrade

Reportedly had joined 'Rainbow' gathering; mother fears for son

By Amy Easley, Tony Fuller and Kate Paul, KTVZ.COM

Searchers east of Prineville on Thursday found more footprints, for a total of 2 1/2 miles after two days, but so far have not found a Salem man missing for a week in very rugged terrain, Crook County sheriff's deputies said.

But on Saturday afternoon, after eight days of searching, officials suspended the search for Tyson Schrade, 27, pending further developments in the case.

Crook County authorities asked on Monday that anyone who is in the Indian Prairie area look out for a studded belt, black pants cut right below the knee, a black T-shirt with "AUDIO" written in whit, and a conductor's hat. You're asked to notify Crook County sheriff's deputies with any information

Shoe prints in a pattern and size consistent with Schrade were found heading to the north, toward private land and through the area burned by the recent Bridge Creek Fire, deputies said.

Ten Crook and Wheeler county deputies returned to the search area Thursday and followed the footprints, using a GPS tracking device to connect the dots, so to speak.

They said it looked like Schrade was heading north from Indian Prairie to a forest road, but that the footprints stopped. So he might have hitched a ride out of the area, but definitely spent some time in the forest.

Since he left the campsite without his backpack, he apparently had no extra clothes if it got cold, nor any food.

His mother, Denice, has been handing out flyers around Prineville.

Deputies offered thanks to the public for al the tips that have come in as to Schrade's whereabouts. And they said they'd keep searching, as long as new clues arise.

The Salem man was reported missing last Saturday, two days after leaving a group of fellow campers near the Bridge Creek Wilderness Area on the Ochoco National Forest.

Two Civil Air Patrol planes from Bend and Medford flew Monday to help Wheeler and Crook county sheriff's deputies search for the man, last seen Sept. 11 near the wilderness area, about 40 miles northeast of Prineville, said sheriff's Deputy Will Osborn.

Crook County Undersheriff Jim Hensley said Schrade was reported missing Saturday night after leaving a group of friends last Thursday morning at the Spirit Mountain Festival in the Indian Prairie area of Wheeler County.

Osborn said Schrade had been camping in the area with the Rainbow Family, a group that frequently holds gatherings in the national forests during the summer.

Wednesday's focus for search crews was on a location to the east of that gathering, officials said. On Tuesday, 30 search and rescue personnel returned to the area, as Tyson's family arrived in Prineville to assist in the search.

Hensley said Crook County Sheriff's Search and Rescue members were in the area on a training exercise when they were contacted by the group. He said an investigation has determined the man could have gotten a ride out of the area, or could be hiding out in the wilderness.

A ground search was conducted Sunday in the area covered with thick underbrush, Osborn said, and another took place Tuesday.

Schrade was described as 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds, with brown hair in a mohawk and blue eyes.

Anyone with information as to his whereabouts was asked to contact Crook or Wheeler county authorities.

"My son has a medical condition, and I don't know if he is going to make it out of here," said Denice Schrade. "So if anybody sees anything odd - he was wearing all black - he is definitely in trouble."

Brandon Smith, Crook County Search and Rescue commander, said, "What we're hoping for is that some woodcutters or some hunters might be able to see him or maybe spot some clothing from this gentleman, and give us some clues, so we know where to search."

But Denice Schrade added, "They're saying the odds aren't so good.  I just want him found, one way or the other, because I don't know if I can live with him just being missing forever, and I just want him found."

Two days later, she was still trying to hold out hope, but said, "I just don't understand."

Searchers Seek Lost Camper

Oregon: Searchers seek camper in forest
Searchers in central Oregon's Ochoco National Forest said they have found footprints believed to be those of missing camper Tyson Schrade and followed them for about a mile.

About 30 searchers from the U.S. Forest Service and Wheeler, Crook and Deschutes counties are looking for the 27-year-old Schrade, reported missing Saturday by members of the Rainbow Family camping near Fossil.

Search directors said Schrade may suffer from medical conditions causing hallucinations and delirium.
Associated Press
© 2008The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA

This news taken from http://www.heraldnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080919/NEWS03/709199848&template=printart

Searchers seek Lost Camper in Forest-Update

9/18/2008, 8:57 a.m. PT
The Associated Press

FOSSIL, Ore. (AP) — Searchers in central Oregon's Ochoco National Forest say they have found footprints believed to be those of missing camper Tyson Schrade (SHRAD-ee) and followed them for about a mile.

About 30 searchers from the U.S. Forest Service and Wheeler, Crook and Deschutes counties are looking for the 27-year-old Schrade, reported missing Saturday by members of the Rainbow Family camping in the area.

The Land of Sacred Red Willow

This is the original invitation to the first Medicine Wheel Gathering as the Mountain Spirit Tribe sent it out. This is copied from Tribe.net.  Evilive helped to publicize this gathering and he actually came to the Ochocos to pray with us.  Evi died in a car crash shortly after this assembly. I ask in his honor that prayers and tribute go out to Evi for the medicine wheel work that he did while here his short thirty years.

Evilive kept a my space page that might still be active. Check http://www.myspace.com/evilive

http://roadjunky.com/forums/archive/index.php/thread-199.html
Roadjunky Travel Forums
Roadjunky Travel Forums > Travel Source > Beat Culture > HOWDY FOLKS!!! OREGON/WASHINGTON
Full Version: HOWDY FOLKS!!! OREGON/WASHINGTON
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Tokin
08-10-2007, 06:15 PM
Cross posted from www.tribe.net

Howdy Folks Oregon!!!
topic posted Yesterday 8/9/07, 5:39 PM by evilive

We humbly invite all those who have the desire to join us in a celebration of the lives of our ancestors, and in our sacred tradition of assembling together in prayer, worship, ceremony, music and dance.

Where: At Indian Prairie in the Ochoco National Forest north east of Prineville. Directions
will be posted at a later date.
When: September 11, 2007 till September 23, 2007
Who: All peoples, all tribes.
Contact: Raven or Summer Breeze, 240-863-6250 , email
angelonmyshoulder77@yahoo.com or write to 720 West Benton, Pocatello,
Idaho 83204

That sacred mountain calls to us to return once again. I have heard the call for a couple years now and can no longer ignore the urgency with which I feel drawn to the Ochoco Mountains. The universe has a way of confirming the unspoken messages that humanity receives. Today, the District Ranger Art from the Ochoco National Forest, told me that this place needs the rainbow rain dancing. Art wants us to come and rain dance in the Ochoco Forest because it desperately needs the rain. Art says his rain dancing is not working. What are we waiting for? I am praying for rain there even now. Spread the vibe.

May the prayers for peace on earth and among the children of men continue throughout the year. God knows how much prayer is needed for humanity every moment of our existence.

I really appreciate all that each one who gathers does to make these assemblies possible. Let all rainbow warriors continue to expand the circle of light.

Let the medicine wheel continue to expand until it embraces the entire earth. Come to Ochoco, ancient sacred land of willow this September, celebrate the solstice in sacred ceremony. Prepare for sacred lodge at the Four Corners in the spring, then on to Wyoming and Wounded Knee. Call a praying circle, call a sacred assembly in every state in every month of the year and in every country around this world. Surrender to the Spirit of the One Who is Love.

When you are all done in New Mexico and Colorado, and where ever you are going in between, come join us in the Ochoco National Forest next month for a memorial tribute and prayer assembly. The chosen gathering dates are September 11 till September 23rd....13 days....beginning on 9-11 with a memorial in our hearts for those who died in New York.and Pennsylvania...the 23rd hour love tour and in memorial of Elijah's birth in 1998, who has been in government captiviity since his eleventh day of life...and the sacred number 13 in the Mayan calendar. This is in honor of Shanti Sena Woodstock Luke Skywalker, Front Gate Luke, one of my dearest friends...and in honor and memory of my brother Joseph Greenfeather, all our loved ones who passed to the Spirit in the sky. May we all dance together.

Lovin you family.

NO PERMIT

Demand an alternative means of compliance with use of a traditional operating plan as provided for in the regulations!

Summer Breeze

-----
LOVE AND LIGHT

Peace Everyone! Hope to see you there! Tokin.
_________________
I came into this life with nothing, and I still have some of it left...
Tokin
08-31-2007, 05:31 PM
Howdy Folks Oregon!!! Update!
topic posted Wed, August 22, 2007 - 1:03 PM
Greetings, here is the Howdy folks update for this september Oregon gathering.. Please PLUG IN! 

love and light evi -

Howdy Folks,

Just an update to let everyone know how it's going.

All ground work and pre-contact with the regional forest personnel
has been done.All arrangements for the site have been worked out with
the Forest Service. We started dialogue with the District Ranger and
the Forest Supervisor about three weeks ago.

Alternate sites were discussed and some scouting happened. Folks who
know this region, including Summer Breeze and Raven who have visited
there several times, decided that Indian Prairie is the site for this
gathering. In a phone conversation with District Ranger Art Currier
yesterday, Monday, August 20, 2007, a final decision was made to
reserve the Indian Prairie site from about September 3 till September
30, to allow for seed camp and clean up.

An operating plan outline is available for this site to be used by
folks who appear on the land. An operating plan is a "living
document" and must be worked out on the land, in circle, and with the
Forest Service District Ranger and resource folks. If you have
questions about an operating plan, post those questions here for all
to read.

Summer Breeze mailed a copy of the operating plan for the Ochoco,
Oregon '97 gathering to District Ranger Art Currier which he
acknowledged receipt of in yesterday's phone conversation. The land
has changed a little since '97 so obviously, some changes will need
to be made to accomodate the resource, health and safety needs of
this event in 2007. Again, a living document to be created by folks
assembled on the land. I will get into my files and post the Oregon
97 Operating Plan on this group. I believe it is available on
www.welcomehome.org.

It needs to be clearly understood that operating under the Forest
Service regulations, under an alternative manner using an operating
plan without a permit is under discussion. Contact has been made with
Officials in Washington D.C. who can give directive to Forest Service
personnel to operate in an alternative manner. However, let it be
made known that permission for this event at this time, has not been
granted. Negotiations are still in the works.

PERMITS.

A permit is a very controversial instrument with many legal
fallacies, frauds and pitfalls, as the application is currently
written in regards to any rainbow style event.

Raven and Summer Breeze prefer not to have a permit for this site.
Use discernment whether or not you will attend based on this. It has
been a long road for us negotiating the alternative manner, to
include our trip to DC in April where we met with Mark Rey and John
Twiss to discuss this topic. A directive was issued for the annual
gathering in Arkansas as a result of this meeting and subsequent and
prior requests/discussions that took place with many folks involved.

Thomas from Peace Park in DC attended this 4/20 meeting with us. His
website is www.prop1.org. Brian Michaels, a lawyer from Eugene,
participated in this meeting by telephone and phone conferences.
Conferences were set up and involved a host of various individuals
who opted to call in.

Volunteers are still needed to negotiate and appeal to Congress and
sub committees. Our efforts will continue into the future and will
include further trips to DC. Any one wishing to help or join with us,
Raven, Summer Breeze, SuzyQ and other folks at the Emerald Village
Tribe, please contact us by email.

KITCHENS: So far we have been promised the presence of three
kitchens. Once follow up calls are made this week and confirmation
received from these volunteer kitchens are made, we will post that
information here.

Meanwhile, we are calling all kitchens and folks who will volunteer
to assist current kitchens that plan to attend. Please post here or
contact Summer Breeze at angelonmyshoulder77@yahoo.com,
mountainspirit14@yahoo.com, or call 240-863-6250 to co-ordinate
efforts and supply lists.

WATER: There are several springs on site, with one confirmed flowing
and already tapped by the Forest Service. We have permission to use
this tap for the gathering and to run lines into the site from here.
Two other springs are known to exist on site. Some scouts have
verified that water is flowing. Raven and I and others will confirm
when we go to the site next week to do preliminary walking of the
site with the Forest Service.

Anyone who has water pipe, please bring it. Contact the board or
Summer Breeze so we know how much pipe is available. We will need a
volunteer who is responsible that can take the pipe to the next
regional or annual or to pass it on to another if excess pipe is
acquired.

FIRES: Currently, personal fires are restricted and all fires will
need a permit. Community and kitchen fires will be inspected by the
Ranger for approval according to agreement made with Art Currier. He
prefers propane, however, so bring Propane in case we have a fire ban.

PRAY FOR RAIN IN THE OCHOCOS. DO THE RAIN DANCING. WE WILL RAIN DANCE OUR FIRST DAY ON SITE. BRING THE DRUMS. PRAY NOW FOR GENTLE RAIN IN THE OCHOCOS.

We will post a supply wish list, and suggested supplies to bring.

Could someone take initiative to find all current rainbow raps and
post on this site? I can do it myself but I am extremely busy with
many facets of this gathering and my personal life.

SEED CAMP: It should start five to seven days before. All folks
intending to come to seed camp should wait for the directions to be
posted so an operating plan, a tentative one, can be worked out
immediately so we will not be in violation of the regs.

All folks coming to seed camp should be self sufficient, prepared to
use propane, feed themselves and to share with one or two others, and
be prepared to work to lay out the site and dig "latrines", flag off
and ribbon sensitive areas, put out rocks, make and post kind rainbow
signs.

Bring shovels, saws, twine, etc. for digging and please bring
environmentally friendly dish and body soap and toilet paper. Bring
trash bags.

HOLDING CAMP: any holding camps can start even now, but should be no
closer than twenty miles to the actual site and should be non-
invasive on the land. Keep it simple. Do not build structures. Do not
build large firepits or dig large holes. Use your tents, buses, motor
homes and clean up after your self immediately. Live and tread
lightly on the land and please do not bring the abuse of alcohol
scene or the abuse of drugs scene to this sacred gathering. Remember
Rule #1 is RESPECT.

No holding camp should ever go over 74 people or be prepared to split
up or be subject to a permit or eviction by the Forest Service.

MEMORIAL SERVICES-CELEBRATION OF THE LIVES OF OUR RAINBOW FAMILY FOLKS WHO HAVE PASSED ON IN RECENT YEARS, OR SINCE THE BEGINNING IN 1972 IS THE FOCUS OF THIS GATHERING/EVENT/ASSEMBLY. ALSO, WE WILL BE HONORING OUR ANCESTORS IN SACRED DANCE, MUSIC, STORIES, FOLK TALES, TALKINGS, PRAYERS AND CEREMONIES.

BRING YOUR SACRED CEREMONIES.

BRING STORIES OF LOVED ONES TO HONOR AND REMEMBER.

MAKE BEAUTIFUL ART AND SIGNS AND SACRED OBJECTS TO PLACE UPON A
SACRED ALTER AT THE FIRE.

We look forward to a sacred assembly with our family.

We love you.
Please share this information far and wide. Invite international
family to join us in celebration of our ancestors who have helped to
bring us to this place and time.

peace be with you,
Summer Breeze

--

cheers!

evi
posted by:
evilive

Roadjunky Travel Forums > Travel Source > Beat Culture > HOWDY FOLKS!!! OREGON/WASHINGTON
Reference URL's
Roadjunky Travel Forums: http://roadjunky.com/forums/index.php
HOWDY FOLKS!!! OREGON/WASHINGTON: http://roadjunky.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=199
Powered By MyBB
Copyright © 2008 MyBB Group

Reunion in the Ochocos

A Rainbow Family reunion in Crook County next week
Regional meeting to be smaller than event 10 years ago
By Erin Golden / The Bulletin
Published: September 08. 2007 4:00AM PST

Dean Guernsey / The Bulletin file photos
A Rainbow Family member flashes a peace sign during the group's 1997 national gathering at Indian Prairie, in the Ochoco National Forest near Prineville.

Dean Guernsey / The Bulletin file photos
Members of the Rainbow Family, a peace and Utopian living group, arrive for a June 1997 national gathering at Indian Prairie in the Ochoco National Forest near Prineville. Officials say the earlier event helped prepare them for this year’s visit.
What is the Rainbow Family?
• Members live throughout the United States and around the world and vary in age, occupation, religion and background.
• The group grew out of the counterculture movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s and had its first national gathering in Colorado in 1972.
• Since the 1970s, the Family’s “brothers and sisters” have met on federal land for national gatherings of as many as 30,000 people and for smaller, regional gatherings.
• Family gatherings are not directed by any leaders. There are no requirements to be a part of the Family, and participants practice communal, nonconsumerist living centered on the ideals of love, peace and freedom.
• Some members hold full-time jobs, while others commit their lives to traveling, volunteering and sharing the Family’s message.
• Family gatherings have led to legal disputes across the country, including a 1987 North Carolina court case documented by U.S. Federal Judge David Sentelle in his book “Judge Dave and the Rainbow People.”

Source: Rainbow family member Summer Breeze and www.welcomehome.org, an unofficial Rainbow Family Web site.
The Rainbows are coming again, and Crook County is prepared.
Ten years ago, more than 20,000 members of the Rainbow Family, an international Utopian living group, met to camp, recreate and pray for peace at Indian Prairie, part of the Ochoco National Forest located approximately 30 miles northeast of Prineville.
The group’s stay in Central Oregon was largely uneventful. But the influx of visitors and their back-to-nature lifestyle raised eyebrows among some Crook County residents and led to legal scuffles between Family members and the U.S. Forest Service.
Next week, the Rainbow Family will return to the area, but this gathering is regional, rather than national, and will occur on a much smaller scale. This time, officials say, the community is ready — and more relaxed — for the Tuesday arrival of an estimated 200 to 2,000 Rainbow Family visitors.
“This is a much smaller event than last time, and we’re better prepared than we were last time,” said Art Currier, district ranger for the Lookout Mountain District of the Forest Service. “We’ve put together an organization modeled after the incident command system we use on wildfires.”
Officials from the Forest Service, local law enforcement agencies, medical professionals and emergency response teams have been working together to develop a plan for the Family’s regional gathering, which is expected to last through Sunday, Sept. 23.
Community leaders also called a town meeting with local business owners and residents to discuss concerns and plan for the event. Officials expect that locals will only have minimal interaction with visiting Family members, who will spend much of their time at Indian Prairie, sharing stories and songs, camping and spending time with others in the group. Similar gatherings take place at other locations around the country on federal property.
All potential angles seem to be covered, but according to Rainbow Family member Summer Breeze, Crook County residents need not worry.
“We come together in a spirit of cooperation and unity to share what we have with one another, to get back to nature, to get closer to God,” she said. “We’re going to meet with the ranger and work out an operating plan and we believe the resource people and the local law enforcement will be very reasonable.”
She said the Ochoco location was chosen for its tribal past and spiritual importance to the Family.
But one possible area of contention could be the special-use permit the Forest Service requires all groups numbering more than 75 to sign in order to gather on federal land. Because the Rainbow Family does not have official leaders, members feel that no one person can claim to represent the entire group. As a result, the Family has no plans to sign the permit at Ochoco, should their group reach 75 campers.
“I can’t represent all the people who are coming — they want us to commit fraud and sign one name and represent all people and we can’t,” Summer Breeze, 51, said. “Where a permit cannot be signed, you must offer another form of compliance, and that’s as far as I’m willing to go.”
Currier said he’d been in frequent contact with the Rainbow Family and had been informed of their refusal to sign the permit, but had no plans to allow an alternative land use agreement. If no compromise can be reached, he said the Family members could be ticketed.
“They believe it’s their First Amendment right to be able to gather without the special-use permit, and that’s been tested in court and the Forest Service has prevailed,” he said. “They have the right to gather, but the Forest Service has the right to put restrictions on them.”
Legal issues aside, several area residents said they are optimistic about the visit and believe it will be positive for both community members and the Rainbow Family.
“Our biggest job is informing the community about the event and trying to go out on rumor patrol and fix people’s perceptions of the group. Because it’s a different culture than we’re used to here in Prineville, there’s a lot of fear and rumors,” said Brandon Smith, a commander with the Crook County Sheriff’s Office. “But just like anybody, these folks want to come out and enjoy our beautiful woods.”
Erin Golden can be reached at 633-2162 or at egolden@bendbulletin.com.

Published Daily in Bend Oregon by Western Communications, Inc. © 2008
www.bendbulletin.com

Rainbows Restore Meadow

http://www.welcomehome.org/rainbow/sites/or97/media/Oregon98.htm
Rainbow repairs restore meadow
A year after 27,000 people camped on Indian Prairie near Prineville, the land shows no signs that they were ever there
Thursday, July 9 1998
By Gordon Gregory, Correspondent, The Oregonian
PRINEVILLE -- Sitting amid a cluster of blue forget-me-nots and looking over the green lushness of the great meadow, Ochoco District ranger Susan Skalski recalled what the place looked like one year ago.
Instead of the waist-high grasses and the scattered flashes of red Indian paintbrush and yellow lomatium, the expanse was marred by bare dirt paths crisscrossing the soggy meadow.
Tarps had been stretched between trees. Tents of all shapes and colors dotted the 300-acre field. Trench latrines had been dug in the surrounding groves of larch and fir trees. Dust from the ceaseless traffic on the forest road and smoke from the many campfires clouded the mountain air.
Miles of water pipes and banks of mud ovens were scattered over the landscape.
And everywhere was a sea of humanity.
"It was pretty overwhelming," she said.
Indian Prairie, about 30 miles northeast of Prineville, was the site for last year's annual reunion of the Rainbow Family of Living Light. An estimated 27,000 people came and camped, creating headaches for many Crook County residents and worries for forest officials charged with protecting the environment.
Skalski and several other U.S. Forest Service employees were back to Indian Prairie this week and they were pleased at what they saw, or rather did not see.
"I'm impressed," Skalski said.
"I never thought this place would recover so quickly."
There was literally no sign that a year ago, this mountain meadow was effectively the second largest Oregon city east of the Cascades.
Although the exceptionally wet spring this year helped loosen the soil, compacted by footsteps, and by giving all the plants a boost, Skalski also gives a lot of credit to the Rainbow Family.
Hundreds of family members stayed weeks after the event decommissioning trails, repairing miles of fencing, removing all the ovens and fire rings, as well as every speck of the tons of trash.
They also removed all the abandoned vehicles and stray dogs left in the area.
"They had a genuine, sincere commitment to leaving the prairie better than they found it," said Terry Holtzapple, part of a team of Forest Service personnel who worked with the family.
Holtzapple, an archaeologist with the Ochoco Ranger District, said Rainbow Family members who stayed at the site weeks after the Fourth of July celebration to clean up and repair the area, knew what they were doing.
"They taught us some techniques for rehabing sites," she said.
Family gathers on Fourth
The Rainbow Family has been gathering every July Fourth weekend on national forest land since 1972. The family is not a classical organization. It is a loose association of people bound by a philosophy of life that embraces personal freedom, environmental respect and communal love. They also reject consumerism and competition for personal gain.
For committed Rainbow members, the annual gathering is a spiritual celebration, as well as an opportunity to experience a type of cooperative living they believe can teach society important lessons.
This summer, they met on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in northern Arizona. Most of the estimated 25,000 visitors left after the July Fourth climax, according to Faith Duncan, part of a Forest Service team that handles the annual gathering.
She said about 5,000 people are remaining at the site for the cleanup.
Two people were cited this year because the group refused to get a special use permit the government says is required. The Forest Service thinks that the lack of a permit means that this year's gathering was illegal, although Duncan said no one knows what, if any, repercussions that will have.
Five people cited
Five people were cited last year because the group also failed to get a permit for the Ochoco National Forest. But when one participant signed the permit, the case against the five was dropped.
Duncan said the permit is important because it allows the agency to set health, safety and environmental requirements.
"It's to reassure that all those needs will be met," she said.
The Rainbow Family has repeatedly clashed with the Forest Service over the issue, arguing that the family has a constitutional right to gather on public lands. And family members say they know how to protect the land and to provide participants with essential services and do not need the bureaucratic blessing.
Ochoco Forest officials were impressed by the rather obscure yet sophisticated infrastructure of the Rainbow Family. And while they think authorities need to be fully involved from the onset, they say the family is able to take care of itself.
Bruce Cheney, Ochoco District fire management officer who also helped oversee last year's event, said it became apparent that the old-timers among the Rainbows had tremendous influence over the group.
"If you look under the surface, they're very organized," he said.
Cheney said the group was able to provide its own security, food service and medical aid, as well as its own social services. People who needed special care or attention were taken care of, he said.
"It was kind of impressive to me," he said.
Cheney also said that the gathering showed him and others on the Ochoco just how special Indian Prairie is. The gentle beauty, combined with the size and resilience of the place, was made more apparent by watching thousands of strangers come to visit.
"It made us appreciate what this thing is," he said of the meadow.
Cheney expects the Ochoco will begin to manage the area more for its beauty and recreational appeal than it has in the past. Citing a clear-cut on the edge of the meadow, Cheney said, "We probably won't do that again."
"It's something we've taken kind of for granted."
     Enviro News
An archive of Oregonian stories related to environmental concerns, ranging from salmon protection and federal logging legislature to urban growth and water quality control.    
From The Oregonian and the Associated Press

Just because....

The following story is an excerpt written by my dear friend and brother, Papabear Rainbow, also known as Bryce Geigle.  Papabear passed on to the Spirit in the Sky last October, 2007. He was returning to the rainbow family tribe once again in Wyoming, and indeed he did. This time he joined the rest of the family waiting for him in eternity.

Raven and I met Papabear at the 1997 Ochoco National Forest Oregon Annual rainbow gathering. The Medicine Wheel Gatherings formed because of this gathering and because of this Land of the Sacred Red Willow in particular. Our history together began there. In honor, I share this first of Papabear's stories as he wrote them. They can be found all over the internet at a.g.r. which means "alternate gathering rainbow".

In Utah, Papabear saw me on the trail near Welcome Home, and began calling "Nurse! Nurse! Is there a nurse anywhere?" I heard the voice say these words a couple times before it registered in my mind that Papabear was calling me from just down the road. Just to clarify a little bit, we worked Mash C.A.L.M. together at the Oregon 97 gathering, and again on occasion. It was an appellation of love and respect. I sure was happy to see him that year.

Out of love and respect for Papabear Rainbow, I am attempting to honor his wish that his folk stories be preserved and passed on.

I noticed a faint, pungent odor as I awoke from a few hours of
slumber. "Yes," I thought, "the odor of the plant genus sativa."
Music reached my ears as I shook off the sleep, the music of
heartbeat drumming echoed off the trees that surrounded my
camp.The year was 1997, the meadow was located in the Ochoco
National Forest, in the West-Central area of Oregon. This was
the 26th Annual Gathering of the Tribes, and I had come home
after a decade of life changing events, coming from A camp to
the focalizer of the herbal MASH Unit located in Bus Village,
giving back to instead of taking from the Gathering and the
people.
My story begins in Iowa, in 1968, in a small farm town close to
the Mississippi River, in cornfield country. A friend of mine
turned me on to a drug called DMT, and although I did not know
it at the time, I was on a path to becoming part of a
counterculture. I soon discovered the music scene, and at the
age of 14, I ran away from home and entered the realms of later
day Haight-Ashbury, a scene that had died down, and soon I went
on a tour of the west coast, eventually stealing a car, and
ending up in the Army, under 18, and lost in a war I did not
understand. By 1973, I was a heroin addict, and on the day that
Saigon fell, April 28th, 1975, I was discharged from the Army,
with a purple heart, pins in my ankles and knees, and, I would
find out years later, a dose of Agent Orange. While processing
out of the Army in Ft. Dix, New Jersey, I met a hippie by the
name of Alabama, and he took me to Arkansas, to my first Rainbow
Gathering, and I partied so hard, I do not remember a lot of it,
but I had a good time, and the seed was planted.
I travelled from Arkansas to Washington, where I attended a
small gathering in a place called Dinosaur Valley (gronk!!!),
and it was here that I knew that I was to become one of the
wandering nomads and one of the peoples that travelled each year
to the Gathering of the Tribes.
My exposure to Rainbow Life began at this place called Dinosaur
Valley, and began to blossom as I rode the rails up and down
the West Coast, at the fruit orchards, jungles, hot springs,
winter camps in the desert, ant at the national gatherings that
I attended. I began to long for the nomadic life, but had no
idea on how to accomplish it. Then I met an Indian lady named
Little Bit, and she taught me how to survive on the road,and for
the next 6 years, we travelled all around, eventually ending up
living on an island by Raccoon Key, outside of Key West, where I
took up working on shrimp boats to keep us high and living well.
Part II coming next.
papabear

Study Nabataen Aramaic

 

In preparation for the journey to Petra, Jordan in 2011 for a world peace prayer assembly, a study of the ancient Nabataen Aramaic would be most helpful and advisory. Currently, I found a video that recites the alphabet in song while displaying the character images and performing a live choreographed visual of the letters using people to form the letters. It is engaging, entertaining and very helpful in keeping interest in the visual letters as well as the spoken sounds.

I am uploading the video here for all beginners in this language. If you are planning to come to Petra in 2011, please email me at themidnightwriter1@gmail.com so I can form a discussion and focus group as we plan the event and make the necessary preparations.

Mountain Spirit Gathering Update

From:

"Angel Summer" angelonmyshoulder77@yahoo.com

To:

"Robert C Rawlings" <rrawlings@fs.fed.us>

Cc:

"Cathy A Lund" <clund@fs.fed.us>, "Bill Queen" <bqueen@fs.fed.us>, "mountain spirit" <mountainspirit@yahoogroups.com>

Hi Rob,

We are so sorry not to be there yet. I appreciate the information and will do what I can to share the word. This email is going to our yahoo group at mountainspirit, so I am hoping and trusting that the word will be spread out to all points of light from there.

I will pull the directions from last year and repost them on mountainspirit so folks can share them, but it is not intended for a huge crowd as the folks of mountainspirit tribe were told. It was also discussed that folks coming would have transportation worked out, as well as supplies, food, a tent, warm clothing. We even discussed being prepared to fee two more people. If someone put this out to the general rainbow and other public, they have created an event more than we agreed to have. This is a small assembly of folks who gathered last year for the purpose of teaching, sharing, praying and working on some trails.

I have a feeling that some folks up there who showed up early without consulting us, especially since there was a fire, got anxious for company and food and decided to put out a big invitation. That was inappropriate and against our consensus.

What I can suggest is that I am putting out this message to mountainspirit@yahoogroups.com and hoping that folks on the way to this gathering will read it online and understand the purpose of this event.

I strongly discourage hitchhiking. If someone does not have arrangements for this gathering, then most likely they also were not in on the counsels and do not understand that this is not a rainbow gathering. This is a Mountain Spirit Tribe working counsel and volunteer work crew to do some more clean up from the 1997 annual gathering as well as damage from the cows on the trails because we love this prairie.

The directions are on www.welcomehome.org under the 97 rainbow gathering, however amendments were made last year. Those directions will reposted separately on mountainspirit@yahoogroups.com

Rob, please instruct your Rangers to tell folks that they find hitchhiking to be more respectful to passing traffic. I will also send an email out to folks who might know the folks who are up there. Otherwise, use discernment if someone is violating the law and deal with them accordingly.

Raven and I are really apologetic not to be there yet, but as I said before we need a tire and have been unsuccessful in finding the size we need. We're running on a spare that isn't safe for mountain roads, so we took the roundabout way looking for a tire dealer who might have what we need.

That aside, folks who showed up on the land did not contact us recently to find out if the gathering was still to proceed as planned from last year, so I was not really prepared to come at the time I set out, but am heading that way out of concern for the safety of the people who might be drawn up there and out of respect for you Rob because we told you we would be there if the gathering happened. We are on our way but cannot come into the gathering till we have a tire.

Thanks again for your help.

Summer Breeze and Raven

--- On Thu, 9/11/08, Robert C Rawlings <rrawlings@fs.fed.us> wrote:

From: Robert C Rawlings <rrawlings@fs.fed.us>
Subject: In case you haven't left yet
To: angelonmyshoulder77@yahoo.com
Cc: "Cathy A Lund" <clund@fs.fed.us>, "Bill Queen" <bqueen@fs.fed.us>
Date: Thursday, September 11, 2008, 10:41 AM

I was there yesterday afternoon, looked like maybe 30 people and more
working their way up to the Prairie.  A couple of things to let you
know....it seems like many of the people are lost once they get to
Prineville and especially lost once they get into the Forest, maybe you
could have someone spread some directions or mark the route?  Secondly, I
got several reports yesterday of people doing some pretty aggressive
hitchhiking, standing in the road, waving their arms and what not.  I heard
that one of the locals called the Sheriff to come and put a stop to it.
Maybe you could get the word out that it's not cool to stop traffic like
that, and especially not cool to stop and try to get on the school bus
that's hauling kids home.  At least one of the ladies who lives up the
valley is now scared to drive home from work alone.  Sorry to have to pass
this on, here's one of the emails I got today.

Good Morning Everyone! I feel like a tattle tail but this seems pretty
important. The bus driver for our girls bus was pretty scared when Bill
picked the girls up at the bus stop.
She said the Rainbows were in the road she thought it was an accident or
something and started to slow down....as she slowed down they tried to
board the bus. Scared her to pieces.
So I thought you should know.



Rob Rawlings
Ochoco NF
541-416-6500
rrawlings@fs.fed.us

J-Hawk's Ochoco Update 2

Sep 9, 2008 5:46 PM

Subject:

RE: We are on our way.

Body:

so far they are not messing with us to bad they acually gave us some gas the other day and it seems like things are working out are van had a flat and we mannifested four brand new tires maybe one could help you. theres about 30 people so far and houndreds more say there on there way but you know how that goes. i just spent 3 days manifesting an rv and trader joes will kick us down 1000 lbs of food with a tax id number were about to send us no one is pulling vechiles over so maybe everone worried a little too much. there only three vehicles here. but salvation army just gave us food boxes for thirty people on our word that were there so as soon as we have gas were going to the woods and im probably not leaving for a while sorry to worry you guy i miss and love you both

Mountain Spirit Gathering Report

im already here i wish you guys were here i know you didnt want this posted but we had a concil and dicided otherwise because the fores service already here outnumber us three to one and we need family there is no trace whatsoever of last year and im extremlly busy and barly online so get to the woods and we'll talk sorry if i caused any harm i love and miss you both

Posted by j-hawk on Sep 8, 2008 9:14 PM

Mountain Spirit Tribe Gathering

Mountain Spirit Tribe Medicine Wheel Gathering in the Ochoco

As of today there are about 20 folks on site at the Indian Prairie in the Ochoco National Forest in Oregon at the same site as last falls Medicine Wheel Gathering and reunion. Please treat this as a sacred assembly and please do not post the traditional rainbow howdy folks because this is a unique Mountain Spirit Tribe prayer assembly and work project. Trail restoration and bridge work will continue as well as checking for any signs remaining of past gatherings such as fire pits, etc. These issues will be handled and work to restore will be done.
Hopefully, we will have the sweat lodge again this year if I can get word to Medicine Dancer. Raven and I are in route and expect to be there in two days. If anyone can call Medicine Dancer, he is in Oregon. I will try as well.
Summer Breeze and Raven have been in communication with the Ranger from the Ochocos but hesitated in putting out any formal invitations until today because there was a huge fire within a mile of Indian Prairie just two weeks or so ago and last week they were still mopping up. The universe decided it was still happening because folks showed up there a week ago. The Ranger emailed me today but Raven and I already suspected as much and began heading that way. So the prayer assembly is on. Follow the directions posted last year and for the 1997 Rainbow Annual gathering.
It is our hope to keep these numbers under 75 as there are issues with the government over the permit, and talks with the Undersecretary Mark Rey have fallen by the way side concerning the operating plan under alternative means. We are still planning to use an operating plan and do not foresee a need for a permit as this will be a small assembly of the Mountain Sprit Tribe. Our focus will be clean up and restoration while maintaining our prayers for the healing of the land and its people.
If you want to help with this unique project, please show up with enough food for a week to feed your self and two other people. Bring trash bags, buckets to carry rocks and water, shovels, saws, picks, pulaskis and whatever tools will be useful for clean up. Please bring water jugs and be prepared to fill and carry them from the spring tap across the road. There will not be any water pipes or formal kitchens. It is our hope to have everyone circle up in one camp and unite to feed and pray and get the work done. Bring drums,guitars, and all musical instruments. Bring warm clothing and sleeping gear. Be prepared to be self sufficient.
Dates planned for the gathering are September 11-18, with a clean up crew staying up to one week beyond.
If you need further details, email me at angelonmyshoulder77@yahoo.com.
I will be in the woods September 10th in the evening until about the 24th, so I will be out of touch most likely during that time, unless you are on the land with me.
See you at home family. We love you.
Please be respectful. Pack it in. Pack it out. Clean up starts the day you arrive. Be respectful to the Forest Service rangers. If you cannot participate in the circle unity and the prayer assemblies or the restoration work, maybe there is another event more suitable to you. Please do not bring alcohol or drugs. This is a spiritual assembly.
Make sure your vehicle is legally registered and be sure that drivers have license and insurance. Follow the laws of the land and the forest to prevent any problems. If you need something while at the gathering, please ask for it and please do not take what does not belong to you. Please respect all who attend.
Respect. Peace. Love.
Welcome Home.

Ochoco Prayer Vigil

According to the local Ranger Rob, the fires that burned over 5500 acres in the Ochoco National Forest are basically out with some hot spots being mopped up and watched.  There are a couple road closures, one of the roads being just beyond the entrance to Indian Prairie. However, the prairie was untouched and the road to it is open. Forest Service advises folks to exercise caution if and when entering this region. Forest Service is asking people to be especially careful with any fires. Be sure not to leave them unattended.

 

Bridge Creek Fire

The flames remind me of the volcanic sunsets I 've been seeing this month due to the volcanic activity in Alaska. Seems like fire is everywhere cleansing the land. Now the water has come to put out the fires in some places and to finish the cleansing process. There are series of hurricanes, tornadoes and devastating floods around the country presently. These events are a reminder that people are subject to nature and that God and nature need to be dealt with in respect and honor.

Technorati Tags: Bridge Creek Fire,Indian Prairie,Ochoco National Forest,Forest Supervisor Jeff Walters,Ranger Rob,Mountain Spirit Tribe,Medicine Wheel Gathering,fires,rainbow gathering,road closure,prayer,sweat lodge,assembly,cleansing,floods,tornadoes,hurricanes

Medicine Lodge Ochoco Memorial Gathering 2007

Medicine Dancer and his crew built this sweat lodge at the Mountain Spirit Tribe Medicine Wheel Gathering in the Ochoco National Forest at Indian Prairie last September 11-23, 2007.  It served as a focus prayer camp for nine days of sweat lodge. The communal spirit of folks at this small gathering was very inspiring.

Folks who attended last year held counsels about the gathering itself, about the formation of the Mountain Spirit Tribe and its future events and purpose. A consensus was reached by all present during the vision counsel circle that all who wanted to become part of the tribe and/or the Medicine Wheel Gatherings, would gather purposely at Indian Prairie for the next four years. It was also a concensus that both spring and fall gatherings would be held.

This year, some unexpected events with the annual rainbow gathering in Wyoming, along with personal loss and tragedy with the death of our brother (Raven and Summer Breeze) Kenny, which prevented our focus in calling the counsels or in preparing for the spring or fall events. However, we are gaining our momentum and focus once again. We will be dedicating a lot of time this fall and winter in the focalizing of the upcoming gatherings in 2009 for the Mountain Spirit Tribe and its Medicine Wheel Gatherings.

Raven and I are in Boise heading to the Ochoco to personally view the damage of the fires in that region.  It is our hope to take photographs and to write a story about the fires for our blogs. I have contemplated making a story submission to some of the outdoor magazines as well to get my freelance writing "feet wet". Regardless of success in that venture, we will interview some forest service personnel, locals who live in the area, and some of the wild fire fighters in hopes of getting a balanced and fair account of the wildfires in the Ochoco.

We have hesitated in calling anyone to assemble in the region because of the recent fires and our concerns for public safety. We have been in communication with the local resource Ranger and the District Ranger through him.

The Forest Service Office is located in Prineville, Oregon for this forest. Information about the fires is available online at the Forest Service website. Just type in Oregon and select Ochoco National Forest to find the information links about the fires.

 

 

Burning Tree in the Ochoco Fires

The pictures that I have been posting were obtained from the Forest Service website links that Ranger Rob sent to me.  In our correspondence, Rob has been helpful in giving me information and updates about the fires. Rob has tried to work it out with the new District Ranger for the Mountain Spirit Tribe to return there this month. We have the green light to show up about September 10 and permission to stay a week or two. Hunting season starts late September and it usually snows at least once by then.  The weather still has warm and dry days up until November.

Last year, the hunters were not a problem for us at all, as Rob acknowledged. The road closure orders will not affect the gathering either because the road to the prairie is open. This road is directly across from the tapped spring, which is the sole water source that is potable.

Tomorrow, I will most likely notify some members of the Mountain Spirit Tribe who expressed an interest in attending the gathering again this fall by way of email and phone. The prayer assembly will not be a big event like the memorial rainbow gathering tribute last year. We decided to keep it low key and off the internet except for this report on my blog to keep the numbers down, to protect the area and the people from any fire damage hazards, and to avoid hassle from Law Enforcement and the Forest Service over the permit issue that is always required at a rainbow gathering by the government. Since Mark Rey is not talking to us after the Wyoming disaster at Kiddie Village, we are uncertain of his position on the continued talks and co-operation with use of an operating plan, as has always been done at the rainbow gatherings. However, the Ranger will work with us on the operating plan alternative. I am believing the numbers will not reach 75, so the discussion on a permit being required will be moot.

Watch for more updates and my future articles for publication regarding the fires in the Ochoco National Forest as well as the regulations discussions with the Forest Service.

Story submitted by The Midnight Writer

The Living Scroll of Angel Gabriel

The Living Scroll of Angel Gabriel

And the Angel Cried With a Loud Voice

• Fulfilling the Word of Prophecy
• God's Mighty Angel Sends out His Decree
• As the Trumpet Blows
• Enter The Four Horsemen
• A Crown of Ashes
• Here in the Beyond
• Enter Armageddon
• Enter the Fifth Woe
• Gabriel's Trumpet

Home: The Living Scroll * The Seven Thunders * Prophecies by Naomi * The Eagle Star Rising *
The Seal Removed * Eagle Dance
Enter The Four Horsemen
A day of sober vigilance is at Hand
Oh Ye Inhabitants of Earth!
The Winds are called Forth from the Eastern Gate.
Prepare Ye, Watchers, for the Sifting Sands
And the Dredges of the Winepress of Wrath.
Stand Down false Priests and Workers of Craft!
Bow face down and kiss the Earth within her Bowels
To escape the torrent of Wind and Fire...
For When the Gate is Loosed
The Winds of Thunder will Roll across the Very Face of Heaven
And reach the Earth within Her Core
To expose Her Secret Bowels of Mercy.
Oh Reapers and Shepherds
Prepare the Tares
For the Burning Fire of Life
To cleanse the Land One Final Time
Of It's Stifling Darkened Night.
Out of Night's Fury Rides the One
Who Bears the Sceptor of Anguish and Blood...
Fulfilling the Word, the Last Time He Rides.....
To Bathe the Black Horse in Blood....
When Once and For ALL TIME a Work will be Wrought by the Trump
The Angel of Death now BE Vanquished to Eternity.
**************************
A Crown of Ashes
Looking down from the heavens near the Ancient Golden Throne
Peer the Eyes of the Holy and True
His Heart beating Love in melodious Tones
Giving Life to All His Creation.
For Aeons that Pass in Seconds of Time
He mourns in a deep sobbing Tone.
Tears veil the Earth as a mysterious Dew
That appears before the dawn of the Sun's awakening
Moistening all that it touches, the Dew of His Tears
Salts the earth with His sadness and pain.
The Living Waters of His Lighted Love
Quell the Fire that His Anguish Ignites
And preserves the Earth from total Consumption
For His Mercy is Great.
Oceans of Compassion swell within His Breast
And embrace Creation in her Arms.
Justice stands back for a time, a time,
And half a time again
And relents till All Has Been Finished.
Mercy extolled beyond it's bounds and graciously spent
Will acquiesce, stand back and turn away
When Vengeance comes forth in the Fury of Night
Consumed with the Fire of Cleansing Light
Clothed in Sackcloth and a Crown of Ashes.
Justice will reign Supreme for One Eternal Day
Till it fulfills the Word of It's Power,
Completing His Work of the Sword and the Blood
And the Ever Consuming Fire
Only to Make Way for the peace of the Lamb
Who in Meekness will conquer Fury of Night
And reclaim His Crown all burnt with the Flame
Replacing the Ashes with the Glory of His divine Love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here In The Beyond
The Tears of the Mournful fall as a Torrent of Water from the Heavens
And mingle upon the Earth forming Rivers of Water
And Blood shed by the Innocent.
Vapors from the Rivers rise up forming a Mist of Agony and Grief
Filling the nostrils of the Wicked Murderers and Destroyers
with a Torrid Scent that wrests and Chokes the Strength of the Evil Force
Created in the Void without Love
That is apathetic to Mercy
That Stands blinded in the Presence of Grace
And Finds no Solace Anywhere in it's Existence....
Peace having Fled from It's Haunting Face.
Relinquish the Tears of the Mournful!
Redeem the Lives of the Innocent!
Drown the Wicked Murderers and Destroyers in the River of Life!
Purge them of Their Iniquitous Deeds
And Cast Them Beyond the Outer Void
Into the deepest Well of Peace and Solace
Where Mercy walks in the hand of Grace.
Here, Anoint Them in Their Nothingness
And Immerse Them in the All That Is so They May Become
Just as the Innocents They have Slain.
Alas, is Justice Served!
What Was Once has Become and Is Again.
Like All Creation, Beginning and Ending
Here, in the Vastness of the Great Void
Beyond All Evil
Beyond all Innocence
Just One Beautiful Perfect Circle
Of Nothingness!
Perfect in it's Beauty
FOREVERMORE.
********************
Enter Armageddon
The Sanctuary has been opened and He issued out from it riding a white Hrose
Holding a Scepter of Truth and Righteousness in His right Hand.
In His Forehead He bore the Mark of the Cross revealing the nail prints.
He bore a Testimony to all Who would See Him as Appears
That All Who take upon them the mark of His Testimony
These signs would appear on those who transform and be a sign unto the World
Of His Coming.
His Name issued forth from the Eternities
As the Fire of the Holy and True.
His Feet were like flaming fire and Chariots and Wheels of Fire.
From within His Bosom came the Seraphim
Who have kept watch at the Tree of Life.
As He emerged through the Door of the Sanctuary, the Sun burst
With a Fiery Explosion as the Earth had never witnessed.
Fragments of Matter from the Explosion came hurling to the Earth
As Thousands of Comets, impacting the Earth as She and a Deluge of Fragments collided.
In the Twilight of the Sun's explosion, It moved away from the Earth
Drawing with it Fragments of the Earth Herself into the Heavens
Flowing as if being drawn by a Magnet
Formed by the thrust and power of the Winds and the Fire.
Like the Sound of many Trumpets His Voice issues forth a Declaration
Causing the Earth to Reel To and Fro at the Sound Thereof.
Enter the Four Horsemen.
The Great Battle of Armageddon begins!
The Dragon, Most Abominable and Unholy of all Creation
Watches as the Rider on the White Horse emerged from His Sanctuary
And is Moving toward the Earth.
In fury, the great Dragon holds out his Wrath at the Rider
And whips his Tail attempting to destroy the Holy and True riding the White Horse.
As the Rider stretched forth the Scepter held in His right Hand
The Dragon was swallowed up the Power Thereof
For A Time
Cast out of the Heavens never to return.
The Past, the Present and the Future all become one
As time Forever stands still.
The Dragon exists in the past, and in the present, and in the future
Forever lost in his own confusion as the Anomoly in Time Expands.
Elijah prepares the Way of the Coming of the Holy and True
Who enters the heavens riding the White Horse.
Elijah is now present on the Earth.
Elijah is present in the Heavens.
He is manifested as many upon the Earth, in the heavens
And in the Realms of all Creation.
Yet, Elijah stands still and unmoving with the Ancient of Days
At the Beginning Before All Time before Creation Was.
Elijah's coming to this Earth was heralded by the Birth of a Great Star
In the Host of the Heavens. Yet His Prophecy is foretold
After his coming as he is not bound by the Reckoning of Time.
As the Door to the Sanctuary opens
Time becomes confused and the Anamoly in Time takes place.
Those Who see as mortals will be unable to fathom this reckoning of Time.
Chaos will disrupt their logic and send them into the Annals of a Great Illusion.
The Confusion of Time causes past, present and future to exist simultaneously
Plummeting some from consciousness between the Times~
Shuffling their memory Back and Forth~
Others wil be drawn to the future and back.
A Great Confusion hinders the Awakening of Many
Except for those Who already have beheld the Great Remembering.
Those Who are fully Awake will remain Solid in their Consciousness
And Understand All that is happening in their Midst.
These Ones will guide the Others over the Arc and across the Great Bridge....
Ater a Time...
To the New Earth.
All will marvel at the Glory of the new Earth
Her Radiance fueled by the Sun of Night and the Sun of Day
The Two Brothers who form the Arc of the Bridge to the new Earth.
The New Sun was formed after man entered the Great Confusion
Which exists as both a Time and a Place.
Following the birth of the new Sun, the former sun returned
And stretching out their Arms to Meet, they formed a Bridge
Between the two Suns of Day and Night.
A new Earth rose up out of Creation and formed an Arc with the Former Earth.
Those who possess the Knowing of the Beginning
The Awareness before the former Earth was created
Crossed the Bridge from the former Earth to the new One
Under the Arc of the Firmament, Heaven's Bridge joining the two worlds.
Those Who Remember will guide Those in Confusion and Chaos
By taking them by the Hand and Walking them across the Bridge
To the Light of the New Earth illuminated by the two Suns.
some, who are in confusion, will remain in their state of consciousness,
Will walk with the former Earth and see by the light of ther former sun
For a Time
Until the Awakening comes.
Then, in an Instant, they will Transform to the brightness of the new Earth
Carried through the portals of the Vortex in Time.
All Illusion will be erased from Their Minds.
Here, on the glorious new Earth, they will reign with the Holy and True
In Peace Forever and Ever. Amen and Amen.
*****************************
Enter the Fifth Woe
A curtain of despair enshrouds the cloaks of humanity.
Understanding diminishes as the Vials of Wrath pour forth
From the Four Winds of the Eternities
Reaping that which they have sown, desiring that which is to come to nought.
Justice reigns in the Circles of Love that emmanted from the
Heart of Creator.
His Power is Infinite and Omnipotent.
His Word casts the Elements Asunder and cannot return Void.
Such is the Power of the Free Agency He has bestowed upon Mankind.
In Thinking Man Creates.
In Speaking He condemns.
In Ignorance, man Fears.
In Sowing, he Flees the Harvest.
His Vestibule of Mercy is Depleted.
Desiring Justice Blindly he commands the Elements to Obey his every Whim
And Shouts in Voices of Heressy to the Almighty I Am.
Turning a deaf ear to such Vanity, the Father turns His Back
And leaves the Universe to it's own Power,
For A Time
Before He can hold out His arm again and Deliver from the Wrath.
The Woes of Wrath come Forth as the Great Spirit covers His Eyes and Heart.
Justice prepares to Fulfill it's Work and return to the Vastness of the Beyond,
Where it will empty the bitterness of it's Bowels on a Null Universe,
To Echo into the Nothingness.
Four Woes are Past and being Delivered from the Depths of the Beyond.
As swiftly as the Vials are emptied,
The Fifth Woe enters with the Breath of Justice
While the Trumpets prepare to Sound.
Prepare for the Cup that overfloweth and Cling to the
Bowels of Mercy that have been poured out upon the Earth.
Store up your Vials in the Sanctuaries of Light
Hidden in the Secret Chambers of the Earth.
Heed the Voices that Summon the Sheep to the Fold
And Hearken to the Spirit of the Eagles that struggle to Gather.
Come together in the Heart of Love
And Ascend with the Spirits of Light
As the Door to the Sanctuaries begin to open.
The Mountains will Cover your Souls in safety
In the Midst of Creation's Darkest Hour.
Heed the Trumpets and Taste the Waters of the Bitterness of Wrath gingerly
And with Great Caution.
To each is Meted that which was Sown.
The Harvesters are Wise Sifting Angels.
Prepare to follow the Forerunners from the Throne
Who come to Preserve a Remnant fo the Lights
Prepared to Seed the New Kingdom.
As Mankind relents of it's Darkness and Yields to the Father of Lights,
Justice will Hurl them to the Depths of Despair,
Where their Hearts will be Translated to Sculpting Clay
And Their Minds renewed in the Dust.
Ashes will blow away with the Dross of the Fields
While the Wheat will prosper in the Fields of His New Kingdom.
Have no Fear when the Whispering calls to your Heart
In Merciful Tones.
Follow the Sound in the Direction Thereof,
And Exodus to the Mountain of Light.
Prepare with Fasting
And Glee of Spirit
As Elijah sweeps the Dust of the Kingdom.
Celebrate in Song as Gabriel Sounds the Trump.
Rejoice for the Sixth Woe comes Quickly.
Inspiration received on February 20, 2000 from the Angel Gabriel;
Three days prior to the splitting of the Peace Rock at Joshua Tree, California.
This was a significant sign to the Native American Prophecies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gabriel's Trumpet
From the Outer Reaches of the Galaxy, Gabriel sounds His Trumpet
Calling the Stars together to Light the Path
For the Descension of his Myriad of Angels.
Like a Cloud of Fiery Vapor they enter the Heavens
As a Mist in the pre-morning Dawn,
Lighting the Horizon with a faint glow
That blazes brighter with the Rising of the Sun.
Sounds of the Angels advancing plays as Music in Harmony
With the Stars as they pass by,
Swiftly brushing their Essence with the Radiant Pulse of the Telestial Lights.
The Symphony intensifies as their Speed Increases,
Their Advance synchronizing with the Magnetic Pulse
Of the Heavenly Bodies in their Path,
Whose Gravity embraces their Lights and Grasps the Angels' Robes
Pulling them into their Stellar Bosoms.
Advancing swiftly, the Chorus engages with the Tones of Love and Mercy
Present in every Element of Space, and creates a Symphony
Led by a Star both Noble and Ancient in Stature.
Enter Gabriel to sound the Trump that heralds the Birthing of a Nation.
Humbly he bows his head and closes his eyes,
In reverance to the Father of Lights.
As a servant to the Master of all Creation,
Gabriel beckons to those who follow behind
To stand in silence and listen as the Father speaks in Tones of Mystery
The Desire His Heart calls to be heralded for all Creation.
In Silence, the Stars and Suns and Angels
Revere the Scene unfolding before their eyes.
Gabriel stands frozen in the Depths of Compassion
While the Father whispers in Tones of Love.
Head still bowed and eyes fast closed, knees bent and Heart Afire...
Gabriel purses his lips to the Mouth of the Trumpet
In an Act of Deferent Honor.
The Heavenly Host holds it's Breath in Awe for seconds of Eternal Silence,
Awaiting the Shout of the Archangel's Trump
To signal the Legion of God's Heavenly Host
To advance on the Birthing New Nation.
Inspiration received on February 20, 2000 in Pocatello, Idaho.

Wahkeetah's Heartsong

WAHKEETAH'S HEARTSONG
The wolf stands above the horizon
And cries to the night
The moon weeps her tears of blood
Old men are no longer wise
Smiles of the children are buried in ashes
Fire burns the souls of our people
Their bones are white and dry.
Great ones, weep and wail......
Our cries we send in ashes
To the Great Spirit, Wonkin Tonka.
Our prayer, our song, dances on the four winds
Searching for the next rising Son.
Will He come????
And bring with Him all the lost ones???
We cannot see....
Our eyes are darkened....
We feel only cold around us.
We seek the others who carry the Light...
To be our eyes....
To be our voice.
Take us to our homeland.
Give us back our eyes.
Let us hear again.
Let us touch and feel our loved ones tears.
Oh children of our children
Set us free from this Spirit prison.
Our journey has been long.
The wolf stands above the horizon and cries to the night.
His howling is our prayers to the stars...
To the Great One Whom we seek....
To Our Home.
Our brother, the wolf, has been our voice.
Our brothers could not hear us speak....till Now.
Oh children of our children
Sing the songs....
Wash the ashes away with your tears.
Be our voice....
And take us Home.
Inspiration received by Summer Breeze from Wahkeetah on July 17, 1997
at the National Rainbow Gathering in Ochoco National Forest, Oregon.

Prayers for Wounded Knee

This is a plea for continued prayers for Wounded Knee and the entire Lakota reservations in South Dakota. If you have a prayer to share, or a recorded dedication prayer in native Lakota tradition, please email themidnightwriter1@gmail.com so I can post it on the blog.

Our trip to Wounded Knee met with a few complications. However, we spent a lot of time in prayer for the healing of the tribe. It was more a private vigil for us that carried us to places in Wyoming which we never thought about visiting. Our trip culminated at Devil's Tower where we took some time to camp and reflect. We met some interesting friends there, photographers, so we enjoyed their company one evening while they shared their photos. Jerry and Ann were from New Jersey. They travel one month every year for four years now.

An interesting co-incidence occurred in that our friends Jerry and Ann also enjoy trips to Devils Tower, Wounded knee, and Tucumcari, one of our other favorite places. Actually, all these sites are sacred vigils for us along with a few others, like Indian Prairie in the Ochoco National Forest in Oregon. Synchronicity? Maybe. Co-incidence? Possible. Divine Providence and Universal guidance? Definitely.

I have a desire to write letters to as many people in the Lakota tribe as possible to ask them to host a large reconciliatory prayer assembly at Wounded Knee. The letters should come from people around the world. The letters to invite people from around the world should come, in my thoughts, from the Lakota. It will take a unified effort to bring this about. I am seeking volunteers to help bring about this vision.

Please write to themidnightwriter1@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer to help with this effort.

A date for the next prayer assembly at Wounded Knee will be posted in the future. It will probably take place some time in 2009. Please visit the Pine Ridge Reservations on your own initiative and help out in any areas possible. While you are there, please stop at the Wounded Knee cemetery and offer up your prayers.

Much love,

And may peace be with you.

Summer Breeze, The Midnight Writer

Rainbow Spirits in the Sky

Being Memorial Day, I wanted to take a few minutes to pay tributes of love to the memories of some of my rainbow family who have gone to the Great Spirit in the Sky. I only know a fraction of the names, so if you are reading this and you know some rainbows who have passed on, please email me at themidnightwriter1@gmail.com so I can add those names to this list.

These are some people, brothers and sisters, that inspired me greatly in my life.

Joseph Greenfeather
A brother who attended the rainbow gatherings since the beginnings in the early 1970's. Joseph volunteered at the alternative healing camps known as C.A.L.M., Center for Alternative Living Medicine. He taught me the ways of C.A.L.M. in my first year at a Rainbow Gathering in 1997 in the Ochoco National Forest in Oregon. Joseph blew the conch, a seashell at dinnertime during the gatherings. It signaled thousands to gather in the main meadow to circle, om a universal prayer, share information and to share a meal together.

Luke Clementis, a/k/a Shanti Sena Luke, Luke Skywalker
Luke was old Woodstock family in the early days in New York. His post office box was the Woodstock PO Box. Luke contributed to teaching many newbies and young folks the way of rainbow and being community. He traveled endlessly around the country in his later years attending gatherings and picking folks up on the side of the road to bring them "home". Luke brought Raven and I "home" to our first rainbow gathering in the Ochoco National Forest in Oregon 1997. Luke did a lot to promote communications for Shanti Sena at the gatherings, making sure there were radios and batteries to go around. I really miss brother Luke. In West Virginia in 2005, Luke adopted me as his daughter. I am so honored. I love this man with my soul and I cannot wait to see him again.

Rainbow Steve

Russell Turcotte

Suzanne Colpetzer

Harry Colpetzer

Ziggin One Love

There are more that I will think of eventually. I will have to update this post as there is so much more to say about each one. I am pondering what to say about the last five listings, so I will come back to this. Please check back.

Dreams of Gathering

My heart longs to return to the mountain forests to gather with my tribal family spirit.

Time for the annual gathering of the tribes of the rainbow family of living light always captures my spirit into a deep sense of longing to be with my family again. I long and dream of being on the land with my brothers and sisters, fellow rainbow spirits, keepers of the vision for this new world founded on peace and love. It is a world where all are welcome, all are loved and all are fed. No one is homeless for all are at home in the community.

Villages pop up in the wilderness. Some are very primitive and simple with just a mat or sleeping bag on the ground under the stars. Others put up tents that they brought along or erect teepees, which is one of my favorite types of lodging. More creative wilderness builders erect wikkiups, wood and earth lodges in the earth or in the rocks or trees. Others live in their campers, buses, vans, station wagons or whatever type of vehicle was driven the miles to the gathering.

I usually travel in a vehicle and have one bed in it while I live in a camp where my tent is put up. The camp where I put my tent is often much further away from any road, down a trail and through the forest under the trees. I love shade on my tent!

As I write this, folks are assembling in the outer wilderness parts of Wyoming scouting for a safe and healthy site for approximately twenty thousand people to assemble in a united peace and healing prayer assembly.

How I wish I was there already ! Our vehicle is not up to par and will probably not make the journey from California to the hills and mountains of Wyoming. Raven and I are working on a remedy to that situation. As I write this,we are awaiting the registration and title transfer on a new Old van that our brother purchased for us. It is a lot more accomodating as a house since it has a kitchen complete with stove, refrigerator, and sink and toilet. It is ready to hook up to electricity and water in campgrounds but can go primitive in the wilderness, where we spend most of our time any way.

The actual gathering begins July 1-10. Holding camps are forming around the nation as near to Wyoming as possible and most likely dotted throughout the state. There is a large one forming near Salt Lake City in Utah. I am certain folks are gathering in scattered locations throughout Wyoming. God willing I will be on the road within the week heading there myself.

Stay tuned for stories of Medicine Wheel Gatherings.