hoop hike

here in sonoma county there were strong winds from about 11am to 7pm. for our lesson we had a hike with our instructor bob. the forest we walked through is on a ridge above the sonoma valley. very beautiful land. he pointed out mt. diablo and the cities of the bay area to the south from the highest point on our hike. we found many pounds of golden chantrelle mushrooms at a couple of bob's spots. it was one of my most exciting mushroom experiences. walking through this forest of oak, maple, madrona, bay, and manzanita i felt deeply connected to the spirit that flows through it all. the wind was blowing in a way that feels like some kind of communication. there was a lot of talk of the natives of the area, who bob said used to live on the ridges above this valley, until the last were killed or driven out around 1906. there was said to be a population of about one thousand when the settlers, the takers, arrived. there is an old village site on bob's property. i want to learn more of the story.













previous to this hike i had been up in the forest on thanksgiving. i walked up as dusk approached and played some mbira in spirit of thanks while sitting under a big oak on a lower ridge by a small meadow. when i finished playing mbira i bowed in reverence and release, bending forward in my seated position. making a sort of prayer with eyes closed, i heard a 'crack' sound to my right out of the stillness. when i rose i looked around and was not sure what had made the sound... then another cracking sound came from the tree to my right, about thirty feet away. then the sound increased as a large limb fell from this old tree and crashed to the grassy ground in my direction. i felt like i was being acknowledged. i smiled and laughed and decided to start back, taking a leaf to ask which kind of tree it was. a black oak.

a couple weeks later a friend from my home on orcas island told me i should go back and get a piece of this tree, as it might be an important power item in my life. that story is recorded here.