Giveaway with Living Crafts Magazine and the NaturalKids Team!

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Living Crafts Magazine is offering an awesome giveaway! Have a chance to win your choice of either a one year subscription to Living Crafts or 4 back issues (in case you are already a subscriber but may have missed out on some of the previous issues).

Each issue focuses on a season of the year, bringing ideas and the how-to for projects that are in harmony with nature to create a seasonal rhythm at home. Editorial content includes projects making toys, apparel, home items, gifts, and seasonal crafts.

To find out more information and to enter, pop on over to the NaturalKids Team blog. The drawing will be on Sunday evening at 7:00 pm EST.

Thanks from all the members of the Natural Kids Team!

p.s.
If you don’t win, Pardis, the Editor of Living Crafts, is offering the current summer issue for free to all new subscribers by entering the following code at checkout ~ when you subscribe you will receive five issues all together instead of the usual four that come with a one year subscription ~ Sum10NE

It is All the Same Disease of Consumption

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Eagle Rock could just as easily be the place, it is all the same disease of consumption.

A Christian could find the answer in Chronicles 7:14

Same problem: and the same solution, but the solution seems so far out of our reach.

Subject: A letter from Chief Arvol Looking horse – A great Urgency


To All World Religious and Spiritual Leaders

My Relatives,

Time has come to speak to the hearts of our Nations and their Leaders. I ask you this from the bottom of my heart, to come together from the Spirit of your Nations in prayer.

We, from the heart of Turtle Island, have a great message for the World; we are guided to speak from all the White Animals showing their sacred color, which have been signs for us to pray for the sacred life of all things.

As I am sending this message to you, many Animal Nations are being threatened, those that swim, those that crawl, those that fly, and the plant Nations, eventually all will be affect from the oil disaster in the Gulf.

The dangers we are faced with at this time are not of spirit. The catastrophe that has happened with the oil spill which looks like the bleeding of Grandmother Earth, is made by human mistakes, mistakes that we cannot afford to continue to make.

I asked, as Spiritual Leaders, that we join together, united in prayer with the whole of our Global Communities. My concern is these serious issues will continue to worsen, as a domino effect that our Ancestors have warned us of in their Prophecies.

I know in my heart there are millions of people that feel our united prayers for the sake of our Grandmother Earth are long overdue. I believe we as Spiritual people must gather ourselves and focus our thoughts and
prayers to allow the healing of the many wounds that have been inflicted on the Earth.

As we honor the Cycle of Life, let us call for Prayer circles globally to assist in healing Grandmother Earth (our Unc’I Maka). We ask for prayers that the oil spill, this bleeding, will stop. That the winds stay calm to assist in the work. Pray for the people to be guided in repairing this mistake, and that we may also seek to live in harmony, as we make the choice to change the destructive path we are on.

As we pray, we will fully understand that we are all connected. And that what we create can have lasting effects on all life. So let us unite spiritually, All Nations, All Faiths, One Prayer. Along with this immediate effort, I also ask to please remember June 21st, World Peace and Prayer Day/Honoring Sacred Sites day. Whether it is a natural site, a temple, a church, a synagogue or just your own sacred space, let us make
a prayer for all life, for good decision making by our Nations, for our children’s future and well-being, and the generations to come.

Onipikte (that we shall live),

Chief Arvol Looking Horse
19th generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe

Northwood Alliance, Inc
6063 Baker Lake Road
Conover, WI 54519
phone: 715-479-8528
fax: 715-479-8528
http://www.northwoodalliance.org/
nwa@nnex.net
 
More articles re: Eagle Rock
http://keweenawnow.blogspot.com/2010/05/hot-day-at-eagle-rock-before-arrests-of.html
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiancountrytoday.com%2Fhome%2Fcontent%2F95060709.html&h=b36e0
 

American flag is hung upside-down on top of Eagle Rock as a sign of distress. Photo by Keweenaw Now.

Got Eagle Rock?

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For Immediate Release: May 23, 2010

Contact:
Cynthia Pryor – (906) 360-2414 – cpryor@isp.com
Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve – (906) 345-9223 – ydwp@yellowdogwatershed.org 
Drew Nelson – (616) 706-2539 – drew@drewnelson.net

Hard copies of the song are also available by contacting the YDWP office.

Drew Nelson releases ‘Eagle Rock – Song of the People” in support of those protecting their sacred site from harm

Drew Nelson, singer songwriter, has written a song that calls to all of us who wish to protect our lands from any action that would injure it. Drew who is from Michigan, understands our water rich place and has embraced this cause against a metallic sulfide mine on the Yellow Dog Plains – located in the beautiful remote Upper Peninsula of Michigan on the shores of Lake Superior.

Currently, Rio Tinto second largest mining conglomerate in the world proposes a copper/nickel mine under the Salmon Trout River on the Yellow Dog Plains. The proposed mine, disrespectfully called “Eagle” is on state and public land that our government has put in the hands of this multi-national corporation for their private gain. On this state land there is a rock – a three acre outcrop that is the only high spot on the Yellow Dog Plains. This rock is Migi zii wa sin or Eagle Rock that is a sacred site to the Anishinaabe of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. Eagle Rock was scheduled and approved by the state of Michigan to be the portal to this mine.

The event that precipitated the arrest of Cynthia Pryor and the occupation of Eagle Rock by three courageous women – Charlotte Loonsfoot, Chalsey Smith and Georgeana Earring was the beginning of the fencing in of Eagle Rock by Rio Tinto. These are all women of the water who did what they had to do to help stop this mine.

Drew wrote this song in honor of the bravery of those who now occupy Migi zii wa sin and who are not leaving. Drew presents this song with these words:

I have written a new song called ‘Eagle Rock (song for the people)” and it will be made available for FREE to everyone. All I ask is you visit these sites, educate your self about what is going on and PLEASE make a donation to those brave heroes who are holding off one of the largest and most egregious violators of indigenous peoples and our mother the earth.

THIS IS NOT A LOCAL PROBLEM IT IS A GLOBAL PROBLEM.

Drew signs his name lower case and as ‘human being’. This is not about any one person but together represents all the brave spirits and human beings that care. We thank all who wish to help and as you listen to this song – think about those people on the ground, in harm’s way, who have taken their stand – there at Eagle Rock.

For more information about Eagle Rock and how you can help, go to these sites: http://www.standfortheland.com/; http://www.yellowdogwatershed.org/; and http://www.savethewildup.org/.

Please also visit Drew Nelson’s website at http://www.drewnelson.net/.

Our Great Lakes are so precious! According to the EPA website http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/basicinfo.html: The Great Lakes are the largest surface freshwater system on the Earth. They contain about 84 percent of North America’s surface fresh water and about 21 percent of the world’s supply. Only the polar ice caps contain more fresh water.

In addition: Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area and is the world’s third-largest freshwater lake by volume.

Holy wah that’s a lot of fresh water…we need to work together to protect it!

Soulemama Giveaway with the NaturalKids Team!

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Soulemama is hostessing a giveaway with some members from the NaturalKids Team. Click on over to enter to win one of our playsilks, along with other goodies from our natty friends!

http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/2010/04/soulemama-sponsor-natural-kids-.html#comment-6a00d8341c4ea853ef0134801a87bd970c

Deep Fried Peeps

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So, what do you do with those nasty left over peeps no one wants to eat after Easter anyway?
Well, if you happen to know a potter (which we do.), and if he happens to be firing his wood-fired kiln (which he was)…we highly suggest bringing the peeps!
Thanks to Ryan Dalman and his family with Dalman Pottery…They taste much better kiln fried!
Below are some of Ryan’s lovely pots. For further inquiries, he may be reached at dalmanpottery@gmail.com

Sugar Loop 2010 – From Sap to Syrup

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From Sap to Syrup…
Mojo and Rad boilin’ down sap. This is an all day process of feeding the fire and adding sap. It takes a little over 40 gallons of sap to equal one gallon of syrup.
We bought a new stainless steel pan this year…it’s so lovely!
Thanks to Paul at
stainlesssteelcreations
for such a nicely made pan.
Sap at a rapid boil.
Kiah and Ona call it a day and make the trek home. 
We transport the remaining sap to our outdoor kitchen. Here we boil it down on the stove. We take it to 119 degrees, then strain it from the faucet into jars.
The jar on the left is from the “first run” batch. The jar on the right is from the 2nd run.
This painting from our dear friend, Jen, sums it all up…Maple sap is such a blessing! Making your own maple syrup sure makes you feel “connected” because you know right where it’s coming from!

Sugar Loop 2010 – From Maple Tree to Sap

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From the Maple Tree to Sap…
Maple Trees are a blessing!  
We tapped 70 trees this year beginning March 3rd and untapping April 5th.
Following are photos from our Sugar Loop Day 1 thru Day 4…Tappin’ Trees:

Make a hole in the tree at an upwards angle (about 10 degrees) with no more than a 2″ depth. 
Hole waiting for a tap…the sap is already drip, drip, dripping.
 Kiah digs in her bucket for a tap.
Milo hammers the tap into the hole.
Diggin’ out the arches.
Collecting firewood for the upcoming fire.
Don’t forget to taste the sweet sap right from the source!
Look for our next post “From Sap to Syrup” in the next few days.

Celebrate the Earth!

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Come celebrate the Earth with Us!

Etsy’s Natural Kids Team is having a gynormous sale! Beginning April 14th, 55 shops will be offering different sales or giveaways.

Our shop in particular is offering 10% off from April 14-22.

Plus, we have a little gnome picture in one of our listings! If you ‘find’ the gnome, let us know and you will receive a naturalkids team pdf booklet about connecting kids to nature, making yummy recipes, and how to make simple toys and crafts yourself. This pdf was made possible through generous contributions from members of the naturalkids team.
To see participating shops and for further details, come visit the NaturalKids’ Blog.
 
You may also simply search “naturalkids team earth day” on Etsy

An Interview with my Sweet Natty Sister, Beccijo from The Enchanted Cupboard

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I am turning 40 this year and feel as though it is a big step. I feel like I need to start that year with the Waldorf tradition of leaping out of my bed. I had written a letter to myself years ago of all the things I wanted to do before turning 40. Things like “find my true self” Thank you Etsy for the help with that one. AND Put fun colors in my hair, I never did it in high school even though it was the era of PUNK! So I’m thinking some purple chunks!

I tend to always see the brighter side in life. I believe we have a purpose and that humans are meant to create, when we don’t we get lost. Who I am is very much molded from my childhood. I came from a LARGE family, 9 kids to be exact with lots of foster kids here and there. They (foster kids) were mine all of them. I took them under my wing, loved and nurtured them like one of the baby animals on the farm. There stories would break your heart but I wanted them for how ever short of time I had with them that they felt love. I learned a lot about the differences in people and families. I learned how to be a leader, how to be calm, how to delegate, and how to succeed. And sometimes when the world was just too much for them or me I made up a story. A story about fairies, mermaids or pirates. The good always won and there was always a happily ever after!

I have since been able to reconnect with some of the kids as they find me on facebook. They tell me sweet words of how I made things for them that they kept and how I made a difference in their life. I think it is pure magic to be able to create and give a little of ourselves. I am just so tickled to know that there are children all over the world playing with my toys, weaving their own stories. Sometimes when I am overwhelmed I close my eyes and imagine those kids playing…. imagine the little hands, the tiny giggles, and the big smiles.

In the real world I get to hear my kids and see them play. Sometimes they help me with ideas but they always inspire me. I think it is a wonderful blessing for them to see me truly happy and being creative. To make something that someone else is willing to pay what I say it is worth is like winning an Oscar ever time that sale email comes in! I do a lot in my day with 4 kids, homeschool, Etsy shop, and teams but I love every minute of it!

Some people think I do not sleep, I am just very organized. It really is the key to having a life that your are living not just surviving. I hear moms beating themselves up all the time about feeling guilty about what they may be taking from their families to have their Etsy Dream. The truth is Yes you can’t have it all…at least not all of it all the time. You need to make time for all the parts that you are… self, wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, etc. When we do this our children see it and we change the next generation.

Please take a moment to visit Beccijo at her store on Etsy - The Enchanted Cupboard