THAT WE MIGHT CELEBRATE

Some Gave All

Though we enjoy the 4th of July as a national holiday with all the summer fun we can muster, it is also a holiday that didn't come easy. Repeatedly men and women have given time (& often their lives) to preserve our freedoms. This memorial is in Oak Harbor, Washington, home to Whidbey Island Naval Station. It commemorates men who never returned from ship hunting and bombing patrols during WW II.

Oak Harbor was one such base for those who flew these patrol planes. Formally called PBY Catalina, they had several nicknames. Since it flew many night missions against Japanese shipping, it was called the "Black Cat". When used for rescue at sea, many crewmen called it "Flying Dumbo". Though the Navy retired these planes after WW II, many can still be found flying mail and supplies along the Amazon, used for fish tracking in the Pacific and all around the world as fire retardant bombers.

If the occasion arises today, thank a service man for helping to preserve those freedoms we celebrate today. Happy Fourth Of July to Colby VanCamp and his fellow Navy crewmen and women.

TULE LAKE #4

Lava Bed National Monument

This medicine pole, also called a medicine flag, was placed at what is called the Captain Jack Stronghold. This pole was placed by the local Klamath Indians to commemorate what the Modoc Indians did to fend off the US Cavalry many years ago.

This is the northernmost edge of what is known as the Captain Jack Stronghold. Named after the fearless Modoc leader of the same name, this site remains important to Native Americans. Tule Lake was once much bigger. The southern shore touched where the sign in the foreground is and water covered the landscape north and east as far as the distant dark hills. Most of the recovered land is now either part of Lava Bed National Monument, The Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge or privately farmed.

To give you some understanding of the difficulty that the cavalry had in attempting to oust Captain Jack, this natural trench line was one of many that crisscrossed this patch of hostile lava. This natural fort was good enough, that at first, just 51 Modocs repelled over 300 army & militia soldiers.

This is what is left of a small fort that was garrisoned by troops lead by Major General Edward Canby. Their job was to attempt to corral rebellious Modoc tribal members, including Captain Jack, and put them back on a nearby reservation. For his effort, the general was killed by Captain Jack. This came after an illustrious career established in part by Canby's actions during the Civil War.

Not in many public places can you find a cross without a lawyer attached. This monument is on the Lava Beds National Monument and the inscription is almost as notable as finding a cross on Federal land. It says, "Gen. Canby, USA, was murdered here by the Modocs April 11, 1873". A medicine pole and a cross give testimony to two people who served their respective nations without fear. War is like that, isn't it. Sometimes with great meaning, sometimes meaningless.

FALL RIVER MILLS AREA

Why Folks Live Here

The breathtaking silence of a Mt. Shasta sunset.

A heavenly Lassen sunrise.

Bountiful farmlands.

Appreciation of history.

Last but not least for visitors: classic guest lodging and good eats.

THE CLOISTER

The Abbey of New Clairvaux

Though "out of bounds" for the general public, wildlife, like the monks of this Catholic order, get full run of the grounds. 

The Monastery is located in Vina, California. So small of a town, the odds are that you'll have to hit the link to find out where this is.

A portion of the land that the monastery occupies once belonged to Leland Stanford, founder of the university of that same name. Though many of the buildings (above) that Stanford erected are on the monastery grounds, it isn't Stanford that is more connected to the Monastery. It is William Randolph Hearst.

Years ago, as Hearst was building his empire and his legacy structures, he came across a decrepit 13th century Spanish Chapter House (another former Cistercian monastery). In 1931 he dismantled it and brought the stones to California, intending it for a grand estate near Shasta. The Depression overtook Hearst's ambition and the stones were used instead to pay the City of San Francisco in lieu of taxes owed. For 60 years they sat in Golden Gate park. In 1994 they were given to the Abbey of Clairvaux. It has been a long struggle by the Monastery to use the stones as intended (above).

Though Hearst made detailed notes when the buildings were taken apart, the instructions and the stones were in deteriorated condition when reclaimed. The stones are around 900 years old and there are few masons today that have the kind of knowledge of the masonry methods used in the Middle Ages. There is also the issue of money. Since I was here last, they have instituted a new program "Sacred Stones", which they hope will provide the energy and money to move the project along.

All around the grounds are a wide variety of flowers. It is a place of great natural beauty.

 In the year 2,000 the monks returned to Leland Stanford first use of the land: they planted their own vineyard and are working to produce several varieties of red and white wines. As Benjamin Franklin said: "Wine is constant proof that God loves and and wants to see us happy." Perhaps the good Cistercian monks of Clairvaux would say to that: "Amen!"