Thursday, August 23
Wild Card!
Post your best story, poem, or article on writing! A prize (Yes! A real-life prize that I will ship to you!) will be awarded to the piece that I enjoy the most:
The Navajo consider Canyon de Chelly one of the most sacred and important places on Earth. They call it "Tsegi," which means Rock Canyon.
For more than 2000 years, humans have lived in the canyon depths, in pit houses, cliff dwellings, and Navajo hogans. Numerous petroglyphs and pictographs exist throughout the canyon, most of them telling the story of a cherished life at one with the animal and plant life that call the canyon home.
Several Navajo who live in and near Canyon de Chelly create original Rock Art pieces, paying homage to the the ancient monument walls.
Chris Pinto, a native Navajo who lives on the Navajo Reservation, painted this gorgeous slice of Canyon de Chelly rock. He copied petroglyphs from the canyon wall, painted antelope and hunter, the four cardinal directions, ancient symbols for life and mother nature.
This piece measures 13.5 inches long by 5 inches high and half-an-inch thick. The rock is that of Canyon de Chelly. The colors are natural, vibrant. Chris Pinto signed his name on the back of the rock.
I will send this wonderful piece of the Southwest to the person whose Thursday Writing Essential piece I love and admire best today. I know the decision will be tough - all of the Thursday Regulars are wonderful writers who make me laugh and cry and think each week with their incredible stories, poems, and essays.
My posting and moderating schedule has slightly shifted, due to my new job teaching elementary school. I will be reading and accepting submissions to the Writing Essential early Thursday mornings, and Thursday evenings. If you post an article, I will read it! But you may need to wait until I return from school before I can read and leave you a comment. Thank you for your patience. I'm sure once school begins, I will find little moments here and there on Thursdays when I can take a break from class (wishful thinkin', huh?) and check in.
Want to join the Writing Essential and participate in Birdie's Thursday Themes? Simply visit the Gather: Writing Essential group, click the Join Group button, and post your stories, poems, and essays each Thursday!
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about the new job: read your email ;)
Here's the Linkypoo.
:)
I fell in love with the southwest on my first trip there back in Feb. We went the grand canyon, monument valley in the Navajo reservation in Utah and to the Navajo monument where I got my first walking stick medallion for trecking a mile down and back up again from the monument.
Just in case I'm NOT too late, I'm linked up here…
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977095201
Regardless, this is such a beautiful gesture on your part, Birdie. To share your soul and the soul of the land.
Thanks and good luck with the teaching!
Please, everyone, check out all of the featured articles, and do go deeper into the Writing Essential group and read all of these talented Gather writers! I'm so proud to be a part of this group!
Well, I am having a darn difficult decision! I think I have figured out my winner, and will announce once I finish writing a little story about it. : ) If not tonight, then tomorrow.
Because I simply couldn't come up with just one winner... I would like to announce a runner-up, who also wins a fabulous Southwestern Surprise Prize! Congrats to Eric, for his excellent piece of mythology, How Man Learned War. Eric, you, too, win a Navajo Rock Art by a different artist. The piece is just as unusual, and about half the size of Amy's new art.
Okay, you two, send me your snail mails, and I'll pop those in the mail tomorrow!
And thanx to you Birdie, for coming up with a runner-up prize. I'm smiling big tonight. :)
However... we understand and send you the best wishes in your new teaching job, Birdie. Lova ya bunches!
Well, the teaching is more important.