Doe Lake

The Mighty Kiowa had a great time at Doe Lake this past weekend. With the daytime temperatures a bit warmer than in past years, there was a lot of activity around and IN the lake! I know some of you took home some wet, muddy clothesa and shoes!

Of course, we also had the Eola Federation Pinewood Derby. Congratulations to Luke Bosworth for winning the Rookie Guides race! Had there been an award for most original design, I'm sure Caroline's violin car would have won - great work Caroline!!!

Add to that movie night for the kids with Toy Story 3, hot chocolate, and popcorn, and you have a great weekend!

Yatahey!

Chief Bald Eagle
Federation Fire Keeper

The Legend of the Tomahawk: Great Spirit, We Give Thanks

After the celebration of the Cornfest, The Mighty Kiowa returned to their village, and continued the fall harvest. When the harvest was complete, Chief Strong Eagle gathered his people around the council fire to give thanks to The Great Spirit. "My people" said Chief Strong Eagle, "the harvest is complete, and once again, The Great Spirit has provided for our needs! Just as we have honored those at the Cornfest who live by The Aims, let us now enter into a time of thanksgiving, during which we honor The Great Spirit for all He has provided for us!" The Chief then told his tribe to prepare a great feast to celebrate the occasion. On the day of the great feast, Chief Strong Eagle gathered the tribe at the center of the village, and spoke these words of thanks:

Great Spirit, We Give Thanks for our brave warriors who protect our land, and our way of life. Watch over them and their families, and bring them safely home.

Great Spirit, We Give Thanks for the beauty of your creation. Lead us daily to be mindful that Your creation is to be respected and cared for, not plundered and destroyed. Help us to take good care of that which You have provided.

Great Spirit, We Give Thanks for gift of our families. You know our hearts, and You know that good families create good people, and good people create good nations. Inspire us to be ever mindful of the importance of our families in our lives, and the way that we raise our children, so that they honor You.

Great Spirit, We Give Thanks for friendships. Good friends are valuable in our lives; they share our joys, our triumphs, our defeats, and our suffering. No man is complete without good friends.

Great Spirit, We Give Thanks for the bounty of the land. The food we are about to eat was prepared by our hands, but we know that it first came from Your hands.

Great Spirit, We Give Thanks for The Aims. The Aims give us direction how to live with one another in peace and respect. Without them, we would be like the tumbleweeds of the desert, blown about with no direction or purpose.

After Chief Strong Eagle spoke these words, the people enjoyed the great feast they had prepared, and spoke of the many gifts and goodness of The Great Spirit. May the blessings of The Great Spirit always be upon The Mighty Kiowa!

Yatahey!

Chief Bald Eagle

Federation Fire Keeper

Created by Gary Kranston

"I Fought For You"

Today is Veterans Day, a time to remember our heros past and present, who defend our country. Unfortunately, too many people fail to remember the meaning of this important day, or worse yet, no one ever took the time to make them understand the sacrifice and service of our military veterans.

My daughter came home from school today, and showed me this video that she saw in chapel today. I think no further explanation is needed....

Many heartfelt thanks to all who have served....God Bless You!!!

Yatahey!

Chief Bald Eagle, Federation Fire Keeper

Cornfest 2010!

The first campout of the year is always an opportunity to see the latest changes to our tribe - the kids have grown a foot it seems like over the summer, and there are new faces. We are sad that the Hadley's, longtime Kiowa members, are no longer camping with us, but were also happy to welcome back Kiowa alumni and former Chief Chuck Bosworth and his family! This campout also marked the beginning of Roy Smith's (aka Big Thunder) tenure as Chief, accompanied by his strong-arm money collector, Guido!

The Cornfest campout at the Elks Youth Camp in Umatilla is always fun, and this year was no exception! The kids had fun with archery, swimming, and of course pumpkin carving. What made the weekend even more enjoyable was the great weather, including something we have not had in a long time - a full moon!

Of course, the main event at The Cornfest is The Aims Walk, during which the kids walk to each Aims station and recite the Aims in order to advance to the next station, and ultimately, the council bonfire ceremony. As Federation Fire Keeper this year, I'm happy (and relieved) to say that the bonfire was a success, and we didn't burn down the facility! Here's 45 seconds of video; this fire got really big and extremely hot!!! Also note the full moon above the fire toward the end of the clip - check it out:

Next up, Doe Lake - get your pinewood cars ready to race!!!

Yatahey!!!

Chief Bald Eagle, Federation Fire Keeper

Let There Be Fire!

Greetings Mighty Kiowa!!!

I hope all of you enjoyed your summer! For my part, I'm starting to get the urge to go camping again, so I'm looking forward to the (hopefully) cooler weather of fall and the beginning of a new season of camping!

Being a believer in term limits, I have handed over the chief duites to Chief Big Thunder aka Roy Smith. I know he is preparing for the new camping season and will be passing along his ideas of how he wants to do things - please give him your help and support! If you have any suggestions for the design of Roy's new loincloth, please email him directly with your design, artwork and list of materials!

For my part, I will of course still be participating, and am looking forward to my new role as Federation Fire Starter. At last, I will get to legally incorporate all of the fire stories I heard from Chuck Bosworth into the creation of FIRE!!! Yes, I'm afraid I've contracted Chuck's pyromania disease!

I look forward to seeing and camping with all of you soon!

Yatahey!

Chief Bald Eagle

Federation Fire Starter

Touchdown!!!

I hope all of you are having a pleasant summer. Each August as the heat becomes more unbearable, I always find myself looking ahead to my favorite sport, college football. Although I used to watch pro football almost exclusively when I was younger, I gravitated more toward college football over the years as the professional game became, in my opinion, too much about money and self-centered players who have to do a special dance when they score. I guess I just appreciate the fact that 90% of the college players participate purely for the love of the game.

As news of teams opening practice for the upcoming season begins to permeate the sports news, I anxiously count the days until the first game and imagine how nice it will be to watch football, and enjoy the cooler weather of fall. Every time I go on the internet, I find myself searching for news stories – ANY news stories – about my favorite teams to satisfy my appetite for football until the season actually starts.

As my son has grown and become interested in football, I've realized that football is much more than a sports pastime; it is a valuable tool for teaching life lessons. The fact is that everything about football parallels life. Time and again, I've found analogies in football that I can use to illustrate the same values we want to instill in our kids. Here are some of them, in no particular order:

1. Good sportsmanship. How should you respond when you win? How should you respond when you lose?
   
2. The value of hard work and practice.
   
3. The importance of being passionate and committed to what you do – always do your best.
   
4. Accepting the decisions of authority.
   
5. Allowing yourself to be coached and critiqued so you can improve.
   
6. Leadership.
   
7. Self-discipline.
   
8. The need to be physically fit and healthy.
   
9. Honesty.
   
10. The benefits being a team player.
    
11. Loyalty.
    
12. Overcoming adversity.
    

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. The values we all want our kids to latch onto are contained in the games we love to watch or play. And it does not have to be just football – it can be whatever sport you like. That's why we call them values or principles – they apply in all situations, and, they are timeless, and they will lead to "touchdowns" in life. Here is how I define a touchdown in life: teaching my kids the values and life lessons they need to become quality adults who work hard to contribute to the world in which they live, who value the importance of family and helping others, and cherish the freedom and principles that made our country great. If I can somehow pull that off, maybe I'll even do a victory dance in the endzone!

Yatahey

Chief Bald Eagle, Federation Firestarter

Memorial Day

I think it’s safe to say that, for most people, the primary significance of Memorial Day is that it represents a day off from work, and an opportunity to have a cookout or go to the beach. In fact, it seems that Memorial Day weekend is used as an excuse by every car dealer and retail store to have some sort of blowout sale. If we watch the evening news on Memorial Day, and are paying attention, we may take note of the 15 second story about the President laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and then return to what we were doing.

Unfortunately, I am ashamed to admit that I fit this description for too much of my life. When I got married and got to know my father-in-law, a veteran of WW II, it began to sink in to me how great a sacrifice so many have made. My eyes and heart were really opened when our family actually visited the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery as part of our visit to Washington D.C. in the summer of 2007. Of all the incredible monuments and sites that we visited, none made more of an impression on me than Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknowns.

The land on which Arlington National Cemetery is located was once Robert E. Lee’s plantation. As the carnage of the Civil War progressed, the Union was in desperate need of a burial ground, and chose Lee’s plantation primarily as a way to spite him for joining the Confederacy. Without getting into further detail, suffice it to say that it evolved into a place of honor for national heroes to be buried.

The Tomb of the Unknowns is located at a relative high elevation on the hilly terrain of the cemetery. The setting is beautiful and peaceful; you instinctively realize that your feet are walking on sacred ground. Watching the military guard solemnly march back and forth, I began to more fully appreciate the fact that so very many people have sacrificed their lives to defend the freedom that we have the good fortune to enjoy in this country. To protect that freedom, we must always be vigilant, and the soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknowns certainly meet that requirement.

What follows is the text and pictures from an email Angela Logan forwarded to me. You cannot truly appreciate the significance of this monument until you have visited, but I hope this gives you some appreciation for what the Tomb of the Unknowns represents.

Arlington National Cemetery

On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was "How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns"? All three missed it. This is really an awesome sight to watch if you've never had the chance. Very fascinating.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why?

Answer: 21 steps; It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why?

Answer: 21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1.

3. Why are his gloves wet?

Answer: His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and, if not, why not?

Answer: He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

5. How often are the guards changed?

Answer: Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?

Answer: For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30. They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform.... Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe Lewis {the boxer} Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII of Hollywood fame. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington D.C., our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, 'No way, Sir!' Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment; it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

God Bless and keep them.

We can be very proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.


IN GOD WE TRUST

If you have the opportunity to have a cookout with friends or go to the beach this Memorial Day weekend, enjoy the time you spend with your family and friends. But while you are doing so, remember that a lot of good people have sacrificed their very lives so that you can be free to engage in those activities. Make time to honor them; make time to thank those you know who have served our country; make time to pray for those who are serving us now - they deserve no less!

In that spirit:

Thank you William Harvey for your service!

Thank you Tom Harvey for your service!

Thank you Matt Harvey for your service!

Thank you David Bentley for your service!

Thank you Corey Bentley for your service!

Never, ever, forget.......

From a proud and grateful US citizen,

Gary Kranston (aka Chief Bald Eagle)

Anastasia State Park 2010

You know you're going to have a special weekend when you arrive at the beach and the sky is clear blue, the humidity is low, and it's May!

This campout has always been fun for The Mighty Kiowa, but this may have been the best yet; without question, we had the best weather we've ever had for this campout. I got lots of great photos, but will tease you with just a few of them here. The family shots we did Sunday morning all look great, but you'll have to wait for the photo album to see those!

Thanks again to our hunters - you've done a great job all year! Thanks also to Mark for grilling the fish - you definitely know how to do a great job with fish - it was great! Last but not least, thanks to Roy for helping me share my DVD creation with you by bringing all the AV equipment!

As I announced Saturday night, my two year term as Chief is complete. Fortunately, I was able to twist some arms and find a replacement, so I will be stepping down and turning over the Chief duties to Roy Smith. Roy has helped me out a lot during these last two years, and I look forward to helping him out however I can going forward. I want to thank all of The Mighty Kiowa families for their kind words and encouragement, and most of all, thank you for sharing your kids with me and the rest of our tribe. This program has been a significant part of my kid's live's and provided more wonderful memories than I could have ever imagined possible! None of this would be possible without a great group of committed families!

In the meantime, I hope to see many of you this coming weekend for the Federation BBQ, and then rest up this summer in preparation for another season fo camping in the fall!

Yatahey!

Chief Bald Eagle

Lost

One of my favorite memories of my kids Indian Guides/Princess's campouts was from our first year when we camped at the Woodland's in Montverde. Our tribe set up camp in a heavily wooded area and, as usual, the kids began exploring the woods around our site. Unfortunately, my kids along with several others got lost for a short amount of time, having wandered into an adjacent tribe's campsite and becoming disoriented as to how to return to our campsite. Before I even realized the kids were missing, they were led back to our site by one of the dad's in the neighboring tribe. I was instantly scared and relieved, all at the same time. The kids then decided that they did not want to get lost again, so they got out paper and crayons to make a map so they would be able to find their way around our camp!

This is a fond memory for me because it had a quick, happy ending. However, all too often, kids get lost and the outcome may not be a good one. All of us living in the Central Florida area heard the recent news reports about the young Winter Springs girl, Nadia Bloom, who went missing for several days. Everyone was ecstatic when she was found alive and well after wandering into the woods and getting lost. A story like this highlights the need to prepare our kids in case something like this happens to them. When you consider the fact that we camp in the woods every month during the camping season, it's particularly important for us to coach our kids on this topic.

The article below was published in the Orlando Sentinel on April 13. Roy and Kym Smith sent it along on our campout at Cracker Creek, but I did not get an opportunity to present it to everyone. They recently sent it to me again and urged me to share it with everyone. I appreciate their persistence – this is really important stuff for our kids!

Parents can use the story of Nadia Bloom's survival as a teaching opportunity with their children. This Child Survival program is presented to students, scouts, and parents by the U.S. Search and Rescue Task Force. It includes tips for talking to children about what to do if they are ever lost in the woods or other unfamiliar terrain. The complete guide can be found at www.ussartf.org/childsurvival.htm

Here are some tips for talking to your child about what to do if they are lost:

- Help yourself keep calm by singing, whistling or even telling yourself jokes or stories. Do anything it takes to make yourself feel better. Try using your imagination to pretend you are somewhere else that you really enjoy.

- You usually do not have to worry about wild animals. They do not like to be near people. If they hear or smell you, they will usually run away.

- A good rule is 'Answer a Noise with a Noise'. If you hear a noise in the woods, make a noise back. If it is an animal it will run away, if it is a searcher then you will be found.

- The fear of dark can be easily overcome by memorizing your surroundings during daylight so that you can see with your memory when it gets dark. Nothing changes just because it gets dark. Try practicing in your bedroom.

- Make sure your child knows that there is no punishment for being lost. Sometimes, children will hide or run away from searchers in fear of punishment.

- Make sure your child knows there can be friendly strangers who will them when needed, including police officers, fire fighters, ambulance personnel and search and rescue teams.

The group has also made a list of survival tips that are easy for children to understand:

9 rules for survival

1. Stay together, do not separate if with a friend or pet. Cuddling up to a large dog or friend will help keep you warm. If with a dog, do not let it run loose, it can help you more by staying close and providing heat and companionship.

2. Stay in one place -- do not wander. This is the most important rule of all. If you wander -- we cannot find you.

3. Keep warm. This rule means to keep warm with the clothes you are wearing. Never take any clothes off. Cover up all the exposed skin you can.

4. Find a cozy waiting place, not a hiding place. A cozy waiting place means a warm place out of the wind and rain but not a place where searchers cannot see you. Under a large tree is a good place.

5. Put out something bright. Make a flag using what you have, but do not take off any clothes to do so. Some suggestions are white paper, money, hair ribbons, a strip from an orange garbage bag, etc. Spell the word "HELP" or "SOS" on the ground using rocks and sticks. Do anything to attract attention!

6. Look bigger for searchers. If possible, your waiting place should be near an open space. When you hear someone coming or a helicopter overhead, move to the middle of the clearing and call.

7. Do not lie on the bare ground. Being in direct contact with the ground for any length of time is dangerous. Build a mattress using available materials such as branches, moss, leaves, etc. This is called a survival bed.

8. Do not eat anything you are not sure of. Do not eat any berries, mushrooms or anything else unless you are 100% sure what they are. Being hungry is not too bad of a feeling compared with being violently sick. You can go without food for a long time, but you cannot go without water.

9. Stay away from large rivers and lakes. You must have drinking water to survive, but be careful where you get it from. Do not go near any large bodies of water. Drink from a water supply that is smaller than you are, so you can not fall in. Another source of water can be found on leaves in the form of dew.

Source: United States Search and Rescue Task Force

Copyright © 2010, Orlando Sentinel

Please take some time to share this information with your kids. After all, the most important thing we do when we camp is not making Smores or swimming or playing in the woods; the most important thing that we do is bring our kids home safely!

Yatahey!

Chief Bald Eagle

Cracker Creek

Our April campout gave us the opportunity to try out yet another new camping destination. After less than "joyful" experiences in April the past few years, this was a nice change.

A phenomenon that has always amazed me on our camping trips is how the most simple, seemingly mundane features of camp become popular adventures for the kids. This time, it was a small, simple pit full of sand that became a hit with the kids. Hang a swing from a tree limb over the pit and you get instant kid paradise. The sand pit quickly became the "in" destination for our Mighty Kiowa, and the Apache and Appalachee tribes camping next to us.

Another unique feature was the peacocks – lots of peacocks. Just like the sand cranes we always experience at Moss Park, these colorful birds were not shy – and they definitely were not quiet! Along with the canoeing and pirate boat ride, it was an enjoyable weekend.

The only downside – for me at least – was my failure to light the council fire, even after extensive equipment testing Saturday morning. After lighting the bonfire at Cornfest and nearly burning down part of Marion County, it was really disappointing. That's OK though – I figure I've got one more shot to work my Tonka magic at Anastasia, and I plan to make it count!

As always, thank you hunters and huntress for helping us out with the food – much appreciated!

Yatahey!

Chief Bald Eagle

2010 State Pow Wow

This year's State Pow Wow was held at Westgate River Ranch in Polk County, and it was lots of fun! To be honest, even though I am a native Floridian, I had never heard of this ranch. It is a very nice facility, with lots of natural Florida beauty – a great place to camp!

There was certainly plenty to do – animal and wildlife exhibits, games, ceramics, biplane rides – the list goes on and on. In addition to all of the event activities, we also had full access to all of the ranch facilities, including the swimming pool, shops, and a fun rodeo Saturday night! The icing on the cake was the gorgeous weather – clear blue skies and warm temperatures on Friday and Saturday – spring is finally here! Many thanks to the Seminole Nation for hosting this event – they did an outstanding job!

We missed all of the families who were unable to camp this weekend - only four families attended from The Mighty Kiowa – we look forward to seeing you at the next campout at Cracker Creek.

Yatahey!

Chief Bald Eagle

Words of Encouragement

No pictures in this post…this is about words….

You may have noticed that I write articles from time to time about parenting topics. I am by no means an authority on good parenting practices, so I'm generally writing in recognition of my own observations and shortcomings – in effect, thinking out loud.

On two occasions in the past week, I was reminded of the importance of validating and encouraging others. This is something I admittedly struggle with. By nature, I am very critical of myself, and tend to analyze and critique most everything I do. When I mess up, no one is tougher on me than I am. The unfortunate consequence of this sometimes excessive self analysis is that all too often, in my quest to try to improve myself, I push my family and others in the same way, and I fail to encourage my family and friends nearly as often as they deserve.

I recently attended a breakfast program at my daughter's school, during which the topic of discussion was the need to validate (encourage) one another – both parents and kids. We then did a little exercise in which we had to tell each other how we thought they offered encouragement. I could just see the impact in my daughter's eyes as I explained to her the way in which she encourages me. It was awesome to me to see the positive impact of those words, but it also saddened me to realize that I most likely don't do that enough. It pointed out to me the need to not only point out areas in need of improvement all the time (in myself and others), but also offer words of encouragement just as often, if not more so.

Similarly, my wife shared with me the words of a letter of reference she just received. The words were so kind and gracious that she said the letter brought her to tears – kind words, that she needed to hear, that came along at just the right time. I recently heard a story that really drove this point home. I do not remember all of the details, but in essence, it stressed the importance of encouraging others. The person sharing the story related how they had met someone, offered words of encouragement, and friendship. He later learned that his new friend had planned to commit suicide the very day of their chance encounter; the words of encouragement and friendship changed the new friend's mind.

So what is the conclusion, from someone who spends too much time analyzing flaws? You never know when you will meet someone whose very life may depend on how you talk to them. Look for the good in the lives of your kids, family, and friends – and express words of encouragement often. In so doing, you'll help them more than you know!

Yatahey!

Chief Bald Eagle

“Way Down Upon the Swannee River”

What a fun weekend at Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center! Even though the temps were a bit cold in the early morning hours, it was well worth it for the beautiful daytime weather – absolutely perfect! I guess the moral of the story is this: if you are going to camp when it's cold, camp where you have access to electricity to plug in heaters, electric blankets, etc.!

Fun activities included use of the playground, bike riding, and target practice with a BB gun supervised by Chase and Abbey. We also toured the museum and bell tower to learn more about the writer of our state song. At the craft center, the kids got to help out the blacksmith and see how stained glass is made. Some of us went into White Springs for lunch Saturday where the locals where having a small swap meet, and got to sample some outstanding local bbq! I know Roy and I enjoyed talking to the one gentleman about the finer points of smoking meat – makes me drool just thinking about it!

In addition to the pictures above, I have decided to include a video clip as well for your viewing enjoyment. Folks, you just don't get to see belly dancing like this often, so I had to share it!

As always, thank you hunters, and huntress Kristi McCarey – outstanding job! Last but not least, thanks to Roy Smith for suggesting this park; I think we'd all agree we would like to camp here again sometime!

Yatahey!!!

Chief Bald Eagle

Weeds

One of those random thoughts that comes to me from time to time…..

I recently took a short walk in my backyard to check how all my landscape was doing. With all the recent cold weather and freeze conditions, I hadn't cut the grass or done much else back there for 3 or 4 weeks, so I just wanted to see how my plants had done during the freezing conditions. To my surprise, I found that quite a few weeds had started to infest my landscape. I was amazed at the quantity and variety – lots of different, ugly, flourishing weeds! I guess weeds are like cockroaches – they survive no matter what the conditions are! I realized I needed to mix up some Roundup and get busy spraying those weeds before they completely took over.

Why am I writing about my gardening issues you are asking? The answer is pretty simple really. As I observed the havoc these weeds were wreaking on my landscape, it suddenly occurred to me that there was a great analogy staring me in the face. Think of the beautiful landscape as your kids, and the weeds as bad influences. As this analogy started to crystallize in my mind, I started asking myself questions. Both of our kids have laptop computers – when was the last time I spot checked their email or checked on what they are looking at on the internet? Do I know who their friends are and what's going on in their social circles at school? Is the music they are listening to in line with the standards we have set? How are they doing with their studies in school? Am I encouraging them enough for their successes, and listening to them enough in their defeats?

Even though I began my walk in the backyard without any thoughts of parenting, I was reminded that just like my yard, I need to be vigilant to have any chance at keeping the "weeds" out of the lives of my kids. What really makes it tough is that the weeds often come disguised as attractive, or at least non-threatening. So not only do we have to watch for the obvious bad influences, but also, the not-so obvious "weeds". To defeat the weeds, we as parents have to tend to the needs of our kids and stay engaged – there is no magic cure that easily, and instantly removes weeds. Only by spending time and being involved, do we have a chance of keeping the bad influences, or "weeds", at bay. If we take an extended break, or just think everything is OK without really checking what's going on, the bad influences, just like the weeds, are much more likely to infiltrate the lives of our kids and take over. And we all know, once there is a heavy infestation of weeds, they are very tough to get rid of.

So, the question we have to ask each day is this: what kind of weed control should I do in the lives of my kids today? Hmmm…..please excuse me – I have some gardening to do…..

Yatahey

Chief Bald Eagle

Cheeseburger in Paradise

We got our 2010 camping off to a fun start at Moss Park this past weekend. Even though the weather threatened to turn nasty much of the weekend, it turned out to be comfortable with the rain and gusty winds arriving after everyone had turned in for the night Sauturday.

Highlights for the weekend included guest campers and Kiowa alumni Lizzy and Jack Logan, along with a 30 minute Skype session with their dad, Brad Logan who is currently working on contract in Kuwait. The kids got to see views of local mosques and the Persian Gulf from the roof Brad's apartment building, all from the comfort of our campsite!

Then there was the hamburger contest – I think this might become a Kiowa tradition! The rules are simple – each of the kids had to come up with a unique hamburger; to keep them from getting too gross, we also stipulated that they had to eat the burger for it to be eligible! I enlisted the help of Mike Cheatham to judge the burgers – who better to assess the impact of these creations on the gastrointestinal systems than a doctor? The result was 2 awards – Hayden Perrin for Most Likely to Cause Indigestion (I've never tried M & M's, goldfish crackers, and Tabasco on a hamburger – and I never will!), and Jack Logan (along with Lizzy Logan, and Megan & Abbey Smith) with a nicely arranged plate that included venison sausage for Best Presentation – maybe Jack will be a chef someday!

Since our very own Medicine Man is still recuperating from the attack on his knee by his doctors, yours truly Chief Bald Eagle filled in by telling the story The Legend of The Tomahawk around the campfire, and presenting a commemorative tomahawk to our visiting alumni Lizzy and Jack Logan.

I hope you enjoy the pictures; my three week old backache kept me from getting around to take as many pictures as I would like, but I still got a few good ones as well as a few still shots from the video.

Yatahey!

Chief Bald Eagle

The Legend of the Tomahawk: The Celebration of Family

It is once again the time of year when The Mighty Kiowa journey to the pine forest between to lakes known as Moss Park. Our visit to Moss Park will be special this year because it marks the one year anniversary of the return of the Tomahawk by our young warriors to The Mighty Kiowa. Our treasured Tomahawk was missing for many generations, but our brave young warriors searched the pine woods between the two lakes and found the Tomahawk, the symbol of the strength of our families and tribe.

I, Chief Bald Eagle, hope you will join us as we journey to camp at Moss Park to enjoy the beauty of the land, and celebrate the return of the Tomahawk to The Mighty Kiowa. To make this campout more memorable, we will be honored to have past members of our tribe camping with us. Lizzy and Jack Logan will journey from the faraway mountains of North Carolina to join our circle in fellowship. We look forward to seeing them once again!

I invite all of our parents and young warriors to gather around our fire, hear the Legend of the Tomahawk, and celebrate it's return to our tribe, as well as the return of our good friends and past members, Lizzy and Jack!

Yatahey!

Chief Bald Eagle