Me in my back yard

[Red_desert]

Nice pic Fossis! glad to see the thread bumped up, will be heading for SW Arkansas myself...after getting my car checked out, serviced. Hope to locate some of those opals they used find near Murfreesboro. Yes, it should be nice down there this time of year. That area once was a gathering place for Native Americans of North America to a place of crystal caves. The caves were sealed up to keep them from meeting there.

 

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[aa battery]

I just came across this fossis, I must say it's nice to put a face to a name.
You must have had a childhood that most kids would just love. Mine was in a City in a post war Britain. Times were hard and food was scares, I would have given anything to have lived in a Countryside as beautiful as you did.


.U.

We lived with kerosene lamps, wood stoves, Ice boxes, (It was delivered in blocks), we drew our water from a drilled well, we raised garden vegetables, beef, hogs, chickens, we always had plenty of food, but we didn't have much money.
We cut & baled our hay, raised corn for the animals, I had my own horse to ride.
It was a life I will 'always cherish'.

Fossis...........

well said

 

[Red_desert]

The site is supposed to be somewhere around Hot Springs Arkansas, in the National forest. I found a link to the story, as told by the Manataka American Indian Council, a page on their website.
http://www.manataka.org/page2.html

It shows the scope of importance for this historical site. Might just add a couple quotes here...

"For thousands of years, this magnificent site was the gathering place of many nations. Tribal leaders and spiritual elders made pilgrimages to the Great Ma-na-ta-ka Mountain to sit in great councils with many tribes. Some came every seven years, others came every eleven years, and others made the journey more frequently depending on local custom."

"Ancient tribes came to Manataka on pilgrimages to place ceremonial items in five of the caves. The people of the south laid gifts in the southern-most cave and people of the north laid their gifts in the northern-most cave. Two other caves were used by the people from the west and east for offering ceremonies. The cave located to the left of the crystal cave was used by the 'Keepers of Manataka', the Tula Indians of Tanico, who lived in surrounding areas and for other tribes living nearby such as the Caddo, Quapaw, Osage, Tunica, and Pawnee. To the right of the center crystal cave was a ceremonial cave reserved for gifts of the other people of this land"

"The Lady of the Rainbow, referred to as Ix Chel by the Maya, was said to have presided over the peace in the valley. Dressed in all white buckskin and holding one eagle feather in each hand, she stood on the mountain overseeing the peace."

"Manataka is truly the place of peace for all people. The area was a cultural and trade center for all native peoples – a great melting pot of American Indian culture. The Valley of the Vapors was neutral territory unclaimed by any tribe."

"Settlers and the U.S. government destroyed the sacred Circle and the seven ceremonial caves containing the Manataka Stone and other ancient artifacts gifted to Manataka by the tribes. Stolen artifacts were sold for profit by government agents. Government bureaucrats, to cover up gross negligence of the past, claim there were never any caves on the mountain, regardless of strong evidence to the contrary."

 

[fossis]

You're a lucky man Fossis. Your backyard is food for the soul.

Thanks, it is 'awesome' to roam the valleys & Mts.

Fossis...........

 

[fossis]

Nice spot to spend a lifetime.

With the exception of three years in the Army, & a year in California, i've always lived here.

Fossis..............

 

[fossis]

Nice pic Fossis! glad to see the thread bumped up, will be heading for SW Arkansas myself...after getting my car checked out, serviced. Hope to locate some of those opals they used find near Murfreesboro. Yes, it should be nice down there this time of year. That area once was a gathering place for Native Americans of North America to a place of crystal caves. The caves were sealed up to keep them from meeting there.

Thanks, it would be 'quite a find' to locate the caves, I heard of a cave near Ola Ar, that was found by a High School boy, & it was full of Artifacts, including Axes with the handles attached hanging on the walls.
He brought out all the Artifacts, donated them to the High School, then broke in & took them out.
I don't know what happened to them after that.

Fossis...........

 

[Red_desert]

"donated them to the High School, then broke in & took them out."
Yeah, kids or at least some of them, may not realize the value artifacts can be worth.

 

[arednecklady]

you are wealthy beyond measure! great photo

 

[fossis]

you are wealthy beyond measure! great photo

Thank you.

Fossis.............