We Left New Mexico for Health and Vehicle Reasons

Raven and I left New Mexico after having troubles with our vehicle and some harassment from unknown persons in Albuquerque. We're not sure if it was rainbow related but for the two days that our van was broken down, we made some serious changes in plans. You have to know that we really pondered and prayed about our life enough to realize that we wanted to get our vehicle fixed to be in good condition for traveling remote highways and mountains. That would take some serious cash flow, we knew. My writing doesn't exactly make enough to cover that. So we headed for Idaho where we have some family.

There were other considerations to make about our life. Health is becoming an important factor in our decisions and ever since the serious illness we both faced in Tennesee we have not exactly been in good health. This will take some thought and effort as well. What better place to make those considerations and changes than to a town that you know and where you have some family close.

Raven and I are looking for work and I intend to keep writing in hopes that my blog rank will climb high enough to get paid better and to get assignments on other blogs. That will take focus and effort as well. As you can see, we have a lot to handle in the next few months. I didn't even mention the past due bills that continue to pile up since our trip to DC and all the break downs in our van on the way home to Idaho coupled with our illness.

Truly, we intended to visit friends in New Mexico to discuss this year's rainbow gathering. We even sent a postcard to our friend Indian Bob who lives on the New Mexico mesa to tell him to expect us in the next few weeks. We really need to send another postcard.

It was our intention to close out some storage units after paying off the past due amounts, but that doesn't seem to be working out either. We wonder what the universe is telling us.

Raven and Summer Breeze Made it to New Mexico Yesterday

Photo Credit: Summer Breeze, a/k/a The Midnight Writer
Raven taking a nice walk on one of our pit stops. He's minus the hair now though. Yikes!
Through high winds, rain, sleet, hail, tornadoes and crazy drivers, we finally arrived in New Mexico yesterday. We're a little weary from the road trip from Tennessee but stoked to be here. We can't wait to see a lot of our old friends here in Albequerque, Santa Fe, Taos and our homestead (where we never get to stay home) in Tres Piedras on the mesa with our friends Indian Bob and Cascades, The Mustang Family. We'll be heading up there next week before we make a run to Utah, Idaho, Oregon and California.

That's a lot of traveling in the next two months but we have to make our rounds to see family and relatives and friends. We have business to handle before the gathering so we can relax and enjoy being on the mountain for a month or two. I'd like to stay the whole time and I think Raven feels the same way this year. We haven't stayed for the whole cleanup since Montana in 2000 and that was one of the best gatherings of our lives. Oregon in 1997 ranks as the best, of course.

I'm looking to find out when scout rendezvous takes place so we can be there before we make our run. Raven and I are meeting with family and doing some preliminary scouting in the surrounding mountains. I've got my camera ready so I can load photos right here. Let's hope Governor Bill Richardson will meet with us and support our efforts at a peaceful gathering this year without the guns firing on us.

I'm sitting at a Starbucks right now working on some writing assignments while Raven rests. He's tired from driving and lack of sleep. We'll get busy with visiting tomorrow. If you're in New Mexico and you read this, you'll be hearing from us soon most likely...or we'll just show up on your doorstep for a hug.

Lovin you family, and we can't wait to go home.
New Mexico in 2009.
Summer Breeze and Raven

Will the Front Gate Run Similar to the Wyoming Gathering?

This photo is pretty self explanatory. Law Enforcement has established a roadblock and their presence with weapons, or "guns in the church" as folks at the rainbow gatherings say. I believe this photo was taken in Colorado, where a road block took place during a long segment of the gathering.

In Wyoming 2008, Front Gate crews worked harmoniously to keep the gate alcohol free and to keep the Law Enforcement from blocking access to the gathering. It was not a complete success, but there was definite progress in this co-operative effort that made a huge difference.

I helped maintain a welcome kitchen/camp at the front gate in Wyoming to feed the gate crew, fire crew, Welcome band of aging and young hippies of the rainbow family of living light. I was in great company, to include the body and soul of one Barry Adams, montana, plunker who held down the gate for well over two weeks. Plunker started before Raven and I arrived and he maintained his stand at the front gate to keep the LEO's from blocking it to take it for their vantage point. When his partner arrived, plunker went inside the gathering to be with his family. Raven and I stayed for the duration of about three weeks.

I am wondering how it will operate this year and would love some dialogue about this issue. Is anyone interested in maintaining or volunteering at a welcome center front gate camp this year?

I Pulled my Rainbow Tye Dyes and Skirts out of Storage

Photo Credit: Dan 1 - taken in the Ochoco National Forest September 2007

Yes folks! It's almost that time. Can you believe it? It's nearing the end of March and I'm already thinking about, dreaming about, and planning to be at the annual gathering of the tribes of the rainbow family of living light.

In fact, Raven and I are in Texas planning to visit some family here before we head on up to New Mexico. There is a lot of family we want to visit in all parts of New Mexico and we want to get an idea of the snow packs while we refresh our memory on good sites to start scouting come early May. Are we a little anxious, do you think?

Raven and I have both shared the dreams with each other about rainbow gatherings we've been having for over a month now. The scenes in the dreams are about large groups of people walking and talking together, playing music, dancing around the campfires, cooking food together, loving, laughing and working the shanti sena peace scene. I believe we are in love with our family and the gathering of the tribes.

I personally think about it a lot more these past five years since so many close friends have passed over the rainbow to the spirit in the sky. Raven and I will be missing one brother in particular when we go scouting this year, but I know that Sailor will have that map pulled out scouting right along with us and he'll be pulling out the topo software on that laptop in the sky to give us a lesson on where to look and why. Sailor will be looking for the pretty flowers to photograph, so I'm taking my camera to capture a few for him that I'd like to gift to Catherine.

It's been just over a month but we sure miss this brother already. Sailor, we love you and good journey. I know your spirit will walk closely with us this year. It's good to be thinking about going home.

Summer Breeze,
The Midnight Writer

Fw: rainbow passage, a brother transformed

Another Rainbow Brother, Coleman Berry, has joined the Spirit in the Sky. Good journey, my brother. Quoted text below taken from agr@agr.welcomehome.org ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Rob, A dear friend of mine, Coleman Berry, was killed Thursday night while riding his scooter. I don't know who to contact from the Rainbow Family to make sure his Rainbow Family friends knew so I Googled The Rainbow Family and yours was the first name up. In the years I have known Coleman he has told me many stories but the one that resonates today is the role The Rainbow Family played in his life. Coleman had a rough childhood that left him with lifelong emotional scars. As a result of his past, he had become a wild sometimes violent young man. He told me that the Rainbow Family showed him that he did not have to be that man to be strong or to be happy. He learned at Rainbow gatherings that he could be gentle and kind, party and laugh,love all the people around him and be loved in return just by being himself. He wanted a different way of existing in the world and by example the Rainbow Family showed him the way. That was many years ago but right up until he died Coleman lived as a loving caring man who was the light of the parties he attended (and he attended A LOT of parties and festivals). He had so many beloved friends that he mentored and learned from. At most gathering he could be found either swing dancing with lovely goddesses or sitting in front of a fire talking until the sun came up with the friends he cherished so dearly. Coleman was the life of every party he attended. He built his home from an old school bus and made it so beautiful on the inside that the bus was once featured on HGTV. I don't know if there are anymembers of The Rainbow Family who still remember Coleman but I wanted to make sure I let someone know who could pass on this information. His memorial service which if Coleman's wishes are honored will end up being a big happy party will be Monday Oct 6, 2008 at 4pm at The Brahma Ridge Event center inCandler, NC. Thank you for your help, Hillary --------------------------------------------------- I found Coleman Berry's obituary and wanted to share it here. -------------------------------------------------- CITIZEN-TIMES.com: Obituaries Coleman Berry Candler – Coleman Scott Berry, 48, of Candler, N.C., passed at his home Thursday, October 2, 2008. Coleman lived in the Brahma Ridge community in his infamous yellow school bus and was a successful natural foods broker with Nature's Trading Company. Coleman was the former owner of The Bus Stops Here and Coleman's Burrito Palace and he was a major vendor at the Lake Eden Arts Festivals for several years. Coleman cared passionately about community and he dearly loved his family and friends. He was happiest at a festival or gathering, believing that the shared power, wisdom and grace found in the company of like-minded men and women was life's true treasure. He was a beloved co-founder of the Brahma Ridge Farm in Candler and a cherished member of The Brothers and Sisters of the Reunion. Coleman was the life force of any gathering and, as if endowed with a magnetic field, people were drawn to his charismatic energy. His resounding laugh will always echo in the hearts of those who loved him and throughout the canyons of the farm that was his home. Coleman was a Southern gentleman and lived according to his own hard-won code of being. He credited the Rainbow Family and the Grateful Dead for teaching him a different way of living and giving him the tools to become the man he wanted to be. Coleman lived fully in the moment and often said, talking badly about people bears no fruit. Coleman, who had his father's sparkling blue eyes and his mother's will and determination, was a role model, mentor and teacher to many generations of men and women. If you were lucky enough to have been a member of Coleman's extended family you knew that his loyalty, courage and love were unwavering. He leaves behind his sisters, Holly Berry, of Asheville and Poppy Berry, of Seagrove Beach, Fla.; and his father, E.W. Scotty Berry, of Poquoson, Va. There will be a memorial for Coleman Monday, October 6 at 4 p.m. at Brahma Ridge Farm in Candler. For directions please go to the website, www.brahmaridgefarm.com. An online registry is available at www.penlandandsonsfuneralhome.com Published: 2008-10-06