Thieves of humanity

"May the wind be at your back

And the world sit at your feet

May you waltz across Wyoming

With a rose clutched in your teeth

May the answers to your questions

Fall like raindrops right on queue

May you set up shop in Heaven

'Fore the Devil knows you're due" 

(The Flyboy & The Kid, Rodney Crowell)
if you want to listen here is a link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUaomJOAWi8 
(you'll probably need to copy & paste into your browser) 

Recently made a quick jaunt over to Arizona: the main purpose of the road trip was to teach a one-day session on Heritage Resource laws & protection at Northern Arizona University (NAU). It was a month earlier than most spring trips to Arid-zona (MLB Cactus League Spring Training games start March 3), but it was well worth the “white line fever” and driving-daze. My first stop was just down the road at UNM to umpire a college women’s tennis match (Grand Canyon vs. UTEP); 

"Ooh, here's to love

Here's to life

All the fair and tender ladies

And the plain dirt farmer's wife

Yeah, here's to you

Here's to me

Some ol' mad dog mountain flyboy

And the kid from Tennessee"

Followed by full-speed-ahead to Mesa/Gilbert and visiting Mom (she is 90 now) & Sisters for a few days. Of course, there were some chore-lists that got worked through. Plus, the dreaded hospitalization of a family member (Rudy Noriega, my nephew’s father-in-law) was synched with my visit. Rudy has been battling Stage IV cancer; he is back home now with hospice care. When I think of my journeys I realize they are nothing compared to his: born in Peru, he emigrated here with his young family and his son (Carlos) went onto a couple of space shuttle missions (including a spacewalk) with NASA. How is that for a trip? Anyway, lots of prayers-n-thoughts for Rudy & his family.

"May your nights be filled with laughter

And your days with honest work

May you wake up smelling roses

When you're facedown in the dirt

If you had the sense to come in

When the storm clouds start to grow

You wouldn't be my right hand

And the best friend that I know"

From the “Valley-Of-The-Sun” I made the quick trip up to Flagstaff and got to share some time with participants NAU’s Park Ranger Training Program (PRTP). *-OK, I also got welcomed by chance to an Irish Whiskey tasting competition (Luck-of-the-Irish?) Certainly refreshed my optimism regarding the future protection of our special places (National Park areas). 

"Ooh, here's to life

Here's to love

When your heart beats like a lion

And your shoes fit like a glove

Yeah, here's to you

Here's to me

Some ol' mad dog mountain flyboy

And the kid from Tennessee"

It also occurred to me, it is amazing how much archeology and crime scene management have in common sometimes: early during my basic course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center the lead instructor asked if any in the class had studied archeology and two of us raised a hand. He stated to the class that we'd make the best accident scene investigation maps (and I remember thinking: "he obviously hasn't seen MY maps). Turns out he'd been a grad student of Jesse Jennings at Univ. of Utah. 

"May you always stay in touch with the things

That keep you young

When you're staring at injustice

May you never bite your tongue

May the bear tracks in your future

Find you downwind in a glade

Where the grass as green as absinthe

Comes in forty different shades"

Fast-forward to last week: after teaching I was asked by the NAU/PRTP lead instructor if I’d share my PowerPoint program on Heritage Resource Crime Scene Investigation, as they'd be studying crime scene management this week. I was happy to accommodate.

"Ooh, here's to love

Here's to life

All the fair and tender ladies

And the old fishmonger's wife

Yeah, here's to you

Here's to me

Some ol' mad dog mountain flyboy

And the kid from Tennessee"

I returned to the “Land of Enchantment” in time for the annual State SiteWatch Site Stewards Conference. It was held at the Maxwell Museum at UNM this year, and had some great presentations on the professional use of metal detectors in archaeological research (vice the hacks often shown on TV); the forensics from Confederate burials post-Glorieta Battle (Civil War); Paleo-Indian sites in the U.S. Southwest. I also received a great surprise, that left me “Speechless.”

"Yeah, set 'em up, drinks for free (*)

It's the mad dog mountain flyboy

And the kid from Tennessee"

Gamin

Watching the Westminster Kennel Club last night, I found myself cheering for the Skye Terrier (Charlie). Not only because Meme’s family had & showed them, but she & I had one too for 12-years; it was Justin’s 1^st dog. Ours was named “Gamin” and he was related to the only Skye to ever win Westminster.  Charlie didn’t win, he got “Reserve,” or second-in-show. A Beagle named “Miss P” won: it was her night (but, in the world of sport these days one never knows what results might change after the “P” test). I miss Gamin, but congratulations to Miss P.

Many of us involved with protecting our cultural patrimony have been watching as the Islamic State has been allowing the desecration and wholesale destruction of archaeological sites for profit. The below link has to do with the middle men/the pipeline of traffickers. For those that say the looting of heritage resources is a victimless crime (yes, there are those that contend just that), I say: “You are wrong. It funds criminal organizations and brutal acts of terrorism. May karma be with you…”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31485439
"Here's to life, here's to love..."  Many Blessings to you-n-yours…

Wonderful Lives...

Morning snow cover and 9-degree (F) temperature on the back porch has me thinking about when I returned in August from my second fire assignment on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (NF): Little Bridge Creek (LBC) & Carlton Complex.  Twisp, Washington is most likely getting snow; after all it is late December.

My last shift (“operational period”) assignment on LBC was up on a remote portion of the fire line, with the Blue Ridge Hotshots (Coconino NF). Our Mission: patrol & mop-up as needed. As a Safety Officer I often get to work with a wide variety of people & resources. Many of which leave me in absolute awe of their skill sets. I know that after so many decades (4) of being around public safety personnel, the dedication and abilities of the men & women that serve and protect us should be no surprise: but, I’m still often left with deep gratitude that I get to work alongside some of these people.

There was a Paramedic, which we’ll call Simon, assigned on the same Division. I think Simon was extraordinary. To put that term in context, let’s flash-back to when I first became an incident Safety Officer in the late 1980’s, or even as “Safety Dude” with a Type I Incident Management Team during the 90’s: our goal then was to get a line qualified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) assigned to each division/group for every operational period.  As a former Medical Unit Leader, and as an EMT on the National Register, I knew what a challenge that could be. Now, we often get line EMT’s + Paramedics (like Nathan Harpster from Phoenix FD Jennifer Reilly from Virginia, or Simon); thanks to individuals & local fire departments making their important skills available, often via private contract companies. It is a vast improvement over yester-year.

Simon is a smokejumper from the North Cascades. When you think elite-of-the-elite wildland firefighters, you think smokejumpers… and to think that Simon was also a Paramedic was inspiring, BUT there is more… he is not just any ol’ “Simple Simon.” He also splits his year between the Jumpers and being a non-comm. in the U.S. Air Force Reserve where he plies his skills doing air rescue operations. It is sometimes said of the USAF Air Rescue personnel: “when the SEAL Teams need help, they (SEALs) call them.” It is somewhat simplistic, but you get-the-picture…

This particular day, Simon decided to share some of his knowledge & skills by conducting some training and practical exercises for Blue Ridge. After “The Shots” had patrolled & gridded the line in the Division ("no smokes"), Simon instructed them in various SKED (Rescue Stretcher) packaging, carrying & transport techniques. Due to the remoteness of many forests, fire crew and engine personnel are first responders to emergency situations (motor vehicle, rock climbing accidents, etc.): they expose themselves to danger in order to help. They’ll also be the first to tell you: “We’re not heroes…we are simply doing our duty, our job…and doing what’s right…”

As I recall, Simon had planned on having a 1-2 hour session, but due to their interest he spent 4+ hours with Blue Ridge on extraction techniques. So, this- my final post of 2014 is a salute to ALL of you that are doing your duty out there… and what is right (from Group Supervisor Billy Morris [Peoria, AZ] to the BLM Engine [Lander, WY] to Paramedic Nick Cooley [Palmer, AK]… to ALL a big THANK YOU!!!

2014- a quick review of our family's year...

2014

Meme, Justin & I wish you a Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday Season,

& a healthy, joyous and prosperous 2015.

The past year has had several highlights, like:

Uncle Bruce Newlin

·      The gathering in Gilbert (AZ) this Nov. of some of the Newlin Clan to celebrate mom’s 90^th (Dec.) & Uncle Bruce’s 80^th (July) birthdays,

·      Justin finishing law school classes one-term early (Dec.), and

·      Firefighting “Safety Officer” duties in the Pacific Northwest (Summer). 

Hal Marcus

In January Meme & I visited her sister Pat Medici (& her husband Hal Marcus) in El Paso, followed by the Subaru going in-n-out of various garages over the following 9-months (yikes, and with <160,000 miles); Sis Chris judged some of the Terrier breeds at the Westminster Kennel Club’s dog show (putting-up a dog as Best-of-Breed that went on to win Best in Show) :-)... 

February included a quick visit by Pete (Meme’s cousin) and his esposa Nancy, and of course one of my favorite days of the year: “pitchers & catchers report.” Winter and early spring were also filled with a heavy load of college tennis chair umpiring assignments. Plus, there was the annual trek to Arizona for the Cactus League Spring Training (I didn’t make the cut… again…). Late freezes resulted in no apples or peaches this year, cherries were enjoyed by birds (again), but we did have a fair grape crop.

Ranger Rendezvous: YMCA-Rockies

Some year-round activities included the New Mexico (NM) SiteWatch steward program, NM Archeological Council Executive Committee, “Rocking out” climbing (Meme), and yoga classes (both).

Additional events included our annual sojourn to the beach (Pacific Beach/La Jolla area), being interviewed by the NPS Cultural Resources Academy, attending Ranger Rendezvous at Rocky Mountain National Park/Estes Park (Colorado) and getting to visit many ol’ amigos y amigas. I also got to provide the NPS Oral History program with a 3-hour interview for their archives (with about another hour needed next year to finish-up).

Lucy & I: holiday folk dance

Lucy-the-Bull Terrier had an uneventful year, filled with walks and runnin’ down “wascally wabbits.” No rattlesnake bites, or knocking me off my bike (breaking ribs) this trip-around-the-sun. She turned 6 this month.

This month (Dec.) I coordinated and taught (aka: produced & directed) a 20-hour Heritage Resources Investigations course for law enforcement officers and archaeologists in Silver City (where it is alleged that Billy “went to the bad…”): it was well received and seems to have been successful. Just another way to pass along a little something to “The Next Generation…”  Finally, now have time to read Cindy Schroeder’s Plunder of the Ancients (a page-turner).

Special congratulations again to our son (Justin) for completing his course of study at the University of New Mexico Law School: good luck with the bar exam in February + ALL your future endeavors…

Feliz Navidad y un propsero Nuevo Ano a todos… Phil & Meme 

I found this in my “Old Christmas Letters” folder: scribbled in long-hand…

 thought it might be time for a revisit:

May your season of joy be endless,

Enjoying the love & warmth of humanity,

Rejoicing in the eternal light,

Remembering ALL good friends,

Your spirit too shall be eternal.

Continuing our life’s quests, with

Hope refreshing our vigor,

Returning to the timeless lessons,

Inspiring all through our actions,

Selflessly giving our gifts

The joy grows exponentially

Marrying our spirit with the everlasting

Anticipating our ultimate gift,

Salvation.

Hal's Studio