'Hunter Gray' hunterbadbear@hunterbear.org [marxist]
2014-07-16 13:24:49 UTC
Things with us at Sandy Lane have been interesting. ("Sandy" was the name of a builder's wife and "Lane" has absolutely no idyllic characteristics.) Whatever our challenges, they don't, of course, begin to hold a candle to the horrors suffered by vast numbers of humans, in the country and abroad.
A few weeks ago, in June, we had more than a week of winter-like weather. Then it became, almost overnight, very hot indeed. (It is a dry heat, little or no humidity.) There has been sporadic rain and, yesterday evening, the town of Rexburg -- about an hour and a half to the north us -- was struck by heavy flash flooding that made national news this morning. Rexburg is the site of BYU - Idaho and a vast number of students joined with townspeople to handle the situation quite capably.
Despite these occasional and scattered rains, the traditional Fire Season has arrived and is rated acute. We are as ready for that as we will ever be. And we keep our earthquake insurance current. So far this summer, there have been no hostile humans around at night -- although it's clear our postal mail continues to be monitored by Federals. The reasons for this remain as mysterious as they have for the seventeen years we've been here -- leading us to speculate that we're simply a justification for their fiscal appropriations from D.C.
Thomas and Mimie and Willow (nine months old) have been here for several days. Willow is a beautiful and lively little entity -- sharp, with a great smile. Same certainly holds true for the three cordially and perennially busy little ones of Josie and Cameron -- and, if I say so, all of our offspring of whatever generation.
A few nights ago, we had the traditional Navajo Tacos feast: myself and Eldri, Maria, Thomas and Mimie and Willow, Josie and Cameron and Aidan, Finley, and Liam. The phrase "Three Ring Circus" hardly does justice to the happy chaos. Adding a surreal note, was a white kitty -- obviously well fed by her own family -- who wanted in on the action and kept entering the house. Sky had long ago taken refuge under my bed. At one point, I grinned at Thomas and said, "You're the psychiatrist -- do something to control this."
But he, being a fine MD and thus aware of the limitations of his own considerable abilities in a melee such as this, simply grinned back at me.
Josie and Cameron, quite gently adept at all phases of parenting, were able to deftly manuever in such a fashion that the house remained intact.
Last Tuesday, a week ago, our washing machine went totally out. We got a new one. A few days later, the refrigerator died almost completely -- obviously beyond repair. Thomas and Mimie immediately bought us a fine, new one which will be coming in a few days. I can't think of a single material thing which means as much at this moment in our history -- and the motives of our family benefactors shine strong and high.
Grandson Quickbear -- aka Bret and via John -- is now the Tribal Relations Director for the George Sinner (Democrat) Congressional campaign in North Dakota. QB, 19, is quite capable and will certainly live up to the title and the job. George Sinner is the son of former governor George Sinner who we liked much. In 1989, we met him at Bismarck when he presented to me the annual North Dakota Martin Luther King Award for historical and contemporary social justice work -- and he liked my speech. We wish his son very well indeed. QB has been visiting various reservations. On Turtle Mountain, he had this to write to me: "
While in Turtle Mountain, one of the people who were with us asked for my name. I told her Bret Salter and her response was "are you related to John Salter the radical?" Her name is June (Juni Kae) Randall and she thinks very highly of you. "
Finally, although this has been around before, here is our recipe for Fry Bread and Navajo Tacos:
NOTE BY HUNTER BEAR:
Fry Bread, universally popular among Native people, is much consumed in this household -- especially via the also tasty and widespread dish, Navajo Tacos.
Here is Maria and Eldri's Fry Bread / Navajo Tacos recipe. [When John and Peter came here quite recently for a fine visit, they preceded their arrival by the request [demand] that Navajo Tacos be served. We were happy to comply.] Immediately following the recipe are Winona LaDuke's appropriate comments on Fry Bread. She powers her Mercedes with this Wonder Food.
Try it!
Best, Hunter
Our recipe -- initially posted on the Redbadbear list in mid-November, 2001.
There are probably as many varieties of fry bread as there are tribes-if you
go to any Native celebration or powwow, you'll probably be served frybread.
FRYBREAD
6 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup powdered milk, optional
2 and 1/2 cups hot water
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl, then add hot water. Mix well. Cover and
let stand 30 minutes.
Flatten by hand, or roll, golfball sized ball of dough into 6-8" disk. Deep
fry in 1 pound lard melted in cast iron skillet. Makes between 18-20
frybreads.
CHILI
1 and 1/2 lb ground beef
1 small can chopped green chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can tomato sauce
1 can pinto beans, drained
salt, pepper, chili powder to taste
Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Drain grease. Add
green chiles, beans, and tomato sauce. Season to taste. Simmer.
Spoon chili on finished frybread, add chopped lettuce, chopped tomato,
grated cheese. Makes about 12 servings.
NOTES ON COOKING
If you live in the southwest, use Bluebird flour. A high gluten flour is
best but here I just use Pillsbury unbleached all purpose flour.
I toss the dry ingredients lightly with a fork and pour the hot water into
the center and gradually stir the flour in---then mix/knead in bowl with
your hands. Dough should be flexible but not sticky. Depending on climate,
humidity, etc, you may not use all the flour.
Lard is best but you can use vegetable oil or shortening.
FRYING
I keep my burner midway between high and medium, with an inch or so of hot
lard or oil. Slide dough in. It will float. When bottom begins to turn
yellow, turn and fry
the other side. Drain on paper towels.
If your shaped piece is perfect, with no tears, make hole
(air vent) before frying.
It takes practice, but even bad frybread is good!
from the Hunter Gray family via Maria-any questions can be directed to Maria
off list. maria226d at hunterbear.org
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq /
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk
Protected by NaŽshdoŽiŽbaŽiŽ
and Ohkwari'
Check out our massive social justice website:
www.hunterbear.org
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO
The Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm
(Photos)
My expanded/updated "Organizer's Book,"
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new 10,000
word introduction by me. Covers much of my
confrontational social justice organizing life to
date. Contains much how-to grassroots organizing
methodology: http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm
Forest Fires in the West (including the life of an old-time
fire lookout: http://hunterbear.org/forest_fires_in_the_west.htm
A few weeks ago, in June, we had more than a week of winter-like weather. Then it became, almost overnight, very hot indeed. (It is a dry heat, little or no humidity.) There has been sporadic rain and, yesterday evening, the town of Rexburg -- about an hour and a half to the north us -- was struck by heavy flash flooding that made national news this morning. Rexburg is the site of BYU - Idaho and a vast number of students joined with townspeople to handle the situation quite capably.
Despite these occasional and scattered rains, the traditional Fire Season has arrived and is rated acute. We are as ready for that as we will ever be. And we keep our earthquake insurance current. So far this summer, there have been no hostile humans around at night -- although it's clear our postal mail continues to be monitored by Federals. The reasons for this remain as mysterious as they have for the seventeen years we've been here -- leading us to speculate that we're simply a justification for their fiscal appropriations from D.C.
Thomas and Mimie and Willow (nine months old) have been here for several days. Willow is a beautiful and lively little entity -- sharp, with a great smile. Same certainly holds true for the three cordially and perennially busy little ones of Josie and Cameron -- and, if I say so, all of our offspring of whatever generation.
A few nights ago, we had the traditional Navajo Tacos feast: myself and Eldri, Maria, Thomas and Mimie and Willow, Josie and Cameron and Aidan, Finley, and Liam. The phrase "Three Ring Circus" hardly does justice to the happy chaos. Adding a surreal note, was a white kitty -- obviously well fed by her own family -- who wanted in on the action and kept entering the house. Sky had long ago taken refuge under my bed. At one point, I grinned at Thomas and said, "You're the psychiatrist -- do something to control this."
But he, being a fine MD and thus aware of the limitations of his own considerable abilities in a melee such as this, simply grinned back at me.
Josie and Cameron, quite gently adept at all phases of parenting, were able to deftly manuever in such a fashion that the house remained intact.
Last Tuesday, a week ago, our washing machine went totally out. We got a new one. A few days later, the refrigerator died almost completely -- obviously beyond repair. Thomas and Mimie immediately bought us a fine, new one which will be coming in a few days. I can't think of a single material thing which means as much at this moment in our history -- and the motives of our family benefactors shine strong and high.
Grandson Quickbear -- aka Bret and via John -- is now the Tribal Relations Director for the George Sinner (Democrat) Congressional campaign in North Dakota. QB, 19, is quite capable and will certainly live up to the title and the job. George Sinner is the son of former governor George Sinner who we liked much. In 1989, we met him at Bismarck when he presented to me the annual North Dakota Martin Luther King Award for historical and contemporary social justice work -- and he liked my speech. We wish his son very well indeed. QB has been visiting various reservations. On Turtle Mountain, he had this to write to me: "
While in Turtle Mountain, one of the people who were with us asked for my name. I told her Bret Salter and her response was "are you related to John Salter the radical?" Her name is June (Juni Kae) Randall and she thinks very highly of you. "
Finally, although this has been around before, here is our recipe for Fry Bread and Navajo Tacos:
NOTE BY HUNTER BEAR:
Fry Bread, universally popular among Native people, is much consumed in this household -- especially via the also tasty and widespread dish, Navajo Tacos.
Here is Maria and Eldri's Fry Bread / Navajo Tacos recipe. [When John and Peter came here quite recently for a fine visit, they preceded their arrival by the request [demand] that Navajo Tacos be served. We were happy to comply.] Immediately following the recipe are Winona LaDuke's appropriate comments on Fry Bread. She powers her Mercedes with this Wonder Food.
Try it!
Best, Hunter
Our recipe -- initially posted on the Redbadbear list in mid-November, 2001.
There are probably as many varieties of fry bread as there are tribes-if you
go to any Native celebration or powwow, you'll probably be served frybread.
FRYBREAD
6 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup powdered milk, optional
2 and 1/2 cups hot water
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl, then add hot water. Mix well. Cover and
let stand 30 minutes.
Flatten by hand, or roll, golfball sized ball of dough into 6-8" disk. Deep
fry in 1 pound lard melted in cast iron skillet. Makes between 18-20
frybreads.
CHILI
1 and 1/2 lb ground beef
1 small can chopped green chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can tomato sauce
1 can pinto beans, drained
salt, pepper, chili powder to taste
Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Drain grease. Add
green chiles, beans, and tomato sauce. Season to taste. Simmer.
Spoon chili on finished frybread, add chopped lettuce, chopped tomato,
grated cheese. Makes about 12 servings.
NOTES ON COOKING
If you live in the southwest, use Bluebird flour. A high gluten flour is
best but here I just use Pillsbury unbleached all purpose flour.
I toss the dry ingredients lightly with a fork and pour the hot water into
the center and gradually stir the flour in---then mix/knead in bowl with
your hands. Dough should be flexible but not sticky. Depending on climate,
humidity, etc, you may not use all the flour.
Lard is best but you can use vegetable oil or shortening.
FRYING
I keep my burner midway between high and medium, with an inch or so of hot
lard or oil. Slide dough in. It will float. When bottom begins to turn
yellow, turn and fry
the other side. Drain on paper towels.
If your shaped piece is perfect, with no tears, make hole
(air vent) before frying.
It takes practice, but even bad frybread is good!
from the Hunter Gray family via Maria-any questions can be directed to Maria
off list. maria226d at hunterbear.org
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq /
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk
Protected by NaŽshdoŽiŽbaŽiŽ
and Ohkwari'
Check out our massive social justice website:
www.hunterbear.org
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO
The Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm
(Photos)
My expanded/updated "Organizer's Book,"
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new 10,000
word introduction by me. Covers much of my
confrontational social justice organizing life to
date. Contains much how-to grassroots organizing
methodology: http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm
Forest Fires in the West (including the life of an old-time
fire lookout: http://hunterbear.org/forest_fires_in_the_west.htm