Drums in my heart

I hear drums in my heart.  I feel the damp settle into my skin.  My toes are curling as the cold starts seeping in my wet moccasins.  My jingles are clinking with an added tone from the raindrops.  Spirits are dancing with us in the rain.  People are drawing together to get some warmth, or heading for shelter under the awnings around the vendor stands.  Now there is more room for the dancers but none display their best.  Ahh.  A chill breeze swoops through the arena.  Heads turn in all directions finally settling with faces pointed at the sky.  Trying to judge if the rain will keep on, is that a break in the clouds?  Should we go inside?  No, the sweet smell of sage, cedar, tobacco reminds us we must finish where we started.  

Vendors are making coffee, hot tea and the aroma entices people to get some.  The brief heat encourages a dance or two.  Moccasins are wetter, should have changed to tennis shoes.  Slowly change to street clothes.  Looking around and see most have jackets, sweaters and hoods are up.  

Powow season is fully under way now.  There is one every weekend from Memorial Day til Labor Day.  Three days, four on holidays, means a lot of traveling.  Most travels occur within five hundred miles of home in all directions.  Many have a set itinerary the whole season long.  Others decide as the weekend approaches.  Some like contest powwows, other are strictly traditional.  I prefer traditional powwows, less competition, more relaxing.  

The dance is winding down, people are packing their belongings, getting the kids gathered.  Some few are getting one last look at the vendors, trying to decide if one more item is worth the few dollars that they've earned through dancing.  Furtive looks as they check for parental locations, bouncing up and down as the pro and cons of the purchase are weighed, fidgeting as the traveling song is announced.  Too late, they have to hurry before the hand of doom drags them away from goodie land and into the day to day world of "no, you can't...." and smiles turn to frowns as the inevitable trip home is suddenly here.  Dancing eyes as the hand of doom turns to the hand of generosity; carefully, their dollars are tucked back into pockets.

Relaxation sure helps knock stress levels down.

Today is a new day.  It's been raining, sprinkling off and on.  It's a great help for keeping the area wet.  I looked at a news article about the wildfire in Arizona threatening some ancient sites.  I'm not following the news all that consistently.  Checking out headlines can get me off on a tangent that keeps me from doing what I need to do.  

I chillaxed yesterday afternoon.  Watched TV, cooked a fast supper, made some inroads on a project I need to have finished by tomorrow.  Tried to get the portions on my plate to easily finished sizes.  Trouble is sometimes the number of dishes presented for consumption make it hard to decide what to take and what to leave.  


Well, relaxed too much, methinks.  Here it is the 18th already.  Started my blog, then had to work on the beading project that landed in my lap.  Got one feather done.  Started on the other one.  Now I need to finish that one before 1100 because the powwow grand entry is around 1300.  That gives just enough time to get there from here.


Turned muggy for a couple hours today.  Hope it stays nice this weekend.  Dancing in wet moccasins: not my idea of fun.  On the other hand, dancing when it's muggy isn't fun either.  The only fun thing when that happens is getting to visit with family and friends.  Eating fry bread and wild rice.  Watching the dancers, specially when they dance for fun, for the sheer joy of dancing.  Then it's fun to watch, then checking to see who misses the last beat.  Hah.


It's great when the singers try to outfox the dancers.  There are quite a few dancers who miss.  I rarely miss.  Then made the mistake of telling one singer that it's something in their voices that signals the end.  Missed a couple more times.  Now I look for the signal they use.  Ahhh.  Fantastic sights and sounds, groans from those who miss, smirks from those who don't, congratulatory smiles and heads nodding.  Yes.


Sitting around the table when we eat is an occasion for teasing, laughter and more visiting.  Sometimes, a new relative is discovered.  New relative...long lost isn't quite it either because they've always known where they're at.  Can't think of the word.


Ahh.  Coming home from powwows was relaxing, even with a long drive.  The sound of the drum stayed with for most of the trip home, or until I fell asleep.  Carry those memories with me to this day.