SpiritMaa

went out to lake ponchartrain, and suddenly i knew that the blue agate crystal needed to go into the lake.  the one i had been waiting to give away throughout my cross country journey had found it's home here in nola.  sent prayers and heart energy into the crystal, for healing of the lake and gulf waters, threw it into the water, and... looked up and saw a buffalo soldier in the cloud formations - native american pose, african american face, and after a while, an indigenous woman's face looking down at me from the clouds....

and oh the music - on frenchmen street, almost every night, getting high from the energy, jumping up and down with the band, the trumpets, the brass and everyone else!... brassaholics, soul rebels, funk and blues.... walking the french quarter and ending up at a caribbean festival instead, then following musicians playing in the street, dancing behind them (oh those second lines!)... listening to a gospel choir at a street festival - high on the energy of the music and this sensual city, again and always:)...

at a voudou festival - listening to the priestesses and priests speak about the west african tradition, feeling the energy at a banishing ritual, walking through the french quarter and feeling like i could be back in time... all the witchy ghosts and ghouly halloween decorations on the balconies.... saluting the ancestors of new orleans as i drive by the many cities of the dead (above-ground cemeteries)... having dreams of river initiations, and feeling the call of the mighty, muddy mississippi...     

road trip east to the green salt sea, jumping, falling and diving into the clear green water, heart expanding with green sea love.  watching the little fish swimming around me, diving under the breakers, absorbing the ocean energy.... white sand, green gulf, dolphins playing and manatee nosing around, spotted eagle ray swimming under the bridge, pelican that came and sat next to me, turning his head right, then straight, then left and back again... what was she looking for?  has she found it?

in new orleans, all you have to do to meet a new friend is go and run an errand or take a walk.  there are no strangers here...