Raven Jake Dawes

Garth and God's Way Love

Here's a video created by Mary Lee Weir about Garth Bowles, the founder of God's Way Love in  Pioneertown/Rimrock. We were out there visiting him in his beautiful boulder garden a couple of weeks back with Barb & Rob Harris, Greg Bishop and a representative sample of the Kook Out gang - just Majik.

The ponds have some ice on them now, but everyone got around the fire for some good old-fashioned hospitality. And when the full moon rose - well, it was just one of those moments that made you glad to be out in the desert under a starry night sky, far away from "civilization."

 

 

Rock Corral

Y'all Jane and I were off having adventures with Barb and Rob Harris over the weekend, and we ended up at Rock Corral in Johnson Valley, a box canyon the cattlemen used to use when they drove herds down from Big Bear. The Rock Corral is believed to have been built by two brothers named Swett in the 1880s or maybe it wasn't til 1905, according to a reference in The Sun Runner. Willie Boy had a sip from the spring further on up the hill, in the course of the famous manhunt. At any rate, it's a mighty historical place to take a bath, and if somethin' isn't done about it, the whole area's gonna be covered in windmills, ruining this pristine desert forever.

29 Palms Historical Society Rummage Sale and more

Hi there folks -

I've enrolled in the recording engineer pre-program at Citrus Community College and have been so busy that those regular posts have been impossible to keep up with. Nevertheless, I'm plannin' a trip out to Tecopa Tom's place, tending the beehive, and various and sundry other Raven Jake-ish sort of activities. And there are some things coming up this weekend that y'all ought to know about.

For starters,  National Parks Week (April 16-24) is kicking off, so take advantage of the free admission and go to a National Park (Joshua Tree, for example). Joshua Tree is also having an event with the National Parks Conservation Association to restore some tortoise habitat on the northern boundary from 8:30-3:00 on Saturday.

The 29 Palms Historical Society is sponsoring a Community Rummage Sale this Saturday. They've got housewares, tools, furniture, toys, exercise equipment, and much more! 

In addition to the Historical Society -- Reach Out Morongo Basin, Desert Congregational Church, Kiwanis, and the Art Guild will all be selling treasures for bargain prices!

Also, the Twentynine Palms Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will be on hand selling hot dogs, hamburgers, and drinks.

The sale will be in the parking lot of the Old School House Museum at 6760 National Park Drive in Twentynine Palms from 7:30am to 1:00pm on Saturday, April 16, 2011.

Old Schoolhouse Museum

6760 National Park Dr

Twentynine Palms, CA

And from there, go have dinner at the 29 Palms Inn or head over to Pappy and Harriet's for the Shadow Mountain Band and the Evangenitals. Never a dull moment out there. 

And I'll check back with y'all when I'm back from Death Valley.

Radio Spot for Morongo Basin Historical Society

Folks, many times people know their address, but they don't really know where they live. Now people have been thinkin' with fully evolved human brains for the last 40,000 years or so, maybe more, so while the technology changes around, the same stuff that's common to all people across culture - love, crime, kids, drugs, zombie attacks, you know, whatever; that stuff stays the same. 

So when Barbara Harris from the Morongo Basin Historical Society blurted out "People just don't know where they live!" I took that to heart. 'Cause history didn't just happen to some poor dude long ago and far away - these historical personages could've been your creepy neighbor or high school sweetheart or jerk of a boss - the archetypes remain constant. The MBHS is starting a membership drive under the banner "Do You Know Where You Live?" and if you live in the Morongo Basin, spend two sawbucks and find out - and if you don't, find out anyway. Do a little research and figure out where you live. In the meantime, I've been recording some radio public service announcements to help the process along, and here's the first 60-second spot:

MBHS SPOT01 60 SECS