The Story Teller Series LbNA #2948
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Add Location| Owner: | DevilinDog  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Oct 27, 2002 |
| Location: | Miller's Pond State Park |
| City: | Durham |
| County: | Middlesex |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 3 |
| Found by: | Nairon (3) |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Feb 10, 2024 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFOFFF |
| Last edited: | Jul 21, 2018 |
This series was updated with the help of the Gal Pals and adopted by Devilindog on 3/20/12. There is one change in the clues so please print out this updated version.
10/27/02
The Gal Pals have placed 3 letterboxes on an easy loop around Miller Pond in Durham, Connecticut. One caveat-summertime brings many, many revelers. Fall, winter and spring are the best times to hike this gorgeous trail.
Directions: From the Middletown area: head south on RT.17 and at the first stop light in Durham take a left onto Haddam Quarter Road. Follow all the way to Foothills Rd. Take a right onto Foothills Rd and follow until you come to Miller Pond State Park on your right. Pull into the parking lot and head down the path toward the pond.
Difficulty : Easy – around the pond loop. Time depends upon you. Gals Pals choose never to speed. We might miss something wonderful- a tree, a rock, a mushroom, a fern, a pond (yikes)…a letterbox :D
Native American Story Teller, White Buffalo, and From A Distance Letterboxes
The hike: Head down the path at 245 degrees following the White Blaze trail toward Miller Pond. There are side paths to the water but stay on the main white trail that curves around the pond to the left and into the woods. (Go counter clockwise around the pond, keeping the water on your left ) Stay on the white trail until you come to a tree with a white arrow pointing to the left. STOP at the tree with the arrow, do not go left on the white trail but rather go 12-14 steps forward on the wider unmarked path. (Do not pass beyond the beeches with initials carved into them- poor trees) Turn to the right at 20 degrees and bushwhack 30 steps into the woods. Turn to the right and go up a small granite ledge 10 steps. There, at 90-100 degrees, you will find the Native American Story Teller Letterbox ( #1) hidden under a rock. Be discreet signing in. Retrace your steps to the tree with the White Arrow and follow the white blaze around the pond’s edge. When you come to a clearing, stop and rest on the exposed rock face overlooking the pond. Enjoy the view. When you are ready, continue on the white trail until you come to the bridge. Cross over the bridge. Stay on the White blaze trail ( the blue will eventually merge and you will see white and blue together on the trees) Head around the pond’s edge. When you finally come to the cut logs (you’ll know them when you see them-really, you will, they are 2.5-3 feet across) Stop at the stump and turn to your right at 280 degrees. There is a small path there. Go 18 steps uphill on the path and look left behind the large boulder. Find the White Buffalo Letterbox (#2) under a flat rock. If you are not pressed for time, please go down to pond side after stamping in and read the prophecy.
The White Buffalo Prophecy
Legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman
To the Native American Lakota Nation, the birth of a white buffalo signals the rising of the White Buffalo Calf Woman who is the spirit of Mother Earth. She will come and she will join the children of Mother Earth and a new beginning will take place. The colors of the Children are Black/ Brown, Red and Yellow/ White.
One summer, long ago, the seven sacred council fires of the Lakota Nation came together and camped. Every day they sent out scouts to look for game but they found nothing and the people were starving. One morning, Chief Standing Hollow Horn sent out two of his young men. Seeing a hill, they climbed it in order to look over the whole country. Half way up they saw something coming toward them- the figure was floating instead of walking. They knew from this that it was "wakan" or holy. It was the figure of a white buffalo but as it approached them, it turned into a beautiful young woman who wore a radiant white buckskin outfit with beautiful sacred designs. This was Ptesan-Wi, White Buffalo Calf Woman.
In her hand she carried a large bundle and a fan of sage leaves. "Go back to your people and tell them I am coming. Make your village holy for my arrival." After four days the village saw White Buffalo Calf Woman approaching, carrying her bundle as before. Halting before the chief, she now opened the bundle and the holy thing it contained was the "chanunpa", the sacred pipe. She held the stem in her right hand and the bowl in her left, and thus the pipe has been held ever since.
" Sister, we are glad that you are here but we have no food to give you. All we have is water." So they dipped sweet grass into the water and gave it to her. To this day sweet grass is given to a person for purification.
White Buffalo Calf Woman took the pipe and walked around the lodge 4 times. This represented the circle without end-the sacred hoop, the road of life. She taught them how to pray and sing to the Great Spirit.
Then lifting the pipe up toward Grandfather Sky and down toward Grandmother Earth, then to the 4 directions of the Universe she told them, "You will walk like a living prayer. With your feet upon the earth and the pipe stem reaching to the sky, your body forms a bridge between the Sacred Beneath and the Sacred Above. Wakan Tanka (the Great Spirit) smiles upon us because we are now all one: earth, sky, all living things, two-legged, the four-legged, the winged ones, the trees, the rocks, and the grasses. This is one Family and the pipe holds them all together.
White Buffalo Calf Woman then taught them the 7 sacred ceremonies in which the pipe was to be used. It is used to this day.
Then She spoke to the women and said," You are from Mother Earth. What you are doing is as important as what the warriors do. The Sacred Pipe binds you together in Love." And so when a man takes a wife, both hold the sacred pipe together and a red cloth is wound around their hands thus tying them together for life.
White Buffalo Calf Woman spoke to the children and told them that they have an understanding beyond their years. "You are the coming generation- you are the most important and precious ones. Learn about the pipe.
She spoke one last time to the chief saying, "Remember that the pipe is very sacred. Respect it and it will take you to the end of the road. The Four Ages of Creation are in me. I will come back to you again."
When she left them, she stopped 4 times- the first time she turned into a black buffalo, the second, a brown buffalo, the third time, she turned into a red buffalo and finally the fourth time, she rolled over and turned from yellow into a white buffalo calf. As soon as she vanished, buffalo in great herds appeared so that the people might survive. The buffalo gave up their lives as food for the people, their coats for clothing and tipis and from that day on the red man has called the buffalo holy.
The white buffalo is the most sacred thing a human being could ever encounter. On August 20, 1994, a female white buffalo calf was born. Her name is Miracle. Since then, three more White Buffalo Calves have been born.
The Lakota believe that we are entering the end of times and the beginning of a new one. From the Four Directions the Children will come and the Family will be One. As it was in the beginning, so it shall be again. The Past, the Present and the Future are One.
Native American Story Teller, White Buffalo, From a Distance Letterboxes
Continue on the white trail and cross over a stream bed (could be dry or flowing). Pass through laurel grove and stay on main white/blue trail even though side paths may join. When you come to the next rock stream bed (could be dry or flowing), go to the far side and follow up the stream to where it levels off. Look for the moss and fern covered rocks and cross over the stream where a tree grows out of stone. (remember, where it levels off…not the first tree growing from the rock) After crossing over (the rocks are stable and you can use them to cross over near the second tree growing in the stream, but you can reach the spot by going up along the on the near side of the stream instead of the far side), go 6 steps upstream and find From a Distance Letterbox (#3) on your right in crevice in rock wall. Retrace your steps back to the white/blue trail. Continue and when you come to the fork in the trail, take white/blue at 40 degrees back to the trail that leads to the parking lot. We hope you have enjoyed the hike and the letterboxes.
Blessings, The Gal Pals
If you see any problems with these boxes please contact DevilinDog.
While you're at the pond, you can look for Flat Stanley and Kokopelli.
10/27/02
The Gal Pals have placed 3 letterboxes on an easy loop around Miller Pond in Durham, Connecticut. One caveat-summertime brings many, many revelers. Fall, winter and spring are the best times to hike this gorgeous trail.
Directions: From the Middletown area: head south on RT.17 and at the first stop light in Durham take a left onto Haddam Quarter Road. Follow all the way to Foothills Rd. Take a right onto Foothills Rd and follow until you come to Miller Pond State Park on your right. Pull into the parking lot and head down the path toward the pond.
Difficulty : Easy – around the pond loop. Time depends upon you. Gals Pals choose never to speed. We might miss something wonderful- a tree, a rock, a mushroom, a fern, a pond (yikes)…a letterbox :D
Native American Story Teller, White Buffalo, and From A Distance Letterboxes
The hike: Head down the path at 245 degrees following the White Blaze trail toward Miller Pond. There are side paths to the water but stay on the main white trail that curves around the pond to the left and into the woods. (Go counter clockwise around the pond, keeping the water on your left ) Stay on the white trail until you come to a tree with a white arrow pointing to the left. STOP at the tree with the arrow, do not go left on the white trail but rather go 12-14 steps forward on the wider unmarked path. (Do not pass beyond the beeches with initials carved into them- poor trees) Turn to the right at 20 degrees and bushwhack 30 steps into the woods. Turn to the right and go up a small granite ledge 10 steps. There, at 90-100 degrees, you will find the Native American Story Teller Letterbox ( #1) hidden under a rock. Be discreet signing in. Retrace your steps to the tree with the White Arrow and follow the white blaze around the pond’s edge. When you come to a clearing, stop and rest on the exposed rock face overlooking the pond. Enjoy the view. When you are ready, continue on the white trail until you come to the bridge. Cross over the bridge. Stay on the White blaze trail ( the blue will eventually merge and you will see white and blue together on the trees) Head around the pond’s edge. When you finally come to the cut logs (you’ll know them when you see them-really, you will, they are 2.5-3 feet across) Stop at the stump and turn to your right at 280 degrees. There is a small path there. Go 18 steps uphill on the path and look left behind the large boulder. Find the White Buffalo Letterbox (#2) under a flat rock. If you are not pressed for time, please go down to pond side after stamping in and read the prophecy.
The White Buffalo Prophecy
Legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman
To the Native American Lakota Nation, the birth of a white buffalo signals the rising of the White Buffalo Calf Woman who is the spirit of Mother Earth. She will come and she will join the children of Mother Earth and a new beginning will take place. The colors of the Children are Black/ Brown, Red and Yellow/ White.
One summer, long ago, the seven sacred council fires of the Lakota Nation came together and camped. Every day they sent out scouts to look for game but they found nothing and the people were starving. One morning, Chief Standing Hollow Horn sent out two of his young men. Seeing a hill, they climbed it in order to look over the whole country. Half way up they saw something coming toward them- the figure was floating instead of walking. They knew from this that it was "wakan" or holy. It was the figure of a white buffalo but as it approached them, it turned into a beautiful young woman who wore a radiant white buckskin outfit with beautiful sacred designs. This was Ptesan-Wi, White Buffalo Calf Woman.
In her hand she carried a large bundle and a fan of sage leaves. "Go back to your people and tell them I am coming. Make your village holy for my arrival." After four days the village saw White Buffalo Calf Woman approaching, carrying her bundle as before. Halting before the chief, she now opened the bundle and the holy thing it contained was the "chanunpa", the sacred pipe. She held the stem in her right hand and the bowl in her left, and thus the pipe has been held ever since.
" Sister, we are glad that you are here but we have no food to give you. All we have is water." So they dipped sweet grass into the water and gave it to her. To this day sweet grass is given to a person for purification.
White Buffalo Calf Woman took the pipe and walked around the lodge 4 times. This represented the circle without end-the sacred hoop, the road of life. She taught them how to pray and sing to the Great Spirit.
Then lifting the pipe up toward Grandfather Sky and down toward Grandmother Earth, then to the 4 directions of the Universe she told them, "You will walk like a living prayer. With your feet upon the earth and the pipe stem reaching to the sky, your body forms a bridge between the Sacred Beneath and the Sacred Above. Wakan Tanka (the Great Spirit) smiles upon us because we are now all one: earth, sky, all living things, two-legged, the four-legged, the winged ones, the trees, the rocks, and the grasses. This is one Family and the pipe holds them all together.
White Buffalo Calf Woman then taught them the 7 sacred ceremonies in which the pipe was to be used. It is used to this day.
Then She spoke to the women and said," You are from Mother Earth. What you are doing is as important as what the warriors do. The Sacred Pipe binds you together in Love." And so when a man takes a wife, both hold the sacred pipe together and a red cloth is wound around their hands thus tying them together for life.
White Buffalo Calf Woman spoke to the children and told them that they have an understanding beyond their years. "You are the coming generation- you are the most important and precious ones. Learn about the pipe.
She spoke one last time to the chief saying, "Remember that the pipe is very sacred. Respect it and it will take you to the end of the road. The Four Ages of Creation are in me. I will come back to you again."
When she left them, she stopped 4 times- the first time she turned into a black buffalo, the second, a brown buffalo, the third time, she turned into a red buffalo and finally the fourth time, she rolled over and turned from yellow into a white buffalo calf. As soon as she vanished, buffalo in great herds appeared so that the people might survive. The buffalo gave up their lives as food for the people, their coats for clothing and tipis and from that day on the red man has called the buffalo holy.
The white buffalo is the most sacred thing a human being could ever encounter. On August 20, 1994, a female white buffalo calf was born. Her name is Miracle. Since then, three more White Buffalo Calves have been born.
The Lakota believe that we are entering the end of times and the beginning of a new one. From the Four Directions the Children will come and the Family will be One. As it was in the beginning, so it shall be again. The Past, the Present and the Future are One.
Native American Story Teller, White Buffalo, From a Distance Letterboxes
Continue on the white trail and cross over a stream bed (could be dry or flowing). Pass through laurel grove and stay on main white/blue trail even though side paths may join. When you come to the next rock stream bed (could be dry or flowing), go to the far side and follow up the stream to where it levels off. Look for the moss and fern covered rocks and cross over the stream where a tree grows out of stone. (remember, where it levels off…not the first tree growing from the rock) After crossing over (the rocks are stable and you can use them to cross over near the second tree growing in the stream, but you can reach the spot by going up along the on the near side of the stream instead of the far side), go 6 steps upstream and find From a Distance Letterbox (#3) on your right in crevice in rock wall. Retrace your steps back to the white/blue trail. Continue and when you come to the fork in the trail, take white/blue at 40 degrees back to the trail that leads to the parking lot. We hope you have enjoyed the hike and the letterboxes.
Blessings, The Gal Pals
If you see any problems with these boxes please contact DevilinDog.
While you're at the pond, you can look for Flat Stanley and Kokopelli.