Recently, I was going through some old boxes in the basement. I happened to find a number of old family photos that had not seen the light of day for decades. After studying them, I decided to include them in my posts. Family members from yester-year are important since they were the ones who paved the way for us of the present day. Their sacrifices are valid and must be acknowledged. They are a part of us and desrve to be remembered. My relatives had illustrious lives; and I thought that I would share them with you. I entreat you to search your own archives and find some forgotten heros, and heroins who have helped to shape your lives with their unseen hands. I hope that you will read about my ancestors in my posts; and enjoy their adventures.

Edna Hortencia Mungosen,(1875-1915) was the daughter of Delphia and Rutherford H. Mungosen. Delphia and Rutherford had recently moved into the valley, and settled in a residence on the east bench. Eager to climb the social ladder, Delphia, still "in a family way", had decided to attend a Ladies Literary Club luncheon. At the event was a table spread with dishes and desserts made by the local members. Delphia decided to try a sumptuous glazed tort made by one of the ladies who lived near the west part of the valley. The flavor of the tort was delicious, but later that evening, Delphia went into a long and arduous labor which ended in the arrival of Edna Hortencia.

Edna grew quite quickly and matured early for her age. At school, she was considered "an early bloomer", which made her very popular with the boys...very popular indeed. She gained a diverse education; ranging from the three 'R's', to a variety of different "gymnastic" positions. Edna was athletic and double jointed in many different places much to the delight of her numerous paramours. She was also an adventurous girl with a drive to explore new vistas of experience, and acquire knowledge to feed her curiosity. She also did not possess a gag reflex.

Edna, as with most women of the period, found it difficult to secure employment. She knew that she had to make her way in the world as best she could so she resorted to the talents that she had studied in school. Edna rented an apartment by which to ply her trade and started handing out 'business cards". Since there was a sizable non-religious population consisting of soldiers from nearby Fort Douglas, miners, cowboys, and tradesmen, her client list was long and profitable. Even though her family was none the wiser to her wanton ways, they did appreciate the monthly stipend that she sent to them. She was able to promote herself as a " physical education instructor ". Some of her equipment used in developing the physical form included such items as hand-cuffs, ladies underwear, leather straps, saddles, stirrups, weight benches, dog collars, spatulas, ball-gags, riding crops,and tubs of unguent.

One evening, she met an odd looking stranger wearing a bowler hat, who wished to employ her services. Their eyes met, and both knew that they were destined to love. He would not divulge his name which made their trist all the more exciting. They spent the afternoon on the shores of the Great Salt Lake with a picnic.basket in tow.They were awash in salt water, sun, and each other's arms. Later that evening she beckoned him into her "gymnasium". They were not seen for three days. During this time she was able to remove his hat and run her fingers through the singular lock of blonde hair sprouting from his head. On the third day, the erotic stranger seduced her into engaging in unspeakable acts- the likes of which cannot be written about in this biography. Edna, who was totally unfamiliar with these sexual practices had already thrown away the key by which to unlock the door. She deeply regretted this. Their trist had turned into a hellish ride on a ship of abhorrent chaos. Edna was able to brake down the door only after the stranger had been thoroughly satisfied. He finally left her abode never to be seen again.

In order to soothe her frayed nerves, Edna went to her favorite restaurant which happened to be owned and operated by a local female chef. She ordered her favorite dish of Truffles Almondine in bearded clam sauce, and Glazed Tort for dessert. The meal was delicious, and Edna decided to make a habit of patronizing the establishment from then on. But as fate would have it, Edna found that she was with child, which made life difficult for her business.

The pregnancy was a strange one a best. Her cravings for truffles almondine, with bearded clam sauce, and glazed tort were strong. She also had an obsessive need for fish of any kind. Soon,her time was due, and she locked herself in her room determined to birth the child in secret. After a painful labor, the babe issued forth much to the shock and loathing of the mother. When Edna had recovered, she tried her best to care for the child but to no avail. Edna bundled the infant in a blanket, wrote a quick note and deposited the basket and child on a doorstep far away from her neighborhood.
Eventually Edna Hortencia was arrested by the authorities for her scandalous ways. But eventually she made friends of some of the prison guards. One guard wished to test her gagless abilities for himself. While resting his trigger hand on his gun, another night watchman startled the couple. The guard 's hand slipped, and the gun accidentally shot Edna with a fatal blow to the head. She in turn bit down hard enough to produce the first eunuch in Utah's history. He died shortly afterwards from repairative surgical complications. Unsterile medical practices of the time led to infection which aided in his demise. The two were buried side by side.

Anjina Millicent Titsworth, of the Baltimore Maryland Titsworths, (1873-1931) was the soul heiress to the Titsworth family fortune. She was the only offspring of Enigma and Arlington B.Titsworth. The family had made their wealth in medical technologies and supplies; such as knives, saws, and hypodermic needles. They promoted the need for sterile environments, surgical gowns, rubber gloves, and face-masks. As these new innovations in medical practices were adopted, the family business grew in prominence. "Anjie" grew up in a world of cleanliness, sterility, chrome and rubber. It was an idyllic life of which there was no compare. As a young woman, she decided to devote herself to advancing research in the medical industry. She studied chemistry, pharmacology, and the new science of microbiology.

As with all girls, she encountered her first menstrual cycle with a bit of a shock. After the Governess found her paralyzed with fear, sitting on the floor of the family operating room, in a murky pool of her own vaginal excretions, it was decided that "a talk about the birds and the bees" was necessary. She was 15 at the time.

Young men finally called on her for the possibility of romantic interludes. Unfortunately, her parents usually discovered her 'boyfriends' stripped of clothing, and strapped to a table. Anjina, dressed in white surgical gowns and face-mask, would be straddling her amorous victims, while she inhaled the fumes of fresh latex gloves. After these repeated incidents, it was decided by her parents to send her abroad in order to see the world.

Anjina took this opportunity to travel to the deepest jungles of South America in order to discover new medicinal compounds and plants to be synthesized into new drugs. While visiting with local natives, she heard of a type of grass whose roots, when eaten, completely stopped a woman's monthly cycle. But in order to obtain a specimen from the local shaman, she had to undergo ritual purifications, and rites of passage. Her teeth were filed, and she was given special concoctions to drink which altered her sight. Anjina Millicent had to remain in an isolated hut deep in the vine covered jungle. She was then given the roots of the special grass, some of which she saved for further study. Meanwhile, one of the natives of the tribe found her white clothing, white skin, and white hair, too much to resist. He snuck into her lonely hut, and they both gave in to the primal laws of nature. During their copulations, a mosquito landed on her alabastor skin and began to feast. She was immediately injected with a pathogen never encountered before. Because of her unusually sterile upbringing, she had inadvertently become a carrier( but not a victim) of a new decease.

As she traveled, her ship made a required stop in Barcelona,Spain. Most of the male passengers who had been seduced by the ivory temptress, had fallen ill. Anjina Millicent decided to see what the local male population might provide in order to satiate her new found "arboreal obsessions". Thus was born the popular entreaty from her pick-up line,-"you've got...wood." But as soon as her ship set off, the population of Spain began to drop dead in droves from the new and lethal epidemic.

When Anjina Millicent arrived home, she set to work on the roots procured from her jungle travels. Her laboratory was a hive of activity...for a while at least. Soon her employees, maids, servants, and associates were all dead. She worked tirelessly to find the cause- and the cure. Eventually she discovered that she had been the carrier of what was to be called 'The Spanish Influenza epidemic'. She had her estate diversified, drew up a new will and testament, and prepared to live a life of total seclusion. She was successful for a number of years. Sadly, she finally died from massive hemorrhaging brought on by trying to sexually pleasure herself with a large Zucchini. Coincidentally, this hybridized squash had been created by an agricultural scientist in Magna Utah.
Anjina Millicent Titsworth shall always be remembered in medical history for her monumental efforts in the sciences of epidemiology, biochemistry, botany, pharmacology, and hygienic medical research.

Drosera Constance Stringfellow (1857-19??) was a member of one of the pioneer families to come to the Salt Lake valley. This branch of Stringfellow relatives homesteaded in what would later be called the city of Magna. Odincia- Agnes, and Bedford G. Stringfellow, were Drosera's parents. But since this was a polygamist family, Odincia and Bedford had many close relatives who were members of the Stringfellow clan. They all traveled west in the same wagon company. Odincia suffered from optical astigmatism which made it difficult identify her close relatives. Since the family had been persecuted for their religious beliefs, they had fallen on hard times. The clan had found it necessary to sleep together for warmth and security. Since the western frontier promised freedom from bigotry, they decided, as a family, to relocate with other settlers. Odincia and Bedford were blessed with the arrival of Drosera during this period of migration. She was also born with a congenital defect of having a massively large skull. She was rather young at the time of her arrival into the Salt Lake valley (4 yrs).

Drosera developed a taste for licking mineral salt deposits, and eating bugs due to the shortage of food stuffs during those early times. When the 'plague' of Mormon crickets descended upon the fields of the valley, Her bizarre dietary needs had a peculiar effect on her physiology. "Connie" tried to do her part in saving the wheat harvests by eating as many crickets as she could ingest. Unlike the seagulls, (Utah's state bird), she did not fly to the lake and disgorge the bugs from her stomach, but kept on eating until she was bloated beyond belief. Connie had to be dragged, kicking and screaming from the fields by her two brothers, Cornelius and Dillard. Even though she had to be hog tied to a wagon to keep from harming herself, she did what she could to help save the Mormon wheat crops from devastation.

Drosera Constance also acquired a thriving talent for cooking. Her dishes and desserts were famous through out the Wasatch front. She rarely divulged the secret ingredients of her many recipes. She met and later married Joseph Hiram, a member of the Cannon family which was another geneological branch of Mormon prominence. He had been blinded early in his childhood. Some have said his lack of sight was caused by an inappropriate addiction to masturbation. Drosera found his moderately hairsute palms one of his most endearing traits. They had four sons; Erasmus, Tilton, Malkezadick, and Knute. Her death date is unknown due to the fact that one day she simply walked out into the desert to find new salt deposites and was never seen again.

Nigel Passwater Thuzby, (1877-1925) Third son of Honoria and Malcolm Thuzby was the only son to survive the out brake of the Spanish Influenza epidemic during the turn of the last century. Nigel grew up in a small seaside hamlet on the Atlantic coast. He was considered handsome in his youth and was known to be quite "an early bloomer". Because of an unfortunate meeting with a sailor during the evening of the July 4th, Nigel gave into a newly found addiction for buggery and "mustache rides". Try as he might to stay himself from such practices, he was found wandering the docks late at night -servicing any and all for the asking. After a most embarrassing situation at the docks, that involved the servicing, and eventual identification of his own father Malcolm, Nigel thought it best to separate ties with his family.

He traveled across the country as best he could. He took odd jobs doing various kinds of labor; and occasionally "took it out in trade". Nigel finally settled in Nevada and began to build a sort of clientel which consisted of female divorce's, call girls, cowboys, state officials, and widows. He found quite a lucrative career; and was able to indulge in, and even expand upon his sexual repertoire. He became highly skilled in such techniques as the "Turkish twist", "snowballing", "playing off the back nine", "shrimping", "electro-shock", "doing the biltmore", "snorting my Johny cake", "flapping spatulas", "troweling", "carpet munching", "worming the shoot","smegma-swap", " uvula boxing," chumming for rhinestones", and other nefarious practices. While giving his well known "mustache rides", women would hold onto his luxuriant blonde hair for balance; so he cut his hair into a Que to further accommodate them. This rather unique hair style became his trademark. It was also rumored that his Que and one of his other "appendages" were the same length. Because of this whispered advertisement, he became quite famous. He decided at this time to sport a bowler hat so as not to attract unwanted attention while in public.

One would have thought that with all of his dalliances, that he would have had scores of offspring; but such may have not the case. Nigel had an abnormally narrow urethra. This defect inhibited his testicals from producing sperm from lack of use. Still, it has been postulated that this "defect' was merely a ploy (concocted by Nigel himself), in order to abstain from any illegitimate paternal responsibilities. This theory generates some disturbing possibilities.

Even though his fame reached far and wide, it also became his downfall. His body was discovered by the client that he was servicing after hours of enduring "the longest mustache ride in history". The client, an unusually heavy divorce', had inadvertently smothered him to death. Jumper cables, electro-nipple clamps, an empty plate littered with three bearded clam-shells, and his bowler hat were also found near the body.The autopsy found his neck had also been broken in two places; and rancid shrimp cakes with truffles in calm sauce were found in his intestine, so the cause of death was never officially determined. He will be remembered for his experimental efforts in America's fledgling pornographic film industry. He was an innovator, inventor, progressive, and little known -but pivotal foundation stone in the erotic arts as we know them today.

Knute Gillroy Cannon (1895-1921) was the fourth son of Drosera Constance Stringfellow Cannon, and Joseph Hiram Cannon. He, and his three other brothers, Tilton, Malkezadick, and Erasmus, grew up in Magna Utah just west of Salt Lake City. They were farmers by trade and Knute's upbringing was typical for the times. His father had been a master at animal husbandry, but it had been rumored that he was "a little too good at it". One day, Knute went out to the farm house at the far end of the property to fetch tools. He opened the door only to find his father and the prize family holstein cow in an compromising position. The shock of the event made the cow urinate all over his flushed father. The seeds of innovation were sown at that moment. Knute had a passion for irrigation and plant hybridization, and the family harvest always yielded bumper crops.

By the time that Knute had come of age, he had a fair knowledge of fertilizers and agricultural chemistry. As an undergrad at the University of Utah, he developed many different types of compounds that helped plants to grow. One of his more progressive mixtures was accidentally mistaken for apple juice and swallowed by the young Knute. Even though he was taken L.D.S. hospital, doctors could not do much for him as he lay at the brink of death. He eventually pulled through- even though he suffered from permanent disabilities from the incident. He was more reclusive and paranoid from then on, and always carried a gun.

He furthered his pursuits for advancement by pioneering the use of state and local fisheries for the restocking of lakes in the region. Yet he was not able to hold this position for long since he could not be stopped from "engaging in interspecies reproductive molestation" with the very fish that he was trying to proliferate. The shock of catching his father "in the act" had long repercussions during his life. He took odd jobs to pay for school, and always insisted on working for "scale wages".

He did happen to join the Magna Men's Aquatic club to try and resocialise himself. At a swimming competition he met his future wife Polly Irvine. Their marriage ended in tragedy for the both of them(read Polly's history). Still his advancements in the sciences of hydro-farming, botany, plant growth genetics, and local ecology secured his name (if only as a footnote) in the annals of Utah's history.

Polly Mucilagia Irvine was actually born an orphan placed on the doorstep of Marria and Horace Irvine in 1897(died 1921). Polly's birth date is not actually known since the only thing found in her basket was a note which read: " This is the spawn of an unholy union between myself and........I dare not speak of it.. This babe, though innocent, is beyond my capability to care for. She is an excellent swimmer and seems to have a strong aversion to mammal meat, and breast milk. Please find it in your hearts to raise her as you see fit. I am hoping it is a girl since I really cannot tell from past examinations. I named her Polly since the reason is fairly obvious. May God forgive me......and the babe as well." Marria instantly took to the little "girl", and gave her the attention and love that she so desperately needed.

It was recently discovered that Marria and Horace could not have children. Marria's vaginal lining was prohibitively corrosive (much to Horace's penile detriment). Polly grew with a mind for business and a talent for management. She soon became the richest of her few classmates and eventually started her own business; "Polly's Seafood and Shrimp Cakes Emporium". Polly had garnered some old, secret recipies from a distant dead relative who had homesteaded in Magna. Her business soon became quite successful. She was even able to ship, sell her products on the eastern seaboard.

She was the captain of the first women's competitive swim team in the state of Utah and won numerous awards. During one of her swimming meets, she caught the eye of Knute Borglum Cannon from the Magna Men's Aquatic club. The match was made in heaven.

The happy couple were seen at many social functions and parties. Unfortunately, fellow party goers had to watch their step since the inseparable couple left a constant trail of viscus goo where ever they passed. Even in the cold of winter, Polly and Knute proceeded a vast length of slime which was hazardous to those walking behind them. The freezing temperatures would weld people's feet to the side walk rendering them helpless until the next sunny thaw. In summer, dogs and cats took a liking to this gelatinous substance. It smelled like fresh tuna, but had a toxic effect.. Family pets who ingested the slime were quick to vomit up the contents of their stomachs, just as they reaches their family's parlor rooms.

After their 'whirlpool' romance, the couple eloped. The lovers spent their honeymoon at the Great Salt Lakeside resort called the Salt Palace. Polly and her husband-(squid-nipple) had to be forcibly removed from their honeymoon suite and were charged for the cost of flood damages due to excessive excretion of bodily fluids dripping through the floorboards into the rooms below. Since all of their funds were spent, they decided to make a run for it. Authorities finally caught up with them on the shores of Pelican Island. Knute had unfortunately brought a gun. The shoot out resulted in the couple dieing in a barrage of bullets. Their corpses were never found, but their legacy lived on. Horace eventually took over daughter Polly's business and headed it in a new direction. Todays "sea-monkeys" (aquatic pets for kids) are the spawn of her entrepreneurial spirit.

Hezekaiah Norris Bennion,(1883-1915), son of Bascom, and Lenora Bennion, was born in the town of Bennion before Kennecott Copper Mining Corporation mined the town, (and the mountain beside it) out of existence. He was a pensive child who excelled in the sciences and later found an interest in the field of phrenology.

During his young adulthood, he was arrested numerous times for accosting total strangers and probing their foreheads for bumps and contusions- thus messing up ladies' hair styles. He later had to resort to 'hands on' experimentation by slamming various two-by-fours, hammers, and mallets onto his otherwise pristine noggin. But the fates were kind. During one of his previous 'examinations by force', he had accurately predicted the eminent rise to religious fame of one of his earlier male victims. Suddenly, Hezekaiah's medical practice thrived, and he later married Edna Rose Kimball (who had an unusually large hat size herself).

They settled in the town of Farmington, and had nine children. They lived quietly for a number of years. Hezekaiah was later permanently incarcerated for viciously molesting a 'freak-show' employee of a nearby traveling circus. This female employee had suffered from a congenital defect of having a massively large skull, and had died of repeated "head to pelvis" concussions. Hezekaiah himself died shortly after due to a fight with a fellow inmate who did not favor the nightly advances which almost resorted in "cranium cavity to penis intercourse". Yet, Hezekaiah Bennion shall always be remembered for his tireless work in the advancement of cranial anatomy research.

Clotilda Cytoae, and Agatha Mitilidae (1876-1925) were twin sisters born to Matilda and Angus Robinson. The family resided in the forested depths of a small island near a small coastal town called Lusby Maryland. Solomon's island was most definitely considered a 'back water' area.

The twins lived a slightly isolated life, wandering the wooded hills, misty dales, hidden estuaries and that they called home. Because of this isolation and homeschooling, Clotilda and Agatha grew to be close...practically inseparable. Mother Matilda did not believe in the use of medical or dental science; feeling that home remedies for tooth decay, personal hygiene, and natural medicines were much better for the health and well bing of her family. The sisters were given lessons in herbalogy and marine biology, toxins, and survival skills, which led to their expertise in truffle hunting, and mussel harvesting. Agatha was quite adept at gathering a type of bearded clam which was local to the inlet region. When properly prepared, the clams were briny and and delicious. The Clotilda was also expert in finding truffles in the 'woods of the island.

Due to the fact that these little balls of rare fungus,and hirsute molluscs fetch a high price for chefs and fine dining, the sisters netted quite a substantial income, which afforded them all the luxuries that they could ever want. Their unique preparation of both truffles and bearded clams was also a much sought after treasure. Their rise to financial security did not go unnoticed amongst the locals and people of other counties in the area. They were constantly beset by many suitors wishing to marry for wealth as well as 'love'. Soon, the numbers of eligible bachelors dropped in the surrounding counties, partly due to the fact that they could not be physically found. Clotilda and Agatha were questioned on the matter, and after a thorough investigation, the case became cold due to a lack of evidence.

Agatha and Clotilda did acquire a friend and confidant in Eugene Whittacker, an early childhood friend. The three grew up together, and were so close that others of the Lubsy community referred to them as "the triplet sisters", or "the bearded clams of Lusby". Rumors increased as time went on, so the twins decided to leave the clam and truffle business in the capable hands of their long time cohort- Eugene. They still garnered a wealthy stipend as 'silent partners', but kept their public outings to a minimum.

The Sisters later moved to Tennessee in order to escape the growing rumors of incest and lesbianism. They both resided quietly tucked away in the Great Smokey Mountains until the end of their days. They never married. Both were later found dead in their luxurious lodge. From evidence found at the scene, it was determined that Agatha had suffered a heated argument with her sister involving a plate of their famous steamed- bearded clams. She grabbed a hatchet, killed her, and had choked to death while trying to gorge on one of her sisters meaty limbs. Eugene Whittaker arranged a lavish funeral. He parleyed the business into a profitable corporation specializing in fungus balls, and hirsute mussels.

The products that Clotilda and Agatha developed, which Eugene later marketed, were able to find their way into many items that we know today. "Massingale", "Amway", "Merk" pharmicudicals, "Red Lobster",and "Snapple" utilize many ingredients first engineered by the twin's tastey truffles and delectable clams.

The Local burn had turned out pretty good; but it was the last day and I was tired and the sun was hot. I had spent the climactic evening watching the Giant effigy of the Hindu god Ganesha burn hot, high, strong and fast into the starry sky. I had helped my good friend Michelle deliver water and friut from her first aid art car to needy late night burners. We had also gone to check out and give offerings to the -soon to be burnt- temple structure. She and I were the only ones at the glowing pavilion offering palo-santo incense and wishes to a boat that was to set sail on a flaming sea at dawn. Eventually I stayed at the temple as sunrise approached. The cresent moon hung in the sky over the eastern horizon. Warren had done well in his construction of the temple and desreved acknowledgment for it.To meet old friends out in the desert is a rare event indeed. After the flames had found their mark, I sauntered off to camp for a few hours of desperate sleep before packing it all up in order to head home with friend Dave.

Now first let me make it clear that up until now I had no real tight affiliation with Ganesha as a god form. When encountered, he was to be honored and respected, but I thought that my familiarity with a jungian archtype of a god form was to have other manifestations such as Pan, Cernnunos, Osiris, and others. Shiva was the only Hindu god that I had ever ventured to interact with. In fact some Hindu Gods kind of piss me off -to put it bluntly. So what you are about to read are the experiences that really shocked me as to how God...any God/Goddess can manifest in a person's life.

Dave had built a small geodesic dome that had housed an interactive temple to Ganesha that needed to be dismantled. The sun had risen, and the sky was draped with thin layers of high cirus clouds. I can honestly say that if Dave had not come up with the idea, and then built a temple (in order to take it down), none of this might have happened. I would have packed up my stuff and then slept a few more winks in the trailor thus missing the whole thing. I owe Dave a lot.

As I stepped out of the dome after Dave had ritually closed the space, I saw a small group looking up into the sky. I walked out, turned, and saw a rare phenomenon. A gossimer sheet of cirus cloud had stretched over the sky; as thin as gause. The sun had shown through but had revealed a full circular rainbow encompassing it....a "Sun dog". Below it had formed the colorful strip of a larger rainbow sundog refracting off of thicker clouds to form what looked like a "flaming rainbow. A flock of cranes flew in formation into the cumulous event. Science could explain all of this; and rightly so, but what happened next was beyond words....but I wiil try anyway.
Our friend Meggio had also caught sight of this sky bound display and was watching with me. The camps had been unusually quiet this morning, but I caught the drone of what sounded like a Tibetan Buddhist monk 's chanting with its droning music. I stood there transfixed. This was a visual que and now a sound que. Meggio pointed out a small set of clouds that had formed a distinct wave pattern below the second "flaming rainbow". Suddenly, it was as if the sky itself was forming huge glyphs and symbols. Meggio and I both heard this hypnotic music and had even chanted along with it. I turned to visually find the loudspeaker or radio that it was coming from....it was the low and pulsing roar of a cast iron sauna and portable shower engine that had been set up not far off from where we stood. More people around me had craned their necks upward to witness what was happening.
All of the past wishes, and dreams unfulfilled- but still hoped for came flooding back as I once again found myself praying to that whcih had brought all of this together. Grattitude had filled me to the brim and tears had started overflowing their well constructed banks. Soon the winds of the upper atmoshpere had shifted the clouds in such a way so as to include the larger, lower "sundog" into a giant double circle/Lamniscate.. I had run quickly to find pen and paper to draw a simple sketch of all of this celestial sky writing. I was shouting "I HAVE HAD A VISION!!!" (It was a private joke that Dave23 can tell about later).
A beautiful man, heavy with well kept dredlocks and smelling fresh with well blended essentail oils named "Groovey" had come looking for someone in Meggio's camp.We were both looking skyward and talking as I was drawing. The inclusion of "me" as a glyph had taken on the look of a rune that he helped me to interpret. We both stared in silent awe. Ancient Mayans had looked at the same stratospheric phenomenon and had seen the god of Quetzlcuotal...the feather rainbow serpent in the sky. Here it had actually manifest in front of our eyes. We hugged and he went on his way.

At the same time, Dave had been getting more frustrated with his dome deconstruction. The structure had blown over earlier that week from high winds and had bent some of the bars. Dave had glanced skyward as well but wanted to get this responcibility taken care of. I helped move the bars from one place to another and loosen bolts. Dave would swear at the bolts and nuts that would not give up their tight clench of their tenatious joining. I looked toward the heavens and wept with joy; Dave looked down and swore and cussed at metal tubes. The clouds shifted once again and I found myself looking at the fluffy silloette of a packaderm in the sky. Suddenly, I was seeing the silloettes of the trunk and tucks, ears and body of Ganesha everywhere. Even the paisley pattern in my surong turned into the outline of a trunk.

O.K.....o.k..... I had been sleep deprived, I was working in a hot environment and needed a little water. I scrounged water from meggio's camp and sat in the shade with the distant but comical rantings of a man and his dome. In front of my eyes was a coconut cracked in half.. I asked for two pieces. gave one as offering to all of the elephants that kept 'popping up' around me. This offering in Hinduism is called "prisaude". Meggio gives big warm hugs and she squeezed the tears right out of me. She also shared a tastey bean salad. I was still stable but knew that I needed to cool off. The world had become a paradice of numerous elephants; and the way that all of this had manifested had taken me totaly off guard. It was as if I had inadvertantly walked into a world of the sublime hidden inside the world of the mundane; I was in a sacred bubble flooded with feeling and a deep sense of wonder. I had been transported on the back of an invisible elephant and was going where ever it led.
I had been kind of thinking of what my personal "glyph" would be if I were to imagine one and here it was....as big as the sky....as I stood transfixed on the ground where a temple to the 'god of writing' (Ganesha) had been housed. Dave and I had talked about "personal glyphs and symbols before. People sometimes have them tattooed on their bodies. Some draw them,carves them onto ritual tools, or sew them onto special fabrics. We all can identify with symbols of the devine, the geometry and mandalas of the sacred.

I still needed water and a cool wet rag. I had wet my babooshka a few times....but was still in a state of thinking how much of this experience was real and how much was due to mild heat exhaustion. I did have tangible witnesses though. Everyone else had been right there just as suprised at what had taken place above their heads. Meggio had validated the 'music', Groovey had helped interpret the signs, and Dave had constructed the temple that was now no more, yet the sacred space that he had carefully brought into being was still there. I had seen the trunkated clouds, packaderm outlines, and tusks everywhere; Ganesha was in everything..... but thought it best to keep that to myself for the time being. We finished our stint with the dome and left the site waving meggio and friends off. If Dave had not built the temple then maybe none of this would have happened. I would have caught a few more winks of sleep and missed the whole thing.....thank god for Dave23.
The coolness of the nearby dive/scuba shop was a welcome relief. I sat in the shade speechless and occasionally tearing up with gratitude over the events that had all transpired. Wow.....ohm Ganesha......ohm shri-Ganshea....what else can be said when the clouds are as high as an elephant's eye.