Reznjun

last night we had the our first volleyball game of the season here. my kids have been inviting their friends and cousins over for the past several years. at times they have enough for 3 teams. winners stay on the court to face the next challengers. last night they had two teams. they always have a good time. it is fun to watch them play. i have enjoyed these same kids coming to my house for years. i have known them for their entire lives. we are having a cookout sunday and they will play again. anyone is welcome to come. its a birthday cookout for wabeno and me. also mothers day.

for years i would never consider a job working for the tribe. i did apply a few times only to be turned down because some fort injun didnt like my style. i got tired of my own kind trying to do me in behind my back.  i have seen that there are too many chiefs and not enough injuns. recently i was approached to put in for the traditional gardening job. i held onto the application for a week and a half before i filled it out. finally i figured what the hell and turned it in. i have had a garden for the past 25 years. my garden has gotten progressively bigger each year. it is now 81 feet by 105 feet. i dont know of anyone on the rez that has a bigger garden or has gardened as long as i have. there may be a few but not many. gardening is hard work.

i wondered if i had a shot at the job. then i heard it was posted and had a deadline of april 12th. i was told about it two weeks later. so i guess no one applied. since i may be the only candidate my chances are good. i pissed in a cup, filled out a criminal back ground check and am not waiting to see what will happen. this is just a seasonal job without any benefits. i usually get the jobs no one else wants. i know i can a pretty damn good job. i have been preaching the value of growing food for years. i didnt think anyone listened to me.

speaking of gardening, my garden is thriving. my potatoes and onions are doing good. i have cabbages, leeks, radishes, carrots,  turnips, spinach, green beans, lima beans, bell peppers, sweet potatoes and hot peppers growing. i transplanted 70 strawberry plants and 50 sema plants. i havent put in my warm weather crops like corn, pumkin or tomatoes yet. no big hurry. sometimes i think people get corn in too early. i have seen there is no real benefit other that saying you did it early. the corn gets taller but doesnt produce any more. i like to plant it first part of may and will continue to do so. i know it works for me.

my phone has been ringing daily. even though i am on a no call list i get calls from 800 numbers. i dont bother to answer. they hang up as soon as the recording comes on. a few give their spiel. usually some political group saying how horrible the other guy is. i dont even want to hear it. i wont answer the phone either if the caller i d  lists ‘unknown’. those calls may be people i know but if they dont want me to know who they are i wont answer.

tonight is the haskell pow wow. i plan on heading down there. i havent caught any pow wows yet. the price of gas is a factor. the gas mongers are screwing the american people. we will pay 3 bucks a gallon real soon. the price will drop a dime and we will feel real grateful. then we will have to pay for the oil spill down in the gulf. they wont pass on the profits to us but will gladly hand us a bill for their costs. the bastards.

we had a good rain last night. my garden and i appreciate that. gotta live with nature…