More Work at the Depot

We continue to do improvments at the depot. We now have a espresso and coffee shop in the front room. We call the Rock Island Espresso & Coffee shop. We have many volunteers help with getting thid off the ground including Bud Johnston who spent many hours scapping paint, Rona Moore who did some scapping and ran the water lines, Stephanie Moore who did most of the set up, ran the shop the first week, and helped run the water lines, and of course Barb Winter who worried about everything getting done on time.

The Shoppe is owned by Rona Moore and Barb Winter the Keepers have made an agreement to consign them the space for a 25% cut of the gross, this is the same as we charge members who consign crafts. So far the coffee shop has lured many people into the depot where they can get an espresso and buy unique hand made American Indian arts and crafts and of course other tourist stuff.

Everone seems to like the attmosphere and they claim to love the coffee. You can also get a great hot chocolate or a steamed flavored milk if you do not favor coffee drinks and for those who like a sweet with thier dink we have muffins, cookies, and donuts. If you like your coffee you will love ours.

Everyone agrees that the two large unbrellas we have in the center of the picknick tables are a great addition to the place. We also have two old milk cans that we put outside each day for use as ash trays.We have also planted a few more flowers to brighten up the place. No one can say that the place looks deserted anymore.

Bud Johnston purchased the lumber to begin building the deck on the depot. Currently the deck is brick which replaced the origanal wooden deck in the 1920’s. After looking into the cost of fixing the brick deck or rebuilding the origanal wood deck we found that it was too costly to fix the brick and impossible to replace the ones that had been lost or broken. So Mike Ziebarth will pick up the supplies and we hope to soon get started building the deck. We hope to get it started and done in a few days so to not keep people from stopping by and helping us out by buying a few things.

Those of you who were here last year are sure to be supprized by our new look. It really looks up town AND HAPPENING.

Mike Ziebarth- for his help cutting stone and setting up unbrellas

Chuck Duncan - for his work coordinating the pow wow

Barb Winter - for her extra time

Quill work

There was alot of talk on the onelist last month about quill work so I thought I would put some information on how to weave or twin quills for wraping. This is the most common way to add quill work to a pipe stem.

The amount of flexablity in your finished piece depends on the type of thread used. Imitation Sinew works well and is durable but is not very fexible. Cotton cord can be use but it is not as durable. If you want both a durable and flexable cord silk is the best material to use.

Twinning is done on two taut cords and is a simple form of weaving. You do not need to flatten the quills for this type of quill work.

The quill is inserted between the cords, above a square knot at6 one end of the cords, the end of the quill should protrude about 1/8 inch.

The quill wrapes around the left cord catches the end of its self and then goes under, and then over the right cord. The quill is passed back between the cords untill almost exhausted.

At this piont another quill is inserted in the same direction, with about 1/8th inch of a tail left on the outside. Both quills wrap around the cord, then the piont of the first quill is dropped, and only the new quill is carried over and under the cords.

Continue untill you have the length of twilling desired and then finish by bringing the last piont back through the loop made by the quill on the opposite side. Pull untill snug, then tie a square note in the two cards as close as possible to keep it ffrom coming undone. Pionts and ends should then be trimmed off as close as possible to the work.

Shows

Bud Johnston attended the_____________________ conferance in Texas May ______ -_______.

Bud said he talked with a number of people who like what we are doing and a few have said they will get in touch with us because they want to work with us on our projects in Pipestone. We hope that we will hear back from these people in the near future.

Bud Johnston and Rona Moore went to the Southern Cherokee Gathering in Winona MO. over Memorial Day week end. After flying back to Siuox Falls SD from Texas Bud and Rona headed down the road with the consession trailer. The trip was long but uneventful. They were conserned for awhile when they had almost reached their destination. The road that they were traveling down turn into a almost impassible gravel one lane road (if you can call it that). But trailer and passengers arrived unscathed. Chuck, Pawnee, and Eva Duncan met them there. they went to work straightening up, organizing, and planning. It was going to be a slow week end but it was a perfect oppertuntity to see how the trailer was going to work out.

The only trouble that was found had to do with inadiquit electrical hook ups, but by not having everything on at once we were able to use the trailer and even keep the air conditioning running enough to keep from cooking while the grill and fryer were on.

They sold only a handfull of Indian tacos and a few cups of coffee but we were left with plenty of supplies for the next show in OK. Everyone was kept busy with Bud selling about $400 worth of goods and more importantly talking with people. They got a chance to see a stomp dance, chased dear ticks, visited with a few of our MO members, and relearned why most people do not choose to sleep in the car. Rona attended council meeting most of the week end and got to meet Sharron Benda one of our members. Sharron is Bird Clan mother for the Southern Cherokee and a great lady. She had planned to attend our pow wow last year but was not able to. We hope to see her and her grandaughter Sharon at the pow wow this year. Rona has also invited some stomp dancers to come and do a stomp. We hope that they will be able to make it.

Who are the Southern Cherokee?

I received a letter this month from Rose Clemens (Stargazer) in her letter she asked me to print this prayer in the Keepers newsletter.

Great Grandfather, I come to you with a humble heart, and as your child, I thank thee for watching over me these last 7 years. I owe you many thanks, for all you have blessed me with. You have put special people in my life, and I am grateful to you. I also come to you with open mind and open arms. I am so excited about my Indian heritage. I’ve learned to count from 1-5 in Cherokee and I thank you for the ability to remember and comprehend what I’ve learned thus far. I love you!

Cordially

"Stargazer"

Rose Clemens

Thanks for sharing this prayer with us Stargazer may all yours days be blessed.

Old Ceremonial Tobacco Seed

"Nicotinna Rustia" $2.00 per package

or whatever you can afford plus self addressed stamped envelope to:

Springfever Enterprises

6080 State Highway 125 N.

Rodgersville, MO 65742

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