Monday 10/24  wow, what a day!  This morning we went to Petroglyph National Monument ( I guess I am a little obsessed with petroglyphs).  We hiked for about 2 miles (round-trip) along the Piedras Marcadas Canyon Escarpment.  The name means "canyon of marked rocks".  Good name because this one section has more than 5,000 documented images, out of 20,000 in the whole park.  Most of these were created between 400 and 700 years ago. We only went to one section, but we saw hundreds of them.  Fun morning, but the day wasn't over yet.

We took Jax back to the camper and then headed back to Old Town.  We had a great lunch and then walked around the Plaza.  Awhile back, while we were near Zion NP, I found some earrings made by a Zuni artist named Effie Calavaza.  Today we were in a shop run by relatives of Effie.  Effie is in her nineties now and doesn't make jewlery anymore, but some of her pieces are still around.  This shop had an Effie ring to match my earrings.  Unfortunately, it was a little too small.  The lady at the shop told me the silversmith could size it for me and we said we would think about it.  She told me she thought I was meant to have it.  We left and spent the afternoon looking around the Plaza.  Just as we were about to leave, Pops said we should go back and get the ring.  That's what we did and I am so glad we did.  When we got there to buy it, she asked if she could do a Corn Blessing. The other two people in the shop joined in, too.  She put the ring in my hand and sprinkled some ground corn in our left hands.  Then we faced all four directions as she prayed and asked a blessing for the ring and for all of us and for the people in Standing Rock who are protesting the pipeline.  It was a really emotional ceremony.  The lady was in tears as she talked to us about her people and their history.  She said it was our purpose today to be there and buy that ring, which symbolizes transition and renewal.  And that I should cherish it always.  So here is the really strange part.  When we got back to the camper, I took the ring out of the bag and tried to put it on again.  Guess what?  It fit perfectly!  I swear that I could not get it past my knuckle when we in the shop, before the blessing.  Now it slides right on.  I know you think I am nuts, but that's the truth!