Welcome to Storyteller’s Connection. Bright Hawk answers the call to storytelling! She tells the story of her journey with storytelling and offers a tip for forming your story. Enjoy this episode and many more to come!
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This is the introduction of what we intend for Storyteller’s Connection. We hope you resonate with this message and if you do we encourage you to also join us for the LIVE Storyteller’s Connection where we can hear your story, too!
www.BrightHawkProductions.com
Thank you for listening to Storyteller’s Connection – Together We make Better Stories!
Winter weather in most of the United States is fairly uncomfortable for vanlife unless you want to stay deep in the south or the desert and then still, at night it can be a bit much. We heard a recommendation from other vanlife folks that it’s ideal to take a little break each year, you won’t burn out this way. So last year when we were offered a fairly long stay in Eugene, OR, we were grateful to accept the offer. It was a win/win for everyone, they wanted to get away from rainy, gray, cool Eugene, Oregon but wanted someone to occupy their house while they were gone. We see the wisdom as it gave us time to be out of the van and buckle down to work on some rather complicated projects.
Walking Our Path
Nicki Scully totally invested in us when she had all the confidence in our ability as a team to create a soundtrack for her Egyptian themed course, a guided meditation. Bright Hawk has done an entire series for Nikki, in the past, but with Sounds True. Hollis Taylor had just finished their online education in sound engineering and accepted the challenge on their first big project with Nicki Scully! Although Hollis has a huge history with tech they didn’t actually have a whole lot of music history. Hollis had just started allowing themself to be part of creating music but for the most part, kept to tap dancing and enjoying music. An old story told to them by their parents, “You are tone-deaf and you lack rhythm” which was later reiterated by friends and lovers. It was a hard message to hear sometimes because Hollis held such a passion for music and sound, but we can all relate to believing those older or bigger than you. Eventually, most of us wake up to question those old stories. Somehow, Nicki just believed in us and our first creation was more than she had ever imagined. Hollis was grateful for Nicki’s firm belief in them because in most cases that is all one needs to exceed expectations.
After Nicki’s recording we moved on to Bright Hawk’s album and we both learned so much in our experience. Hollis struggled with a learning curve not just in music but the tech, as well, Ableton is a complicated software. Bright Hawk struggled with being perfect. We all know that no performer is perfect but Bright Hawk had to somehow have a perfect telling of her story, perfect rhythm, and tons of perfectly tuned instruments. We aren’t even including the challenge of having average hardware. One of the most interesting things about watching a musician or storyteller live is that it is never the same, it’s not monotonous, and if it is, we aren’t usually having a very good time.
Bright Hawk is great with the Live Audience because she knows if she has a great time, so will her audience! Today, with digital editing and so forth we had to decide…. did we want to make her beats PERFECT like a computer? Many people love to dance to this and there is tons of music with this vibration and in fact, most people listen to music like this, today. Even though we know, a live musician is never perfect, as humans were not created that way – this is why we love DJs so deeply. The beat can help us trance out and dance out whatever we might be holding inside. Although world beat is not like this, much world music can’t be perfect because a human is playing the rhythm. In our struggle, we instead decided to record, edit and produce natural experimental music with stories but it still meant that Bright Hawk had to be as close to perfect as she could be. Not just in the rhythm but don’t miss say a word in your storytelling, let your voice go too high or low and a cold could really slow you down! As an experimental album, we just weren’t sure how others would like or not like it.
We intended it to be something you can keep in your CD player and listen from beginning to end. Our intention is that by the end you feel connected, loved, and positive – ready to continue with your day. The music and stories remind us of our humanity, human connection, how to help each other feel included, and our connection to nature. Inspiring and heart-filling, we want you to feel positive by the time your done listening. Instant positivity, perfect for the human race right now!
This year we extended our “out of van” time, again as house sitters! Deep in Eugene again we found ourselves now in service to Indigo – for her Egyptian online courses. Although this time, Indigo wants an entire set of 13 tracks for all the parts of her course. We are grateful for the work and grateful we gained so much experience last year with Nikki’s meditation and then Bright Hawk’s Music & Stories album. This year we notice we are more efficient, faster, and we both have better ears. Also, the naysayers’ voices are muted, including the ones on repeat! We, in fact, have fallen in love with making these guided meditations and want to keep creating them, regardless of the theme. Look for this in 2020 and beyond!
As Bright Hawk is playing with her kalimba to find the right melody for our newest audio project. Hollis is taking care of business and finds something, “Bright Hawk, WOW! We are sold out of our album at CD Baby, they want us to send our stock!” Bright Hawk freezes and stares at Hollis perplexed. Bright Hawk wasn’t sure if anyone would want this album as it’s different and experimental, it is not what everyone is USED to listening to. She took in what Hollis said and then reacted with, “No way!” Hollis smiles and shows Bright Hawk the screen where it says “Sold Out” and then clicks over to the email that sends “Please send us restock, you are sold out!” Apparently CDBaby’s favorite email to send! A fantastic email to receive when your not sure if it was worth the production time, energy and money.
We look at each other and smile. We did our best and we were both 100% authentic, we didn’t try to be like anyone else. Instead, we embraced our imperfections and now it looks like people might actually appreciate that. In our world today everything tells you to be LIKE THIS or LIKE THAT but we were made from the stars in perfection. Our imperfections are perfectly beautiful and the world is waking up to that, now. Looks like we are perfectly on time! Follow your heart, be exactly who you need to be because someone needs you to be that!
We are also excited to be part of “Our Haven’s” Beltane in French Lick, Indiana! Bright Hawk is a featured artist and offering her storytime experience along with a workshop! Look for upcoming announcements about upcoming events for Summer of 2020.
Craving Bright Hawk drumming around the fire? If you have been craving a full Fire Circle with Bright Hawk – grab your gear because we are putting together a collaborative Fire Circle that includes DAYLIGHT dance hours!
YUP, that’s right we are adjusting the timing so that we can include children, families, elders, and individuals that might struggle for health or other reasons with the all-night model. So if you’re ready for something different watch for the upcoming website launch. Mark your calendar friends – June 4th -8th 2020 in McGrath, MN at a place called “The Shire in the Woods”. You can rent cabins and so forth, so if that’s your thing watch this email for more announcements! Our main intention is to be inclusive, we hope to dance with you in the LIGHT at Heartland Fire.
After a great time celebrating our friend’s birthday at Orvis Hot Springs, we had to fly out in between big snowstorms. As we defrosted Pegasus, our Ford Transit Van, and got on the road we were excited about where the weather was pointing us this holiday. We were excited to land just outside the Canyon of the Ancients, in Utah. It made sense because many storms wherein the 4 corners area and this spot would be spared. It might get a little cold but we really needed to avoid any kind of snow accumulation.
Intense skies validate the upcoming winter storm over the Holiday
After our experience on the “Forgiving” Holiday at Standing Rock a few years ago we were inspired to celebrate the holiday in a different way. We work at giving Gratitude all day and every day but on “Thanksgiving” aka “Forgiving” we learn about the history of the Indigenous peoples of North America. We honor their tribes, all they have been through. We where deeply honored this year to learn about the ancient culture that live at “Hovenweep” on the west side of the Canyon of the Ancients, teeny little place that is likely part of the ancient Pueblo People. It even has its own inexpensive boondocking campsite! Our biggest challenge in this space would be wind, considering what we were surrounded by, we were grateful on this holiday to be on such sacred land.
We took the 2-mile hike around the canyon, carefully visiting and learning about each ruin. We noticed everything was on the edge of the canyon or in the canyon. The sky was cloudy, a little threatening but the weather prediction just showed cloudiness. We embraced the moment to tune into this ancient civilization and appreciated all the anthropologists that had studied here. What they unfolded was the truth about the first people of this land, that in fact maybe they weren’t so ‘primitive’. As we walked the edge and stared at the ruins we imagined them not much different than us now, except they of course didn’t have the technology. At least they didn’t have cell phones and computers but we are sure they communicated, maybe through scouts or drumming from one mountain top to another? We wondered about the food they ate, farmed, and stored! Truly they were enlightened with the wisdom to live in harmony with nature – seemed many ancient civilizations understood this. We wondered how humanity had lost this connection, so many theories and opinions on that for sure. Most of us agree we must figure out how to live in harmony. After all, these ancient people lived here 800yrs ago and many other civilizations lived on earth for way longer. They didn’t deplete the land as we do in just a couple hundred years!
The day got windier and windier and we were grateful for the break from the winds as we descended into the canyon on the trail. We were grateful to understand even deeper just how smart these folks where, how they knew this desert would be very windy. We stood there in the center of the canyon, looking up at the threatening sky in wonderment at how these people learned to live in this canyon. As we deeply benefited in those moments to be completely protected from the 25mph winds up on the edge of the canyon, we smiled and KNEW deeply that these people where in harmony with nature. We began to grow hungry so we decided to finish the hike and go back to our van for lunch. We began to harvest the wisdom of these ancient people’s and honor their intelligence, connection, and mystery.
We were sure that the weather would stay calm even though the sky looked a little confused. As we climbed up the other side of the cliff to walk along the edge of the canyon back to the campsite we found ourselves looking upwards. Half the sky, was very dark and threatening but thank goodness we were moving towards the more clear sky. The light fluffly clouds encouraged us to just keep walking and we thought. How could we possibly blog about our experience today, in a good way? Really it’s a simple hike, maybe we find a way to share the wisdom of these ancient people. We had began to contemplate this story as the wind picked up, more and more. Both of us looking up now it seemed the half of the sky that was dark had reached out for us and it was blowing harder, faster and more intensely. We walk a little faster and it seems that cloud reaches for us even more and now with hail and snow pouring down on us so fast we barely can comprehend where the sun ran off to. The hail and the snow blew so hard both of us where reminded of blizzard conditions. Putting our heads down and practically running for shelter we noticed that something so confusing was happening above us, that the snow appeared blue. We ducked into the public bathroom, panting from running, and both of us relieved to be out of the weather.
Minutes later we want to dart for our van, but now the weather has stopped. As if the ancients wanted us to share this with you, and they added just enough excitement to make it a story for YOU! We hope you are enjoying this Story Blog. All stories are developed by Bright Hawk – a professional long time storyteller that often plays music with her stories. AND Hollis Taylor, author and longtime blogger. We share these stories to inspire wanderers, open your heart and eyes, and to recommend some cool places to visit.
As a Queer couple we stand with the LGBTQ community in proving that, no matter who you love, we are all just human beings having a human experience on planet earth. With Diversity and harmony we know, just like in nature, we can all thrive as a human race together. Thank you for your support! If your interested in having us visit YOUR community, please be sure to contact us. We are happy and honored to visit you along our journeys. We are booking 2020, right now.
Bright Hawk’s CD offers her fun stories that inspire our best selves, we hope you take a moment to listen. She also has a few songs on the album that she drafted with the handpan, the instrument she often uses while storytelling. We hope you take a moment to order and download her CD, follow us on Facebook/Instagram/Youtube for future growth in 2020!
Before we got our van we traveled to Oregon in Hollis’ car, a Honda FIT. A small gas-friendly car that was fun to drive in the mountains, especially as roads wind around in the Rocky Mountains and then the Cascades in Oregon. Even in the desert the car offered great views and excellent gas mileage although its ability to hold the both of us was often best done by applying the lessons of puzzles like Tetris. We worked hard in our travels and we love to reward ourselves with fun things to do in nature, especially Hot Springs. We noticed a sign about a Hot Springs, although at 65mph it’s hard to read the whole thing. We decided to check out the dirt road indicating the way to the hot springs, noticing it was also part of the National Forest. Hollis was learning about camping for free in the National Forest. Public lands, ‘our lands’- supposably as American citizens we have the right to be on these lands, although that freedom is certainly subjective.
We proceed down a well-traveled dirt road, going slow in our Honda FIT. Boon-dockers begin to appear on our right, placed out in the meadows with no one else around. About a half a mile apart we pass one, two, three and even FIVE campers pulled back into these beautiful spots well enough away from the road to not be bothered by our dust. With a cliff to our left, we forge forward with envy in our hearts to have a home on wheels. We notice something standing in the roadway ahead, where the flat land of the valley begins to fold into the pine forest ahead. Both of us look at each other with wonderment, anxiety, and curiosity as to what huge animal we are approaching ahead. We had just seen bison in the National Park, right up next to our vehicle and wondered if that’s what we see. We slow down a little, lean forward, squinting further down the road. Wow, they look as big as the car itself, maybe bigger. We slow down a bit more and we realize we are approaching a herd of cattle in the road ahead. As we draw closer we see that it could be hard to continue past these guys with the forest to the right and a steep uphill forest to the left. These cows were taking up the entire two-lane dirt road and moving very slowly. We are grateful they were moving slowly, some of them where bigger than the car! As we slow down we suddenly realize that we are all about the same size and we think we have been mistaken as one of them. A weird version of them, but one of them. Maybe it was Bright Hawk vocalizing towards the bovine, in their own language, that we come in peace and just want to move through. Assuring them that we are vegetarians! Slowly they part as if we are Mother Cow moving our way through the herd. As we slowly move through the herd in our car Bright Hawk begins taking pictures and we notice the BULL! Hollis is nervous as they know that bulls will sometimes decide to stampede all sorts of things. After a moment of moving past them, Hollis says, “Thank goodness this little car isn’t red!”
The love to be with Nature, too!
Slowly they part as if we are Mother Cow moving our way through the herd.
Lots of Cows on BLM land, Nationwide.
We continue on down the road looking for a campsite, maybe like the ones we had seen before. We notice a pay campsite tucked into the forest and it is completely full. The sun is setting and we need a place to sleep for the night, we need to set up camp, cook and eat our food and get tucked into a cozy bed for the night. We both knew that delaying this process often kept us up into the darkness cooking and setting up camp, which is not desirable. When you’re having to set up a tent and bed, set up a kitchen, cook, eat, clean up, pack up for bear aware and sleep – we just know it takes a while. We continue past the campsite, crossing our fingers and hoping to find something ahead.
We come around the bend and suddenly the forest opens back up to a wide open meadow. The meadow was gently littered with tall tall pine trees scattered around. At any moment you could imagine David Attenboro’s voice narrating the horizon and a huge grizzly bear emerging while the cameraman zoomed in. There where mountain peaks in the distance that reminded us of our visit to Grand Teton National Park earlier that day. Tucked back away from the road, opposite the meadow, is a huge waterfall! In all its beauty the water is flowing and as we roll down our window we can hear the water rumbling. The flow of the waterfall is unmistakable! Hollis’ absolute favorite is a waterfall!
A Spectacular Waterfall for us to sleep beside
The meadow is open and looks meant for us. We really need to set up camp and we have a nice pull in and spot to camp just close enough to the falls. With eagerness and intention, the two of us begin to set up camp, quickly as we are racing the sun. We can see and hear the waterfall from our spot and can almost feel the water droplets in the air. As we are setting up we notice that a truck parked at the circle on the edge of the waterfall has a beer on the bumper. It’s chilly outside and we wonder what could locals be doing down at a waterfall, with the chill in the air? Hot springs of course! We could hear occasional laughter coming from below and occasionally a truck would pass us from further on down the road. We decided that staying here seemed to be the best idea. As we enjoyed our camp dinner and could smell the minerals in the air, we where continuously validated that a Hot Springs was nearby. As we settled for the evening we knew it was just a matter of time till we could have the entire thing all to ourselves.
Pop-up tent + Honda = Wilderness Fun
The Falls into the River
Bright Hawk knew that Hollis would pop up with the sun, so it was easy to settle into our beds as the stars popped out of the darkness. We could look up through the top of the tent at the stars twinkling in the sky as we fell asleep in our cozy bed. As the sun peaked over the horizon Hollis was reliably out of bed, Bright Hawk rolled over and decided she would meet Hollis later. Hollis walks down to the waterfall to explore and look for the hot springs. A large deer with a full rack on his head stood at the edge of the river, on the other side, taking a break from his morning drink looks Hollis eye to eye. We stare at each other as if to say, “I see you, you see me. We can live peacefully beside each other.” Hollis projects to the deer “No problem my friend, this is your home, I come in peace and mean you no harm.” The deer returns to his morning drink and Hollis walks up the mountain a bit to the top of the waterfall. Hollis looks around from the climb upwards and sees no one, just our little yellow dome tent, and the car and Bright Hawk climbing out of the tent.
A Hike to the top of the Falls
Heading back towards the tent Hollis can hear Bright Hawk call. She had seen the deer in his morning drink and now was heading down towards the water. Hollis caught up and Bright Hawk explained “Look, see the steam coming up, smell the rotten eggs? That’s a hot spring, and we are getting closer.” Since Hollis had never done anything like this before they followed along, it was now time to follow Bright Hawk. We took turns leading because we knew we both had strengths and as a cooperative team, we are better together. Hollis began to follow Bright Hawk down to the river and we stood directly across the river from the steam billowing upwards.
Hollis Preparing to walk across
Steam from The Hot Spring
We watched the deer decide that WE could now have the river and beach to ourselves. He took off up the hill on the other side. Bright Hawk pointed across the flowing river and spoke loudly to get over the roar of the waterfall. “Right there beside the waterfall, see it? Steam!?” Hollis sees the steam and then realizes that now Bright Hawk had taken off her shoes and began to step into the river, with ice cold water flowing quickly in front of her from the waterfall. Hollis watches as Bright Hawk moves across the river with intense focus and Hollis begins to pray. “Bright Hawk will make it across the river I know, in a good way!”
View of Falls from the Top
Falls + Hot-springs = HAPPINESS
Hollis staying focused on Bright Hawk landing across the river in the hot springs having traversed this flow in a good way. Holding her phone and shoes above her head she only stumbles once. She makes it, with a sigh of relief and accomplishment Bright Hawk yells “I made it!”
Hollis Considering the Cross of the River
Hollis realizes it’s their turn and is willing to explore other options. Hollis can follow with a deep heart but Hollis knows what is good for them. Hollis takes off their boots and listens to their inner voices, ancestors, and trees inviting Hollis further downriver, just about 500ft. Hollis walks gently on the earth with bare feet and traverses the river at the sandbar where it has slowed down and is only about shin deep. Hollis smiles as they reach the other side and walk along the beach where the deer was towards the hot spring. Bright Hawk hugs Hollis as they reunite on the other side. As they both sigh in relief at their early morning adventure–a sunrise soak before they embark on their driving journey of the day.
