With Spring Comes Hope...

The hope for new beginnings and hope for saving the heritage of great Nations like the Cherokee Nation and others that need your voice to be heard along with theirs. The Native American Peoples are an extremely important part of this country's history, past, present and future and it should be our duty to protect that.

The Cherokee Nation is asking for your help. There is the threat of the Cherokee Nation being terminated by Congress, and the concern of health care services being cut back. Please do all you can to prevent this from happening. My niece's husband, their son and two grandchildren are part Cherokee, so this issue is very close to my heart. I will make my voice heard and I ask that you help by spreading out the "Call to Action" to all your family and friends. We can make a difference. Below is the message from the Cherokee Nation that my good friends have allowed me to reprint for my newsletters:

"Call to Action: We need you to make your voice heard today -- literally. The Cherokee Nation Washington Office needs you: to make phone calls to your elected officials to: 1.) stop Congress from terminating the Cherokee Nation and 2.) not to punish the Nation with amendments that would cut funding to vital services such as health care. "
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> "Since June, more than 10,700 people have met online to send letters to Congress using http://www.cherokeevoice.com . Now we need Congress to hear our voice on the other end of the phone line. If you need any assistance with locating phone numbers for elected officials in Oklahoma (or throughout the United States) or to talk about the congressional threats facing the Cherokee Nation, please call 1.877.211.4909 or e-mail cnwo@cherokee.org . For more information regarding the citizenship status of non-Indians, please visit http://freedmen.cherokee.org . "

Permission granted by: http://www.cherokeevoice.com and http://freedmen.cherokee.org as well as http://www.cherokee.org. "It would be greatly appreciated and thank you for your offer to help spread the word."

If you are traveling in Northern Nevada today, drive carefully for there is a 'high wind warning' from 10AM to 10PM. It is a gorgeous day, very spring-like but will be windy at times. When you get back home, you just might be ready for a "Breakfast Supper" served with mugs of your favorite hot coffee! Here is a great breakfast that is delicious and filling:

Cherokee Corn Pones
This recipe will serve eight

• 2 cups cornmeal
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup milk
• butter

Combine cornmeal, baking soda, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture is like coarse meal. Add buttermilk and milk, stirring until moistened. Divide batter into eight 1/2 inch thick cakes. Place on a hot greased griddle (400°F). Cook 15 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 15 minutes. Serve hot with butter.

This will be great with Wild Onions and Eggs! The gathering of wild onions in the spring is one of the favorite rituals of the Oklahoma Cherokees. Take about a cup of the wild onions and chop into small pieces. Heat some bacon drippings, about two to three tablespoons, in a skillet over medium heat. Place the onions in the fat and add one fourth cup water. Simmer, stirring constantly until the onions are tender. When most of the water has evaporated, add six to eight beaten eggs and scramble. Serve hot with the Corn Pones. This scrambled mix can be frozen and served throughout the year. Enjoy!

Visit the Cherokee Nation at

www.cherokee.org