Electronic Media on the Rez

                                                            FLOWER OF THE WEEK

These little  Birdcage primroses have been growing rather prolifically along the roadsides for some time now.

We had a few brown bats visit us this week. I don't know how anything so cute can be so ugly. When Elder Lybbert tried to stretch his wing out to see the full wing he was offended and would snarl at him and bare his teeth.

PINON IS GETTING AN INTERNET TOWER!!

The exciting news on the Rez is that a new internet company is moving in and our electronics may improve. Internet here is very spasmodic and weak. We had a lady here a few weeks ago trying to fill out government forms for unemployment insurance and about the time she was finished internet would stop and everything was lost. Very frustrating.
Not many of the average people here have computers and internet. The schools have computers and the students are taught computers so the kids know how to work them.  When Elder Lybbert bought his ipad the young kids taught him how to use it.
Most people have satellite dishes for their TV and everyone has a cell phone. The phones are free for the native people  but they prepay for their minutes, about 20 cents a minute local calls only. They are always out of minutes so our phone is their next option. Their numbers are often changing also because they lose the phone and get another one so then they have several phones and its hard to know which one they are using. They also use each others depending on who has minutes so you never know just who you are phoning. Another problem is that in random areas there is no phone service. For example at Muzzies they can receive phone calls along their back wall of the living area and in spots outside. Needless to say communication isn't a strong point here.

Elder Lybbert mowing the lawn

The other day we were passing by a house and a couple of men were out digging up their mothers yard  to get rid of the weeds and make it tidy. Elder Lybbert decided that was a good idea. We did have a big blow torch that worked good when the weeds were dry but it and some other things were stolen from the locked shed. Elder Lybbert calls this mowing the lawn

Roxanne showing us her Pinon nuts

We haven't found very many people home this week because they are out picking pine nuts. The pine cones fall to the ground from the Pinon trees and the seed falls out. Trading Posts buy them for $7.00 a pound. A Bluebird flower bag full is $150.00 so it is a way for the native people to earn some money. We would like to go pick for the experience but its a long way on very rough roads.  Roxanne went out one day and picked her little can half full which was doing well since she is blind and does it by feel. For their own use the nuts are put in a frying pan with a little water and salt. They are then steamed and then set in the sun to dry. The nuts are eaten the same as sunflower seeds and are quite tasty.
Even though not many have been home it has been a busy week.  Yesterday was our gardening meeting which is the first here in Pinon so we had cooking and preparing for that. Today we have had people all afternoon and this evening is Standards night for the youth so we have been cooking for it.  

Love to All,
Elder and Sister Lybbert