On the road again one more time climbing the canyon in the morning cold ,red banners flapping in the wind ,headed for the Mesa one more time speeding up the highway in happy anticipation of greeting the Village waiting for us as we have been waiting all year to make this Christmas pilgrimage.

“Good Morning,Good Morning” voices greet us at the Tewa Center. “Good Morning, Good Morning” sing the voices of the Elders, families, shy children smiling in the corners as the bounty is unloaded. “Good Morning,Good Morning”- the first of many rewards to come.

Lunch has been cooking all morning in the host family homes-A hungry pilgrim’s lunch of tangy hot pesole, “out of the oven” fry bread, pumpkin bread and cherry cream cake gratefully consumed at tables set by the woodstove in Ruth’s flagstone-floored great room. Darlene’s kiln is smoltering out back firing wonders in a special firing for us on this special day.

“Walpi,Walpi “singing in my head all year. Now I am at last at the top of the world feeling flight,vertigo , and wonder standing at the edge of the earth under the gold-streaked sky absorbing the ocre of the ancient stones, the worn steps, the yellow fields far below- mental camera shots to hold in my memory.

A quick stop-in at Ruth’s house for Darlene’s treasured corn pot fired that afternoon.

Then off on the road again under the lowering winter sky past the snow capped mesas to magical La Posada for dinner in the company of fellow travelers

After dinner, a moving “Thank You” from Cathy Samie, director of the Tewa Center ,answered by “thank you’s “ all around. Thank you again Tewa for this Christmas.

A late night gathering upstairs in the Howard Hughes Room talking by candle light of dances, clowns, corn and rain: the last reward in a day of rewards to hold for the year to come until we are on the road again.