STORY SEARCH

    People will search the Universe for the path that is at their feet.

A RAMBLING ROSE
A walk in the park leads to the genesis of Netwalking and a lesson about the secret codes.
Place: Rome Point, North Kingstown
Characters: Terry Wildemann - Coach specializing in Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Networking
Symbols: heart, vines, white rose, green spider (nature's netwalker)
History: This land was once owned by a rich Tory merchant, George Rome, who had ties to the first code breaking in the American Revolution. Later the land was purchased for coal plant and nuclear power plant that never materialized.
Links: Full story on Doctor Benjamin Church's treasonous cipher and how it was borken, lesson in code breaking, Winds of Change networking tips
Nature: Woodland walk to shell beach and inner cove, wintertime seal watching

REAL LIFE FAIRY TALE
Cinderella's glass slipper turns up on Middle Road to complete a modern fairytale, and Netwalking evolves into Story Walking.
Place: Middle Road, East Greenwich
Characters: Paul Dion, CPA - Tax Planner
Symbols: pumpkin, storybook, American flag, glass slipper
History: Although not mentioned in the story, the neighborhood walk along Cedar Avenue to Middle Road passes four historic cemeteries.
Links: Pumpkin nutrition, explanation of taxation, and history of taxation
Nature: Woodland cemetery walk along a small river.

LIBERTY TRAIL
The synchronistic story of four elm trees, from four different places, coming together in a single week to teach us about Liberty and taxes.
Places: Pawtuxet Park, Cranston/Warwick and Historic Hill Area, East Greenwich
Characters: Paula Krasner, Yoga Intructor
Symbols: elm tree, elm tree, elm tree
History: The elm tree was a significant symbol in the story of the Stamp Act Tax.  a famous elm served as a gathering place for the Sons of Liberty in the Revolutionary War. Each town had a special el tree, and Liberty tree flags, stating an appeal to God, were created as patriotic symbols.
Links: Historic walking history of downtown East Greenwich, Liberty Elm Diner history and information
Nature: American Elm trees withstanding the threat of Elm disease.

GUIDING SIGNS OF NATURE
The discovery of three blue jay feathers along the road lead to research into their symbolic meaning, whicxh encourages vigilance.
Place: Around the neighborhood in East Greenwich
Characters: My husband
Symbols: Three jay feathers, blue jay, cardinal, crest, shield, dove
History: A family's crest and the sealing of correspondance with hot wax and signet ring were symbolic of integrity.
Links: The What's-Your-Sign website
Nature: The habits of blue jays and the uniqueness of doves.

MAKE WAY FOR YOUNGLINGS
A boardwalk across a wetlands refuge offers an unexpected and suspect assortment of bird life, like an Egyptian Goose.
Place: Wakodahatchee Wetland
Characters: My mother
Symbols: Stork, egret with breeding plummage, Egyptian Goose, white Peahen
History: The Seminole natives were forced to leave their homeland of Florida and relocate West of teh Mississippi, however 200 natives remained behind to maintain a presence.
Links: A website with recordings of bird calls (unusually entertaining), a report about how duckweed can help solve agricultural and economic challenges, the Rhode Island National Audobon website.
Nature: Florida wetlands plant, wildlife, and nesting birds.

TRAIL OF CLUES
A walk to a waterfront park reveals the lovely transformation an old town dump along with two discarded playing cards with a cautionary tarot meaning.
Place: Scalloptown Park, East Greenwich
Symbols: acorn, scallop, geese, heron, playing cards
History: Once the land of the Narragansett Native Americans, over the past 200 years the waterfront has played a part slave trading, cotton goods production and trade, and the emergence of industrial fishing.
Links: Symbolic meanings of birds in nature, song about the moon
Nature: Water birds, grasses, clover, wildflowers

WAY OUTSIDE THE BOX
Some synchronicities are just too far outside the odds to be ignored, and the message is both cautionary and hopeful.
Places: Blueberry Drive and Post Road, East Greenwich
Characters: Dana Duellman, Real Estate Agent and Feng Shui Practitioner
Symbols: boxes, guns, roses, compass, ship, anchor, net
History: The Providence, the sailing vessel that launched the Navy during the American Revolution and captured or defeated 40 British ships in her career defending the coastline.
Links: Three different stories about 2221 soldiers.
Nature: Rose Shack Garden Shop in Saunderstown.

SMOKE SIGNALS
A walk outside collecting trash turns up an interesting trail of clues, a newspaper article, spent matchbooks, a map, and empty cigarette packs prompt some revealing online research.
Place: Water Street, East Greenwich
Symbols: tobacco
History: Initially identified as harmful to health, tobacco then quickly becomes a lucrative industry and form of currency for the early American colonies and the English.
Links: Another trash walking story
Nature: Greenwich cove scenery and hooded merganser duck.

CELEBRATING THE LIGHT
A trip to Provincetown on Cape Cod leads to new insights about the original intentions of the pilgrims, and that first Winter Solstice marks a new beginning for the New World.
Places: Cape Cod National Seashore and Provincetown
Characters: My husband, son, and duaghter
Symbols: lights, lobster traps, pilgrim monument
History: Seeking to flee England in order to practice religious freedom the Mayflower landed in Provincetown instead of the Virginia Colony as intended.  Here the men wrote Mayflower Compact in order to establish an orderly government for their new colony.  The ship then sailed on to Plymouth, where it arrived on the Winter Solstice.
Links: Pilgrim Monument website
Nature: Cape Cod National Seashore dunes and park trails.

THE SOLE TRUTH
A startling moment occurs when a halo of morning sun surrounds the head of the Roger Willliams statue, looking up at Prospect Park.
Places: Providence River Walk and Prospect Park
Characters: A woman walking her dog
Symbols: pilgrim, halo
History: Story of the religious persecution of Roger Williams, his founding of the state of Rhode Island, and his philosphy of "Soul Liberty".
Links: Goddard Journals, The Constitution of the Iroquois
Nature: The trees of Parkside (site of Providence Visitors Bureau and small museum) and the view of the Providence landscape from Prospect Park on College Hill.

THE APPLE TREE
The mysterious roots of Roger Willliams apple tree and songs of synchronicty on the car radio lead to a new chain of thoughts...
Places: John Brown House on College Hill
Characters: Mary Volk, Shamanic Healer
Symbols: apple tree, roots, apple
History: When the grave of Roger Williams was exhumed, it was discovered that the apple tree roots next to his grave grew down through his body.
Links: A continued chain of thoughts
Nature: Apple trees

LINKS
A meditative walk around the neighborhood and tripping over a few items leads to linking evidence in a truly mysterious investigation.
Places: The neighborhood
Symbols: pencil, books, skeleton hand, chains, raven
History: Slavery has existed througout human history, from Biblical times, to Black American slavery, to current day sale of children to brothels around the world.
Links: Books
Nature: Ravens

CLEAR SIGHT
Stepping out onto a stairway, seeking the guidance of the moon, we find some illumination.
Places: Driving home on Division Street and the stairway steps.
Symbols: eyes, window, moon, stairs, sewer
History: A reference in the book Broke, takes us full circle to the Fall of Rome.
Links: Books
Nature: Moon

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