Paul Bunyan & Me in Yosemite (Chapter Fourteen) Casey Jones

Casey Jones

        The traffic leaving Yosemite was endless. All the visitors made the drive to Sugar Pine very difficult. It was slow enough that Lucas did not get car sick, and when they finally arrived the sun was already down.

        “Where’s the train?” asked Lucas.

        “It’s called the Cannonball,” Lucy explained.

        Lucas looked back at Lucy making a weird face.

        “That a cool name,” he replied cheerfully.

“Why do they call it that?”     

        “Because it is faster than an airplane,” Lucy replied.

        Lucas began to feel worried.

        “Are you sure?” he asked.

        Paul Jr. was sitting in the front, in- between Tali and John Henry.

        “It is quite a bit faster, and it travels under the ground,” he explained.

        Lucas looked out the window to see if it was out there.

        “I can’t see it,” he protested.

        “Hold on Lucas,” John insisted. “We always leave at night to avoid being seen.”

        As soon as John pulled the truck into a loading dock inside a very small train station, everyone finally saw the train. It was pitch black making it almost impossible to see.

        “It was here all the time,” Lucas said cheerfully. “I have never been on a train.”

        John looked back at Lucas in the mirror. “There is no other train like the Cannonball,” he explained.

        Lucas was really beginning to get excited.         “What are we waiting for, let’s get on the Cannonball,” he stated. “It’s a beauty!”

        Lucy sat up in her seat and took off her seatbelt.

        “I’m ready!” she announced.

        Unexpectedly, all of the train lights turned on and the sound of the horn exploded full blast.

        Everyone except John was forced to plug their ears.

        “What was that for? Can’t he see us here?” she asked.

        “Casey is just running tests in there to make sure the Cannonball will run smoothly,” John explained.

        “Who made it go so fast?” asked Lucas.

        John was happy to tell.

        “I helped set up the tracks and dug the underground passages. It was Granville Woods and Elijah McCoy who worked with Casey Jones to bring the Cannonball to life,” he explained.

        “Do we get to meet them also?” asked Lucas.

        John gave the question some thought before giving his reply.

        “Probably not on this trip, but soon,” he replied happily. “They will show you things they invented that will make you proud.”

        After a few minutes, everyone was out of the truck and waiting for Casey Jones to welcome them on the train.

        “Who do we have here?” a friendly voice called from inside.

        A man almost as tall as John Henry came out of the train door to welcome everyone. He was wearing a tall blue hat that matched a pair of perfectly clean blue overalls.  His shirt looked like it had been made by the same tailor as Paul Bunyan.

        John was the first to step forward giving him a big hug.

        “It has been a long time old friend,” he said patting him on the back.

        “It sure has,” Casey replied, looking around at the rest of the group. “Who did you bring with you?”

        Paul Jr. immediately took Casey’s hand and began shaking it.  Casey was amused.

        “Paul Jr. here, reporting for my trip to Ireland,” he explained.

        Lucas interrupted.

        “We're not going to Ireland. We are going to find Kokopelli in the Grand Canyon,” he said firmly.

        Lucy smiled.

        “Don’t mind my brother Lucas, he gets excited about the strangest things,” she explained.

        “You both must be the ESP twins that were adopted by John and Talitha,” Casey said greeting them onto the train. 

        “I hear Paul Bunyan will meet us there,” he said looking at John.

        “That is correct,” John replied.

        “Then welcome aboard, one and all!” Casey shouted.

        Ranger Pam was standing in the corner of the room.

        “I don’t think we have met before,” Casey said in his romantic voice.

        Lucy covered her mouth almost blushing.

        “Someone has a crush,” she whispered to Paul Jr. and Lucas.

        Ranger Pam held her grandmother’s basket in her arms.

        “I am Pamahas, and stop acting like we have never met,” she replied.

        “Are you coming with us?” Casey asked.

        It was the first time Lucy had ever seen someone make Ranger Pam blush.

        Ranger Pam lifted the basket so that he could see it.

        “I am the only person who can work the basket that will hold Kokopelli,” she explained.         

        “That sounds like a great reason to have you with us,” Casey replied, looking ready to take off. 

        “Enough fun for today,” he said with an Irish accent. “Allllll aboard!”

        It only took a few minutes until Casey Jones and John Henry had everyone loaded in the beautiful caboose of the Cannonball.  Each sitting in the most comfortable velvet chairs.

        The truck full of camping gear was loaded soon after.

        Casey found Lucas with something important to tell him.

        “Hi Casey, are we leaving now?” Lucas asked.

        “Are you ready to see some dinosaurs?” Casey asked suspiciously.

        Lucas immediately felt nervous, looking over at John to see how far away he was.

        “No,” Lucas replied nervously. “I did not come to see dinosaurs.”

        Casey began to laugh.

        “Good, because the Cannonball can’t time travel yet,” he explained with a grin.

        “That’s good,” Lucas replied. 

        Everyone put on their seatbelt, sitting back in the chairs as Casey Jones took the Cannonball to full speed. The Cannonball immediately entered a tunnel that went deep into the Earth’s crust, beginning their journey to the Grand Canyon.

Who does Me = in each book? Is President Barack Obama in the book?

With so many interesting people in these stories, it is difficult to see who the Me will be in each one for my kids before reading the books.  In the case of Paul Bunyan & Me in Yosemite, it is up to the reader to decide since the story has several different branches and we get to meet the son of Paul Bunyan.  I could tell you who I thing deserves the Me, but in most cases my opinion will not count. My daughters both came up with a different answer than my two boys.

They loved the book, especially after visiting Yosemite so many times they could feel and remember the places we visit and at one point the smells even came to their mind.  I am anxious to hear back from their friends who have never been to Yosemite to find out how they pictured the park and places we visit in the book.

I have included the visit of President Barack Obama without mentioning his actual name for legal purposes.  I don't want to worry about hiring a full-time lawyer when now, I have already invested over a year and thousands of savings into this without making a penny.

I have been in touch with people who currently work for the 44th President.  They assure me that he would be thrilled to be part of this book, but that still does not convince me to put his name in this.

The Personality of the President visiting Yosemite in my book, is the best I could do to match President Obama.  Last year I spoke to people who were there, and I have watched countless videos of people who recorded him during his visit.
The only difference in this story is that his visit surrounds the damage Babe the big blue Ox (Paul Bunyan's Bull) caused to the Hetch Hetchy dam.

Climate change is not mentioned directly since it is the outline of our next three stories as they chase Kokopelli all over the National Parks of the West.

The art and concept, I created myself with the help of a water color specialist who gave it a more professional touch with the face details and colors.

Back to the who is Me in John Henry and Me in the Grand Canyon, is still up in the air right now.  The story is in its initial stages, and it will become obvious that President Obama is a very close friend to John Henry.  That does not me I will bring him back, but I have been asked this on my website.

The basket in the picture has a big part with time that can contain Kokopelli, so Post Presidency President Barack Obama might just have a chance.  I doubt he will ever read it or even get around to approving the use of his name, but it would be fun to include.

My family is mixed both Democrat and Republican, some who are Mormon and other who are not.  I prefer to vote on issues that matter to me, and issues I understand.  I vote for people who I think I can trust, not because I know them but because it is the best I can do with the information I am given.

I was raised in foster families my entire life.  I went to school with people who shaped who I am more than the foster parents or families that said good night to me each night.

I look for an example in people.  I don't read other people’s opinions who meet the leaders I vote for.  I watch how they are with the people who are around them.
I see how they treat family, I see how they treat the people next to them.  I really wish I could see how they treat people when the cameras are off, but in most cases, we can’t.

President Barack Obama is a people person.  He plays with kids.  He rolls up his sleeves to sit in the dirt and take a picture with them.  He thinks about their feelings as he passes out gifts.  Sure, it is great if the First Lady hands it to you, but if it was first in the hands of the President (no matter what President) it is gold.  I could be a pine cone and a kid would cherish it as gold.

In the personal videos, I have seen of the President, he cares.  He knows that each child needs to see it come from him, so he goes the extra mile and gets more so that each child can have one.

No, I don't worship him, I just look for greatness in people. Like the Disney movie Monsters, the world is thriving on the fear and screams of pain. I think if we focused on the good and feeding off service and the good in people, the tables would turn.

The zombie explosion of movies is the fruit of madness and selfishness in the world.  What if a virus caused you to sprout roots and turn into a tree instead and if your heart was pure (leaning towards Mother Nature) you were left alone. If your heart pure evil, then you sprouted thorns and became a brier patch.
Enough for today.  Happy restful Sunday to any who even read this blog.

Native American Culture can enrich our Nation

It is the fabric that ties us together. We see it everywhere we go and in everything we do.


The BIGGEST example of Native American Culture in our Nation is the vision of the world and our connection and feelings for Mother Nature.


Could you imagine life without seeing our planet as our Mother? Giving us life, all that we need and all that we have.


This series of books I have created for my children and hopefully for others to enjoy is all surrounding a basket, made by a basket maker who inspired me long ago as a child.


Her gringo given name was Lucy Parker Telles. Her true Native American name was Pamahas, meaning "meadows" and I use this name as the main Ranger in Paul Bunyan and Me in Yosemite.


I remember the sadness I felt as I learned of the eviction of Native Americans from Yosemite. I remember the tears in my Grandmothers eyes as she told me the story of Lucy Telles pulling fish from the river to sell to the tourists.


The same tourists who would purchase baskets she and other Natives would make for pennies on the dollar. Baskets that would later sell for hundreds and thousands of dollars.


If you look closely at this amazing culture who is also our host in this beautiful country, you will realize that this basket in my story has great symbolic meaning as Kokopelli comes out after John Henry earns her confidence.

Final Art is finished for John Henry & Me in the Grand Canyon

I love the final art for John Henry & Me in the Grand Canyon.
At first I was looking for a beautiful waterfall scene, then I realized that it would only distract the kids from John Henry and Kokopelli who are the plot in this amazing story that will be available in May 2017.

I think it is going to be just as good or even better than Paul Bunyan and Me in Yosemite.

John Henry & Kokopelli at Grand Canyon

I am excited for the outcome.

John Henry & Me in the Grand Canyon Art is Beautiful

John Henry is looking handsome for our double project. He will capture Kokopelli after leaving Yosemite with Lucas and Lucy. This art is nothing like the treasure that is going to be on the cover of the second book ready in May.  

This is only a taste of what John Henry is going to look like and where the story may lead. 

Kokopelli is introduced in this story and feared at first, but the twist that comes later is beautiful and heartwarming just like the first books, Paul Bunyan & Me in Yosemite and The tiny Life of Lucas Fern.  They are all connected in a way. 

John Henry and Kokopelli at Havasu Falls Grand Canyon