exploration

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Ancestory

Good morning Brave hearts!

Rise and shine! The world awaits you on this glorious day of fun filled adventure and grand survival. Hail to you, almighty human, for the far reaches of your destiny and for the clever intellect that saves you there.
Here, in the far north, resides the inventor. Clever human of specialized skills who lives in remote, but inspiring circumstances in the awesome and wondrous far north.
The inventor, who’s skills have saved them from the cold, from starvation and from isolation.
Scrape off your vehicles, run the engine, pull out the snow blower, shovel, shovel, shovel. The life in winter has it’s moments of back breaking hard work, icy sidewalks and treacherous driving. Pull out the sand, the salt, the ice melters. Let the plows pass to clean the streets. The snowy, blowy, frosty winter is upon us.
Hail bravehearts, to the brilliant lives of our forerunners. To building igloos, to building kayaks, to catching fish and to harnessing dogs. The life of the land was a hard one and the brilliant inventor survived by necessity, cunning and ingenuity.
The howling dogs greet their masters in the snowy morning. Dogs for hunting with and for pulling sleighs. Dogs that make their lives easier by transportation and pulling cargo. Dogs, harnessed to sleighs for sport, hunting, travelling and carrying. The dogs are a savior to the aboriginals of the far north. They carry far more than anyone could ever carry on a pack and travel more quickly and more efficiently. Dogs and man, an age old friendship, for dogs willingly accept habitation amongst humans and comply with training.
The dog sled was invented in approximately 800 BC by the Thule peoples of the Canadian high Arctic. Ancestors of the Inuit, the Thule people carved a niche in the far north, migrating hundreds of miles to their destination across the Canadian arctic. They traveled all the way across the continent of North America from Alaska, to new worlds on the other side, as far as Labrador. In the cold, snowy north, where game is plentiful, snowfall high and temperatures plunging to cold minus’s, these adaptive peoples resided.
The allure of the land held them captive and they lived on the abundant, prosperity of the gifts of the earth.
Clever aptitudes, building whale bone housing, covered with animal skins, or sod houses, or igloos. The inventor kept the cold at bay with warm housing made from the materials at hand.
Hail to you, oh brave hearts of the far north, for inventions that saved you, for perseverance and cleverness,for your great adaptability to a harsh and unforgiving climate in a land of awesome wonder and beauty. The ancient peoples of our nation resided in some of the harshest and most extreme climates in the world. Not mearly to survive, but to live and to thrive in dangerous and remote places.

http://www.glenbow.org/thule/?lang=en&p=outside&t=enhanced&s=3-1&mi=1

written by Dr. Louise Hayes
January 31,2014

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The Kayak

Good Day, Brave hearts!

Rise to the early morning need of daily sustenance. Your food awaits you in the refrigerator, the freezer, the cupboard, the pantry, the kitchen, the grocery store and the meal is cooked on the stove, in the microwave, the kettle, the oven, the coffee maker. Your adrenaline soars and your spirits rise as the smell of your morning brew awakes you, from Guatemala, from China, from Venezuela, from India, from Columbia, from Thailand and the brands are from other sources all world wide as our morning starts with international brews from all over the world. International trade has given us a boost to start the day and out of the house we go.
But wait, what did you say? The morning starts with the catch of the day? You rise at day break, but there is no dawn and you set out on ice flows to catch a fish, or a walrus, or a seal? You rise at whatever time your biological clock rouses you and you put on your mukluks and warm winter clothing and venture out to catch your mornings feast. The blast of cold air awakens instantly and the hunt is on.
The voices of fellow hunters call and the companionship that binds and protects creates the security of the small band.
Here in the far north the hunters pick up harpoons and kayak and prepare to enter the Arctic ocean, for the catch is just off shore.
4000 years of Arctic dwelling has left these experts to a life of fortitude. The craft, a kayak, is an invention of theirs, 4000 years of ocean hunting and 4000 years of kayak building.
The craft is made of wood, or driftwood, or bone with seal skin stretched over the shell. The paddle is made of wood or bone and the clothing of sealskin to repel water. The skin spray skirt keeps the water out and keeps the boat dry in case of capsizing. The famous and necessary Eskimo roll was first performed by these Inuit hunters.
The Inuit are the inventors of the kayak and have been using these specifically made boats for thousands of years. Each man has a boat of his own, made to fit him perfectly.
In an area so remote as Greenland, Baffin Island and the northern Arctic coastline of Canada, where these people choose to dwell.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayak

Now, with harpoon and kayak, the great hunter can catch walrus, fish, seal and whale. The necessities of life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTGGHBq5je8 A History of the Kayak and the Eskimo

Although this film is about Alaska, it gives a good depiction of the life of the Inuit, which would be typical of Canadian history as well.

Written by Dr. Louise Hayes
January 24, 2014

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A dedicated place

Good day to you, Brave hearts

This day brings you the glorious, the fabulous, the fascinating, the wonder, the joy of creation: what beauty is. To aspire to the cause of your finest aptitudes, look around you, oh great ones. The joy of the never ending planet, with its marvels and toils, brings you fresh inspiration and wonder with each day. Yours is the mind that can perceive it, can develop it, can explore it. Since the dawn of time, man has been greeted with the pleasures of the great planet and all of its wonders.
“For the beauty of the Earth, for the beauty of the skies, for the love which from our birth, over and around us lies.” hymnary song
http://www.songandpraise.org/for-the-beauty-of-the-earth-hymn.htm
You, so fortunate as to be the creation of a human.
Still, the great planet casts each and every one of us into the land of our home. The Earth places us here and we dwell in the land of it’s creation. The migration of mankind lead them to the land of their destiny. A brilliant land, an abundant land and a challenging land. Here, almighty human, is the door opened for you, to stir the imaginings of your brilliant mind.
The land filled with succulent fruits, wary predators, catchable beasts. The land, with its awesome wonder, the landscape, the star filled skies, the warm and glowing sun. All of your needs are met, with the intelligent pursuit of the land.
The fascinating beauty unfolds as each aptitude is tested and strengthened, not yours to merely survive, but to live the grand and glorious adventure, that all the world provides. Hail to you, brave hearts, for the awesome beauty of the world, compels you to venture, to discover, to explore, to challenge and to take risks. For beauty can sometimes drive you and your aptitude to yield it’s highest purpose.
The land, with its ever changing fascination. It beckons us to seek health benefits, to feed us, to nurture us, to cloth and to shelter us. The great planet, with its endless creativity, gives each and every place it’s own special purpose. Each and every human race is the caretaker of their special place.
What drives you, almighty ones? Open your eyes to the wonder of this world. To the fascinating gifts of daring and adventure, of inspiration and creativity, to the endless pursuit of beauty and grace. A home, so filled with love and generosity, of perfect adoration and endless care. A home that saves and protects us, shelter from the billowing storm, warmth and security. A place made special, by the pursuit of a mind dedicated to the pursuit of aptitudes of décor, of culinary delights, of homemade remedies and helpful partnering.
You, almighty ones, are chosen. Chosen to dwell in lands of adversity, of difficult climate, of constant change. That land, that barren oasis, is filled with possibilities for the persistent mind. The earth puts you there, almighty human, like it plants its trees and sends its wildlife. Nurture and care, oh caretaker of the planet, you are needed where you survive and live and dream and love.

http://nunavut.adventures.com/nunavut_parks.html

Care for the great planet, as it calls out your name, human, save us.

written by Dr. Louise Hayes
January 22, 2014

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The grand dictator

Good morning Brave hearts!

Colour your world to the dictates of fashion. An array of beauty unfolds to greet you. The grand master of influence and adventure. A call to the superior mind, to the inferior will, to the jealous and the courageous, to be spoiled and to secumb, to the master of human destiny, to be fated and ill fated, for necessity, for income, for prosperity and for nation building.
Fashion!
The word echoes in the ears of centuries old man. The fine garments, the decorative interiors, the gilted gold and bejeweled ornaments. The fun of the grandeur, the privilege of the covering, the daring to be individualized and the refreshing outlook of a different approach.
Hail, great human! Come to the wild! Here is where all destiny awaits. In business and trade, in negotiation and marriage, in adventure and lifestyle. Come, live your lives in the great Canadian north, where the dictator surrounds you and compels your compliance. Look to the forest, almighty human, there is the answer to your needs.
The aboriginal peoples of Canada clothed themselves in the finest and most sought after garments in the world at the time. Fur and leather are the trademark of their apparel. Hunting and trapping are the trademarks of their lives.
The bountiful forest and the open tundra yield animal life by the thousands. The daring lives of the bold northern hunter as he skillfully sets his trap line and waits in eager anticipation of the dollars to come. The stealthy hunter who stalks a prey of fleet footed wild for food and for fur. What brings you here, oh brave hearts, to settle in the remote far north? A land of danger and destitution for most. A land of changes and peril.
Cloak yourselves like kings. The seal gives up hides of waterproof warmth, for snugly insulated footwear, warm and impermeable. No dampness there, no winters chill, no ice cube toes or frostbitten feet. A necessity of an age gone by, where warm mukluks, kept us warm and dry. A coat of caribou, deer or bear. For centuries old man clothed himself in the finest cloth that man could find, fur.
Bejeweled in feathers, claws and teeth, bone for knives and ornamentation, the life of the land drew the cunning and daring, the strong and agile, the persistent and healthy. The clever craftsman of ingenuity and necessity, created a culture, a life, a world of their own.
Drawn to the hunt, by need or adventure, the northern man is a rightful settler. The need for the wild, as it gives up it’s treasure, is returned in the dutiful knowledge that waste is intolerable. All parts must be used, in meat, in fur, in bone, in teeth. The wild gives up their lives so sparingly, that precious gift must not be wasted.
Cloak yourselves in fur and feather, leather and hides from hats to boots, to mitts to coats, to pant and shirts.
Oh great dictator, you dress so well, for fashion calls us from our warm abode to venture out into the cold, to the north, to Canada, to settle and trade and to become the nation that we are. The nation of the fur trade.

This clip is about building an igloo, but look at their traditional garments!
written by Dr. Louise Hayes
January 17, 2014

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The Inuit

Hail, you awesome human

To the great frontier of the far north. A call to the spirit of man, to traverse the land bridge and build a home in a land of diversity. To you the mighty hunter, surrounded by herds of migrating caribou. Their numbers in the hundreds of thousands of animals. Brave the elements, oh fearless fighters, to the call of the wild, to your own destiny, to the land of fur!
The caribou, always plenty, although now in decline, has served you for hundreds of years. Brave hunters, whose passions led you to the remote north, whose eyes spied the massive herds of roaming wildlife. Brave hunters with your sharp skills and agile bodies, keenly aware of the dangers that stalk you. The predators, the remote tundra, the climate, hunger and the deep chill.
So it comes to pass that the lifestyle of the remote and rugged Arctic, appeases the instincts of your fine survival aptitude. Aptitudes of daring, of athletics of hunting of settlement, of navigation, of founding new lands. A will to conquer and to be free.
Here in the remote Arctic, your skills are challenged. The daily bread is the catch of the day. Walrus, whale, seal, caribou, wildlife is plenty.

http://nides.bc.ca/Assignments/Nunavut/Inuit.htm

The far north, in the Northwest territories, where home is, to a growing number of Inuit, has a land of diverse landscape and animal life. The land, the ocean, the ice and snow, make this almighty human a man of his own making.
The Inuit, once known as Eskimo, are the aboriginal inhabitants of the far north. A land of challenge, but also of great beauty. Of hardship, but also of great abundance. A lifestyle wrought from living off the land, from hunting and fishing and having skills to survive. The inventive mind for making harpoons,for whale hunting, kayaks and igloos.
Thousands of years of habitation in the north, across the Arctic of Canada and into Greenland. The story of the Inuit is a story of peoples adapted to life of ocean seafaring and polar conditions. A story of people whose planetary niche is in the remote Arctic, where unique skills are honed to perfection to provide for a life of unusual adventure. Where the sea offers up its bounty of fishes and the land provides for endless hunting.
The sun has set on the land of the Arctic and the dark skies of endless night are upon them. Still, the dauntless human of this territory emerges the victor each spring.
Praises to you, the peoples of the north, for the habitation of the great land. Praises to you for your ingenuity and strength and for claiming your heritage in this nation, in that remote place and for the daily adventure of your skillful lives.
written by Dr. Louise Hayes
January 14, 2014

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Igloo

Good Morning Brave hearts

Wake up to a day of architectural delights. Fascinating domains from our cold climate. The perfect dome shape of carved snow, of barking dogs and aurora borealis brilliance, to start the morning off right. Add endless darkness, sub zero temperatures, a little wind chill and here’s the start of a great day in the far north.
Brave human, a day of reckoning with severe climate, possibly predators and elusive game makes today a day of challenge for the Arctic champions of survival. During the darkest months of the year, when the cold is the deepest and the snow is the highest, those tiny domes in the snow, protected small villages of independent and high spirited individuals, who saw the great north as a frontier, called home.

Click to access 2_a_history_of_igloos.pdf

Way back in far off history, tells a time of human migration throughout Asia to Canada. People were mobile and robust, following herds of game animals, in search of food. Following the call of the wild, to the daunting task of immigration and settlement, of the new frontier, of the far north.
These ingenious people with inventive minds, created the dwelling of snow for shelter and habitation. The landed migrants of Asia, set up domiciles of snow, igloos, to house themselves, during the long winter’s cold. A snow house of warmth and comfort, easy to build, with readily available building materials.
High up in the Arctic tundra, above the treeline, where wood is sparse or non-existent, remains the ancestors of those ancient pioneers. Settlers to the far north with courage and creativity, the daring human, with perseverance and skills, tackled a task of bold survival in extremely harsh conditions and carved a niche of humanity, in a land of constant challenge.
Out on the barren landscape, stands a village of domes. An Inuit village of igloos, carved from compacted snow and filled with an Inuit family and their precious belongings. Furs to sleep on, whale oil for light and cooking, utensils and tools. The daily awakening to a wind swept view of barren, snow covered land. To temperatures dropping to more than -40 and to the more chilling need for food.
Feed the hungry, great hunters. The caribou roam in herds and the walrus plays in the ocean. Yours is a land of extremes. A call to the will of the indomitable human.
Bravo to you, almighty human and to the will of survival. To your place in our history and to your perfect domes, the igloo, on our list of the seven wonders of Canada.
written by Dr, Louise Hayes
January 10, 2014

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Barren ground Caribou

Hail brilliant mankind

Cast your eyes upon the wilds of the great land. The wilderness stretches out before you and you are saved. The new land, freshly washed of glacier ice and snow reveals the tundra and the life within. Brave hunters, your lives await you there. Up, way up, above the treeline into the Arctic.
Cast your eyes upon the land and view the newness of the Earth. Your lives await you here, almighty human, the brave explorer, the clever hunter. The wild beasts roam and in your view is the vast herd you’ve been searching for.
Caribou!
Here in the far north is a large migrating herd of caribou. The home of the barren ground caribou as they move across the northern plains of the North West Territories. A way of life for nomadic peoples as they follow the herds for food and clothing. A lifeline, a support, a tradition. Beware, almighty human, the world changes.

Click to access 2011-2015_Barren-ground_Caribou_Management_Strategy.pdf

The barren ground caribou is in decline. It’s once magnificent numbers in the hundreds of thousands of animals is now declining and the great herds are vanishing. A way of life vanishes with them. Gone is the migrating hunter, who’s dependency upon the caribou sustained them in food and clothing. Gone is the sport hunter and with the loss of the wild herds eco- tourism vanishes as well.
Hail bravehearts to the call of the wild.
The exploitation of the far north is a blight upon us. Overharvesting of a national treasure affects our cultural identity. As an environmentalist and a conservationist, the predation of the wild is a long standing concern. Hardship for the people, hardship for the wildlife and loss of culture, a food source, a tourist delight and a way of life.
The sustainability of the land appears consistent. The food source for the animals themselves seems stable. Overhunting is identified as a factor in the rapid decline and the dwindling numbers of caribou are a threat to the sustainability of the wild.
Eager hunters, your bellies are full and hunting of the magnificent wild is no more.
The lands set aside for wildlife habitat is immense in Canada, but still, the plunder increases. The far north, the tundra, uncultivated, unproductive land, whose resource value is low, but for the wildlife that resides there, it sustains them. Specially adapted animals, whose lives have supported the indigenous peoples of northern Canada for centuries. To loose the herds of the wild is to loose our national, cultural identity. The migration of the early peoples, the fur trade, the choice to inhabit the north. The integrity of the wild is essential to us.
Hail mankind. The world is yours, to protect or discard, choose wisely.
written by Dr. Louise Hayes
November 20,2013

Caribou
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Caribou

Good morning Brave hearts

This beautiful new day of discovery is yours.
The open land lays before us and the movement of wildlife stirs in the distance. We take our cameras and creep forward. What is this sight?
Out here in the protected alpine, where few deer and elk will roam, is another animal. Caribou! Taking a stand for wildlife protection gifts us with the sighting of these rare mountain animals. The remnants of a last herd of animals which used to sustain their populations in the remote areas of Jasper National Park.
Here in the mountains is a unique species of woodland caribou that survive only in the highest alpine areas. Lofty alpine meadows, bursting with colourful flowers, high, snow covered peaks, chilly mountain streams and lakes. An area less frequently visited by humans, but home still to the variety of wildlife that entices us here. A chance for a view of the animals remote and rare, brings us out of our world and into the great open spaces of the great wild.
The great wild!
The adventure begins early, the hike is long. Hours of walking along well travelled routes for the opportunity to explore the magnificent wild. The alpine meadows burst with flower, the colours of the earth and the magnificent scenery make us smile. A sighting would be nice.
The elusive woodland caribou who’s numbers are drastically falling in this area, is our photographic joy.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/jasper/plan/maligne/ie-ei.aspx

The alpine, in it’s own right, is a place of awesome splendor. The majestic mountain peaks, the array of colour and variety of terrain.
Our constant chatter alerts the ever present bears, who watch from their own safety as passersby invade their home. This is where the grizzly bear lives and hunts and the ever present predator reminds us, never hike alone. The trail is busy, so the chance of a sighting declines as numbers of people improve the chance that the bears will wander off to more peaceful areas. We stay on the trails. No chance encounters, no surprises, no sign of bears today.
No sign of caribou either. The elusive animal is farther back, farther from the trail, farther from human encounters.
This land, as large as it seems to be, is helping to protect some of our nations declining wildlife species. Exactly why the woodland caribou is in decline is not precisely known. The decline seems rapid and with herds as small as these, their own recovery is in peril.
Save us mankind! Calls the great wild and caribou recovery projects persist. The tracts of land set aside for wildlife conservation are being invaded, almighty human and the disturbance upsets shy, sensitive species. In reality, they are all sensitive species, needing care and protection.
The great wild and it’s wild inhabitants are a gift. Come almighty human, to save our national treasures. This UNESCO heritage site is one of those gifts.

http://shop.wwf.ca/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Adoptions2013&utm_term=search&gclid=CPy6pMa77LoCFcdAMgod1z4A_g

written by Dr. Louise Hayes
November 17,2013

The Yukon
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The Yukon

Good day you awesome human

As the glaciers receded and the snow melted, the animal life moved southward into the continent. With the travel of the wildlife, the human followed. A new world was being carved from the snow caps. New life to discover, new trails to follow, a new path to a new world.
Come almighty human, into the heart of the continent.
The dutiful call to adventure thrust early man deep into the heart of the far north.
Those who loved the fabulous north live there still. In the remote Arctic Circle with its earthly gifts and awesome star struck wonder. Those who ventured forward encountered more snowfall in this chilly climate. But the usual scene of forest, lakes, rivers, wildlife and vegetation kept them alive.
An adventure!
An adventure for early man and an adventure still you awesome human. Into the land of the midnight sun, of perpetual darkness, of northern lights. A land of remote distance and close fellowship, of hardship and earthly delights, of sporting enthusiasts and cultural integrity. Of domiciles of snow and the endless land to stretch and play in.
Here in the vast forests, the lakes, rivers and snow, live and play the early settlers of this nation and their welcomed guests.
Bold bravehearts, the world calls to you. Come almighty human to the heart of the country. Come to the beginning!

http://travelyukon.com/

To climb the highest mountains, to view the colourful meadows, the rich blues of lakes and the dazzling 24 hours of sunlight. Here is the home of thousands of years of human history, of the birth of culture that is Canadian. The evolution of man brings with it dance, song, artwork, cuisine and joy. A human of energy and skill. The talents needed for survival.
We assume the climate is harsh, perhaps unjustifiably. Life is as life is made. Joy to you, mighty brave hearts. To push the limits of life worth living to the darkest corner of our nation.
The Yukon territory has set aside a vast amount of land to National and Provincial parkland, wildlife reserve, heritage rivers and First Nations land settlements. It boasts thousands of kilometers of pristine wilderness for the sports and nature enthusiast to enjoy.

http://www.env.gov.yk.ca/camping-parks/federal-protected-areas.php

With such a small population and so much country to enjoy, the remote far north is a breathtaking wilderness of forest and mountain.
As their counterparts travelled the unknown trail to track the wild animals and spread themselves across the continent, the aboriginals of the Yukon stayed.
Stay for the awesome splendor of the great land, the wild life to be viewed, the sports to be enjoyed. Still to be seen from the eyes of the adventurer as mainly untouched, undeveloped and unspoilt. The great land, the far north.
written by Dr. Louise Hayes
November 14,2013

Dog sledding
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Dog sledding

Good day, you awesome human

Today it has snowed. The chilly wonder of a winter’s delight. Our nations most favourite past times are here.
The dogs whine and climb out of their white, snowy blankets. A new day of mushing and racing is upon them. Friendly, eager playmates in a life of Canadian made fun.
The sun pierces the sky and casts it’s golden warmth upon us. A fabulous, chilly -35C. A perfect day. A day of winter delight, of breakneck speed through the wild land, of wind on your face and warmth in the air. A day of endurance, strength, preparedness, fun! The great planet calls to us from the landscape and we’re off. Off to an adventure, off to another day of grand pursuits.
The eons of time travels quickly with us. Generations of dog sledding flies past our feet. We must. In our minds we know that we must. Carrying on the history of nation building, the travels of voyageurs, the present day sportsman and adventurer, the tourist. In a land of long winters and brilliant dark sky the endless preoccupation with the joys of winter fun is a must.

As Canadians, these traditions fill us with joy and wonder. The long race of dog sledding, a time of daring adventure, a feat of a thrilling pursuit. An age of discovery, when dog sledding helped to open the country and helped to transport goods, food and people across the land. A method of transportation for early explorers. Across the great white, snow covered plains of the Arctic. Dog sledding carrying us, as Canadians, all across the land.
Mile upon mile the dogs will run, day after day. The race. Such a thrilling adventure for dog and man.
The dogs stretch their limbs and howl. Run! they cry and off we go.
The winter!
The transportation corridors change and sometimes are easier with ice and snow. A frozen lake is a short cut, the marshes and bogs are easily crossed. Better to travel in winter with ice and snow and the howl of dogs in your ears. Faster and less dangerous than running rapids with canoes and the winter forest shines with snow.
Culture!
What we do to save ourselves, to explore, to open trade routes, to fulfill our negotiated contracts.
The dog team is an integral part of our culture. It’s a need fulfilled. Across the great land to explore, to reach communities with goods for trade. To fulfill business contracts and to live.
Here, almighty human in the great white north is the destiny of a lifetime of adventure. It called to the early explorer. Come to Canada! Live the adventure! And so they did.
Criss crossing the nation from trading post to trading post with sleighs laden with supplies. A life of business enterprise. Dog and man, racing across the great plains of the provinces, dog and man, racing east to west and back again. Dog and man racing to the north, racing to the south.
Culture and tradition whistling in our ears.
The dogs, our coveted friends.
Praises to you brilliant mankind, for the peace of trade and for the joy adventure. The negotiated peace that saves our lives.
written by Dr. Louise Hayes
November 12,2013