MOTHER EARTH, FATHER SKY

O our Mother the Earth,
O our Father the Sky,
You children are we, and with our tired backs
We bring you the gifts you love.
Then weave for us a garment of brightness;
May the warp be the bright light of morning,
May the weft be the red light of evening,
May the fringes be the falling rain,
May the border be the standing rainbow.
Then weave for us a garment of brightness
That we may walk fittingly where the grass is green,
O our Mother the Earth,
O our Father the Sky.

Tewa Pueblo prayer.

In desert country rain, rainbows and green grass would be very rare most of the year. But, the desert farmers were masters at using the available water to bring in their crops. They bred plants that could mature quickly with a minimum of water. They knew their land in a way that the modern world doesn't know. Probably should know if we want to survive. Too bad so many of their seeds have been lost while the snowbirds from the north still try to pretend they can have green lawns and water hungry shrubs. Just like they had in say, Minnesota.