The Blessing Way (1970)

A tall, water-loving shrub indigenous to Asia and the Mediterranean, tamarisk, also known colloquially as salt cedar, was introduced to U.S. Southwest waterways to assist in stabilization and erosion control at the turn of the twentieth century. As a non-native species with no biological controls naturally present to inhibit its proliferation, tamarisk quickly became an invasive species, overtaking waterways, choking out native plant species and consuming the water it was supposed to help conserve. Because tamarisk is now considered an ecological threat to the already fragile hydrological systems of the southwestern deserts of the U.S., municipal, state, regional, and federal task forces invest time and money on teams of "tammywhackers," who work to manually remove tamarisk from the riverbanks to which they were introduced in the late 19th century.

Geologic faults form along the edges of tectonic plates, which are planar fractures in the earth’s crust, as the plates become compressed or filled with tension as they are forced together. When faults move, they can form valleys and mountains. In addition, as faults react to the forces that the huge tectonic plates exert against each other, fissures perpendicular to the earth's surface can extend deep below ground to reserves of molten rock, which, if they reach the surface, form volcanos. When the energy of plates under compression is released as the plates grind against each other, it can also cause earthquakes. There are many faults in the American Southwest, both active and inactive, including the Rio Grande Rift in New Mexico.

A state located on the east coast of the U.S., and one of the original 13 British colonies in North America, initially settled in 1607 by the Virginia Company in the name of King James I. Virginia became a state on June 25, 1788. Known as the “mother of presidents," Virginia was home to all but one of the first five U.S. presidents. The capital city is Richmond, which is located approximately two hours or 109 miles from the nation’s capital in Washington, D.C. Richmond was also the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War, from 1861 until its capture by Ulysses S. Grant in 1865.

A totem is a natural object, often in the shape of an animal, which symbolizes someone’s familial or spiritual connection to a group, extended family, or clan. This extended network of care and awarness manifests as an external form of empowerment that implicitly informs the daily lives of those for whom the totem is significant. Totem is a word derived or taken from the Ojibway word "ototeman," meaning "one's brother-sister kin," and was popularized during the late 19th-century craze for the new discipline of anthropology.

In addition to being objects found in nature, totems can also be carved objects or pieces of jewelry that are kept with people for protection.

A long, repetitive prayer or chant. The term is used colloquially to refer to a list or series of items, especially when spoken out loud in a monotonous, tedious manner.

The metal door that opens downwards found at the back of trucks and other vehicles. Tailgates facilitate the loading and unloading of vehicles, but also provide an impromptu bench or work space when the situation calls, for example during tailgate parties or when working out in the field.

The most common substance used in the U.S. for paving roads. Asphalt concrete (also called tarmac) is produced by laying heated refined crude oils over a layer of aggregate materials such as sand and gravel. The mixture is then rolled and pressed onto the road to create a solid, durable surface layer.

The dissection of a corpse (dead human body) in order to determine the cause of death. Also known as a postmortem examination or necropsy. This method is used by a medical examiner or coroner when the cause of death is unknown or when death seems to have occurred under suspicious circumstances.

A telescope is a magnification tool used to visually enlarge objects. "Telescopic" refers to the ability of a device to visually enlarge objects. A telescopic sight, for example is a small telescope mounted on a firearm in order to increase accuracy of aim, often referred to simply as a “scope.”

Telescopic also refers to the mechanical ability of a device to extend or contract in length. Some ladders are telescopic, for example, and can be raised or lowered in height as necessary.

Similar to a capacious envelope, a billfold, sometimes referred to as a wallet, is usually made of leather or other pliable yet durable material and is designed to carry paper money and credit cards. Billfolds are usually small enough to be shoved in a back pocket of a pair of jeans.