Desert Lady Diaries

A trip to Pappy & Harriet's to see the band Gram Rabbit was Barbie's first visit to the desert. From then, she would travel back and forth between the desert and a corporate job in Long Beach - that's a long ride for the love of the desert. After a medical diagnosis in 2008, Barbie Sommars sought alternative methods of healing and pain management and came to cannabis. She's moved from patient to activist to educator on her journey and currently leads the Orange County Chapter of Women Grow and produces cannabis infused Moonlight Movable Feasts through her High Dining brand. Barbie also founded Fairie Jane, a cannabis lifestyle brand, celebrating cannabis awareness and activism through the art of adornment. In this episode, Barbie helps the uninitiated understand a bit about hemp and marijuana, the differences between the two and the biological reasons it's helping so many people with or without ailments. She also shares a bit about some of the products she promotes and the jewel-like blown-glass pieces she offers as an homage to the underground glass makers - the full story on that is in a film called Degenerate Art.

Sue's first experience with the desert was accompanying her husband, Pete, to a job interview in 29 Palms for a teaching position in 1957. At first blush, Sue was not impressed with the place, sitting under an elm tree in the June desert heat and then moving from Texas, in the middle of August, with their three young children. But, she agreed to try it out for two years - 60 years later, she's still here. After discounting the pink desert mountains in a John Hilton painting as artistic license, her mind was changed when she witnessed them with her own eyes. The beauty of the desert and the kindnesses of its community members kept her here. Sue spent 40 years as a substitute teacher in the Morongo Unified School District, gaining a reputation for being tough - her husband nicknaming her 'Mrs. McMean'. These days, she loves filing historical data in the Research Room of The Old Schoolhouse Museum and giving tours to the third grade classes who come to see a classroom with an actual chalkboard. In this episode, Sue shares memories of the annual Weed Show and talks about some of the books, by local authors like Art Kidwell, available in the gift shop of The Old Schoolhouse Museum and the current expansion of the museum to accommodate the growing interest in historical programs hosted there by The Desert Institute. Sue's children, two of whom are also now retired, left the area long ago and worry a bit about their mom remaining in the desert at her advanced age. Sue understands, but loves the place and the people with whom she has made a life and feels strongly that she is still fulfilling her purpose. Sue's not ready to leave her desert home any time soon.

In the 60's Constance and a friend left school, got to work and put away their money, eventually taking a cruise ship from their native Canada to England, where Constance began six years of world travel. Here first connections with desert were in Afghanistan and Iran. Constance arrived in California, eventually making her way to Pioneertown with her new partner, who was to begin work designing a project to turn Pioneertown into a resort community. The landowner went bust like spent gold mine and other developers began eyeing the property. Constance went into action, even obtaining her real estate license to head those developers off at the pass. Constance reminisces about how Pioneertown neighbors spent their time, riding horses or listening to Buzz Gamble at Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace. In this episode, we also talk a bit about what this desert area offers, specifically to women, and the value of taking time to travel the world.

A native New Yorker, Ivy Pochoda has discovered the pull of the desert. After moving to LA, she'd heard folks talk about going to the desert. Eventually she took a trip to Palm Springs and, though nice, wasn't really the experience she was looking for. The second trip she booked a vacation rental 'near Joshua Tree National Park'. After driving for sometime past two entrances to the National Park, Ivy realized the definition of the word 'near' had different meanings to her and the vacation rental owner. Turns out, the reward for all that driving was staying in what's known as The Tile House in Wonder Valley. Growing up in NY, Ivy started playing squash, found she was very good at it and ended up traveling the world to play. When her parents encouraged her to get off the 'road' and find something more stable, Ivy decided on writing. Her publisher parents weren't certain that was the right choice - Ivy has prevailed. Her third novel, 'Wonder Valley', was a Los Angeles Times Book of the Year and her writing has appeared in many publications like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and The LA Times, just to name a few. Though only featured in three chapters of 'Wonder Valley', we talk about dealing with the reactions of locals, who may feel 'their place' may have been misrepresented in a work of fiction. After watching a film about LA's Skid Row, Ivy decided to get involved with LAMP (Los Angeles Men's Place) Community, teaching creative writing in their arts program. LAMP has since merged with another organization and is now known as The People Concern. Ivy finds herself planning to return to the desert even before the present trip she's on is over. Me thinks she's hooked.

Pat and her family were looking for a weekend getaway from Los Angeles. A newspaper ad for an adobe home on 22 acres with a well and chickens put them on the road to 29Palms. Shortly after settling in, in the 1970's, the adobe house needed repairs. This took Pat to the local library for some information where she was referred to Ted Hayes, the first teacher and principal in 29 Palms. There began Pat's immersion into the repair of adobe and the history of 29 Palms. In this episode, Pat talks about her first desert trips to Las Vegas and Palm Springs and about the formula for adobe. As Pat spent more time in the desert, enjoying the clear air and wide open spaces, she became a tour guide at Keys Ranch in Joshua Tree National Park and eventually transcribing some oral history that had been recorded and archived at the local library. From these experiences, Pat wrote her book, "The Adobes of Twentynine Palms". She and her husband, Sid, made their life in the desert permanent in 1988. Pat shares that while listening to the accounts of the homesteaders, one thing that stood out was their pragmatism and humbleness - they didn't complain about how hard things were, how little they had or how far they had to go to get anything. They seemed to just accept life as it was and found enjoyment in what was; it seems Pat was cut from similar cloth.

A life-long resident of 29 Palms, the daughter of pioneers Bill and Ada Hatch, who homesteaded in 29 Palms in the early 1930's, one could say Liz and 29 Palms grew up together. In this episode, Liz talks about a little trick she used to go to school barefoot, shares memories of parades and square-dances and tells a great story about buying her college texts at the student bookstore. Liz reflects on how her parents contributions, and the contributions of other homesteaders reflect the spirit of the desert - a place Liz feels allows people to return to their creativity and where you learn to treat your community like your family. Leaving only to attend Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and to Venezuela for the Peace Corps, Liz and her late husband, Dave, decided after a trip to a mall in Long Beach, CA that 29 Palms would be the best place to raise their family. We also talk about 29 Palms becoming it's own city, why it was important for the community to do so and her eventual roles in leading the city. Liz is currently the President of the Board of Trustees of Copper Mountain College and discusses the importance of education, instilled in her by her mother, which led to Liz's 30- year teaching career at 29 Palms High School and involvement with the college. As a long time resident, Liz has experienced many changes in 29 Palms - we cover a lot of ground in this conversation - it was a lot of fun.

The first time Christina came to the desert it was to ring in the new year at Pappy & Harriet's in Pioneertown. She connected with some musicians who introduced her to various aspects of the desert, including the national park and Christina began splitting her time between Orange County, CA and the desert. During the transition, she also took up rock-climbing and has met and been trained by some of the most experienced and best climbers in the business. In this episode Christina also talks about desert dating experiences, along with a side of the desert community she was surprised to bear witness to and how being alone in the desert has helped her with setting some personal boundaries. Her love of desert plants and their medicinal value lead her to create 'Every Leaf Speaks'. Christina studied at The Gaia School of Healing & Earth Education and is in her second year of learning at Green Wisdom Herbal Studies, which is rooted in the Wise WOMBan Tradition. Christina recently began teaching classes on medicine making her in the Morongo Basin. We end the episode with a lovely poem by one of Christina's inspirations, Susun Weed. Every Leaf Speaks on Facebook Susun Weed Website Kim Stringfellow's Mojave Project JT Rock Climber History Cactus Mart Every Leaf Speaks on Instagram Christina's Hair Design

The desert was to be one of the locations for a documentary Eva was filming about composer, Lou Harrison. Lou was building a straw-bale construction home in Joshua Tree and invited Eva to come along for a visit during construction. Lou passed away a year to the day after construction was completed and Eva has become the Founder and Director of Harrison House Music, Arts & Ecology. In this episode, Eva discusses her first visit to the desert and the subsequent visits that followed, the decision to move and the way in which she was introduced to a community that embraces and loves the arts. Eva also discusses one of the first impressive artists in residence and how the ecology component was added to the concept. Over the course of her decades-long career, Eva has produced and/or directed nearly one thousand music, dance, theater and media works for national and international audiences. As a photographer her work has been published around the country and internationally in publications including: San Francisco Chronicle Magazine; San Francisco Chronicle, Guitar Player Magazine; Wired Magazine (GB); Los Angeles Times; The Bay Guardian; Oakland Tribune; Rolling Stone, Los Angeles Times, NY Times. We wrap up the conversation with some insight into the planning of art and culture. Harrison House LOU HARRISON: A World of Music Trailer

'Dem eyes ~ they almost got Lizzie and her sister into acting a whole lot sooner than she may have wished. And she comes by it honestly... her grandfather was a double for a very well-known actor. Now, Lizzie is gracing the stages in the Hi- and Low Desert and beginning to make her way to Los Angeles for auditions. Born and raised in Joshua Tree, growing up she loved that she lived in a 'village'. School field trips were hiking and learning in the national park. Lizzie entered Joshua Tree's Copper Mountain College with the idea of being a nurse, but after taking most of her general education courses and recognizing biology was not necessarily her forte', she took a different path, majoring in history. Lizzie loves museums and has visited many, including our local Hi-Desert Nature Museum in Yucca Valley and The Old Schoolhouse Museum in 29Palms. A recent visit to the Tolerance Education Center in Rancho Mirage made an impression on her. She says she not only appreciates the physicality of the artifacts but believes they each carry the energy of their time and place in history. In this episode she speaks of spending hours in antique stores, how, in their own way, they are like museums and tells of a recent find that left her imagining all kinds of scenarios about the original owner. When asked if a move to LA is in her future, Lizzie believes it's possible, depending on the direction of her acting career. She admits to a sense of homesickness, but recognizes this place she's called home for so long will always be here for her to come back to. Copper Mountain College Hi-Desert Nature Museum Old Schoolhouse Museum Tolerance Education Center

Dana was born & raised in Twentynine Palms, met and married her husband here and has made a life for her and her family in this desert town. In this episode, Dana reminisces about running through rain floods and the desert in general in her bare feet, much to the chagrin of her mom, Marilyn, whose episode aired last week. Dana is involved in her community, preserving the history of the town volunteering at The Old Schoolhouse Museum and having served on board of the Twentynine Palms Historical Society. With her kids grown and gone, Dana and her husband hosted exchange students, making life-long bonds with them, traveling to visit them and attend some of their weddings. She tells the story of one young man who, while initially not keen on the California 'desert' experience, came to enjoy his time here, particularly after watching some of the Bowden family pull the car over during a rainstorm, then proceed to get out of the car and get into the rain. The entrepreneurial spirit doesn't fall far from the tree - Dana, like her mom, had her own business - a framing business in Twentynine Palms for 19 years. She has a passion for mosaic and spends most of her spare time creating them in her studio, sometimes inviting friends to join. Twentynine Palms Historical Society The Old Schoolhouse Museum on Facebook