Plant Them Deep An Ella Clah Novel

ONE The midmorning sun cascading across the Chuska Mountains filtered downward into the wind- and water-carved canyons, revealing the stark beauty of theDinetah, the land of the Navajo people. Rose Destea stood by the open kitchen window, a cup of herbal tea in hand, enjoying the sweet scent of sage and pinon pine that drifted into her warm kitchen. With her granddaughter Dawn at day-school, and her daughter, Ella, a police officer, at work, mornings at home were quiet these days. The peaceful hours had become her time to think, to remember, and, most important of all, to reinforce thehozhqeverything that was good, orderly, harmonious, and beautiful in her life. Rose stood alone in the silence, at peace with herself and her surroundings. She'd spent most of her adult life here, in this house that Raymond, her husband, had built for her almost fifty years ago. Memories whispered from every corner. These walls had seen life, and endured the emptiness and loss a death always left behind. Their marriage had been stormy. She'd remained faithful to the Navajo Way as a traditionalist, while as a Christian preacher, only the Anglo God had held Raymond's complete respect. But after his murder, the fire at the center of her world had given way to a coldness that nothing could penetrate. Lena Clani, her lifelong friend, had helped her crawl out of the deep abyss of sorrow that had almost destroyed her. Raymond's passing had signaled the end of an era for her. Not really needed anymore by her adult children, Rose had known that she'd need to find a new purposesomething that would sustain her and give her directiona reason to get up every morning. She'd found herself again through her love for the tribe. TheDineh, The People, defined her and centered her. Now Rose frequently spoke on behalf of Mother Earth, which had been devastated by the various mining companies that had come to their land with promises of new jobs and a better life. TheDinetahwas a sacred place given to the Navajos by the Holy People. To honor Mother Earth, harmony would have to be restoredto the land and to the tribe. The phone rang, interrupting her musings. Rose picked it up, knowing who it was even before she heard the voice of Jennifer Clani, Lena's granddaughter. Jennifer took care of Dawn, Ella's daughter, before and after day-school. "Thanks so much for calling back so quickly. I need you to come in early today," Rose said. "I'm going to be leaving shortly and I want to be sure that someone will be here when my granddaughter gets home. They're getting off early." Getting Jennifer's assurance that she'd arrive in a matter of minutes, Rose went outside. She'd heard a truck coming up the road and suspected that Herman Cloud would be pulling up to the house in a moment or two. If she was there to greet him, he wouldn't have to wait by his car. Herman always honored traditionalist ways by never approaching anyone's front door unless invited to do so and Rose appreciated the courtesy. Having a modernist daughter meant that the old ways got swept aside often. Although she'd grown to accept it as inevitable, she missed the small courtesies The People had extended to one another in times past. Seeing her wave at him, Herman came up to meet her. Herman, whom she'd teasingly namedBizaadiiwhich meant the gabby one because he was usually so quiet, stood around five-foot-seven and had broad, erect shoulders. His face was leathery and rough, and marked by a multitude of deep lines that attested to a lifetime of hardships and the spirit of determination that had kept him strong through the years.Thurlo, Aimée is the author of 'Plant Them Deep An Ella Clah Novel' with ISBN 9780765314130 and ISBN 0765314134.