A Day with the Blackened Land Angels

Dandelion felt antsy waiting for the train. Her life was in a whirlwind as a singer, she always choose to travel by train. Her clothing style was a mix of classy and mountain ruggedness, and her dusky auburn color hair was cropped short and wild. She wore a floppy hat and a dress that her sister Thistle had sewn by hand. It happened that it was her favorite piece of clothing. The sound of the train gave Dandelion a thrill that few other things could. Sometimes she would fill the lounge car with her beautiful voice and guitar. She had realized the joy of singing when she was a small child listening to her aunt sing when they would be preparing berries to make into jam. Dandelion would join her aunt in singing to keep herself from stuffing her face with fresh raspberries which would disturb her aunt. As She stood on the platform she could hear her aunt's voice in her head. “Berries are for jam only eat a few.” She snickered at the thought wishing it was berry season and that she was out in the brambles getting the scratches that were an inevitable part of berry picking.
The memory of summer felt good as a fierce wind blew and snow started to touch Dandelion's face. In that moment she felt uneasy the storm coming in was going to be fierce and bitter. She thought of where she was headed, she knew it would be warmer wherever it was and that was a comfortable thought.
The wind touched her face in a way that made her long for the land, and the people that she loved. she allowed it to touch her in a way that a minute ago had made her feel anxious.
She wanted to feel connected to everything around her, the falling snow the wind that touched her skin to its core. The hustle of everyone waiting for the train as they grabbed for jackets and gloves. Her senses were on high alert and she felt less nervous about the falling snow.
The train whistle sounded familiarly close, and a fierce longing to be in motion overpowered all of her senses. Dandelion stepped onto the train with ease. The rocking motion of the train was a comfort. Dandelion watched the snow coming down as the train slowly moved into the setting sun. She closed her eyes and wondered where she would wake up. Then almost as soon as she had faded into sleep it seemed she was awakened in Denver first thing in the morning. It was snowing here too but not the fierce biting snow she had just come from this was her favorite city maybe because it was the first one she had experienced long ago before the whirlwind of the world had whisked her into its embrace. The heavy scent of strong coffee entered her nose as she stepped into Union Station. Another familiar scent also entered her nose it was the strong smell of lavender, and other herbs that were the essence of her best friend Alice. Alice was a tall lanky girl with bobbed raven colored hair and milky skin, she commanded attention when she entered a room in Stygian clothing she played a mean banjo and enjoyed writing songs that spoke of environmental issues and corporate greed.
She was especially against the heavy use of fossil fuels if it meant using them to transport food that could be grown close to home. Alice owned a small urban farm close to Denver which helped to provide food to low income families many of whom worked in her community garden.
The children that came to her farm enjoyed the work they did especially when they tended to the chickens and beehives.
Dandelion had met her at the farmer's market, and they became fast friends when they discovered their shared love for music and the environment. As much as Alice loved her work she also enjoyed the indulgences of a good night out playing music.
For Alice retrieving Dandelion at the train station was a great joy. They had lot to catch up on before their evening gig. The thrill of playing music with Alice made Dandelion feel giddy. They picked up coffee at the train station. Alice and Dandelion walked to the light rail. Alice didn't own a car and didn't want to she loved that she lived in a place that she could ride her bike, walk or take the light rail or bus anywhere that she wanted to go. She never rode in anyone's car unless they were already planning a trip and she could tag along. Alice loved to get most of the places she was going to by walking. It bothered her to see so many fuel powered vehicles on the road. Dandelion had lived remotely in the mountains for most of her life but now that her musical career was well underway she was always on the road somewhere new.
Alice missed her terribly when she traveled. Dandelion met the world to her. Dandelion was used to the whirlwind of her life and Alice preferred staying in one place and growing her food and raising her chickens. The idea of travel seemed exciting although it would mean stepping away from a job and home that she loved.
The girls arrived at the house to a hustle and bustle of three teenagers and their parents working hard on winterizing the garden. Alice's place was just outside of the city of Denver's no Rooster ordinance and she happened to have 2 handsome fellows at the moment. The large Rhode Island Red was causing quite a ruckus at the moment Alice and Dandelion got home.
He always made more noise when Dandelion came to the farm. Dandelion went to greet him with a smile. They had formed a bond the moment they met each other when he was just hatched.
The ladies stepped into the house to the smell of sweet honey. Alice had gathered the last harvest of the season before they would let the bees rest for the winter months to insure that they had enough honey for themselves. Dandelion went into the kitchen cut off a piece of the fresh honeycomb. Dandelion was always grateful for the simple pleasures of returning to Alice's.
Soon the ladies were practicing to play their evening show they giggled as they created a new song even though its nature was quite serious they felt a need to laugh and enjoy their afternoon. As the ladies got into their song the words flowed easily they wrote their options of the modern world with a passion that they experienced in their daily living.
Oppression and Greed
It's Not For US
Dig in the Soil Plant a Seed
Escape Oppression and Greed.
Drink Clean Water
Walk In The Wild
No Time To Waste NO TIME TO WASTE
Oppression and Greed
It's Not For Us
The girls finished up with their practice session and headed to take an afternoon nap so they would be fresh and ready for the evening. Dandelion tossed and turned fading in and out of crazy dreams. She felt queasy when it was time to get up and dress for the show. Alice calmed her nerves and gave the new stickers she had just had printed for the band. The girls called their duo Blackened Land Angels as a protest for the heavy use of fossil fuels.
They got all their instruments together and headed to the light rail with guitar and banjo in hand. Questions were always asked when they rode the train with their instruments. They were prepared to answer them and invite people to join them at their shows.
The show they were playing this evening was a house show a benefit for urban gardens. Dandelion adored house shows especially at the house they playing at on this evening.
The show was going quite well until Alice stumbled over the words of old favorite tune that the girls had adapted from a poem Thistle had written a few years before and it seemed especially important for the show they were playing tonight.
Although she got right back into the groove and passionately sang the song.
Fuel, Fuel, FUEL, FUEL
Roots Forgotten Blood of the Earth Slips Through Our Fingers
Fuel, Fuel, FUEL, FUEL
Transporting Foods and Goods
Fuel, Fuel, FUEL, FUEL
Every day
Black and Miserable Exhausting our beings
Water Mixes With The Mess
Fuel, Fuel, FUEL, FUEL
Modern Nourishment Disregarding the gifts of the land
Fuel, Fuel, FUEL, FUEL
Forgetting ourselves In modern motion
Nourished by fancy lights Not simple stars
Let us Return to the land To be Fueled by Nature’s Grace.
Blackened Land Angels finished their set and each lady felt tired but happy to spend the rest of the evening listening to other friends play music.
Alice was excited to listen to her friends play for the rest of the evening as she.
The next morning she would still be hard at work with her chickens and garden.
Perhaps she might even have time to write the grant that she needed to continue her work with low income families. Dandelion was exhausted from her long day on the train and sat in the corner of the room listening to the music until the idea of stepping outside for fresh air while as fresh as she could get in the city.
She stepped outside and found herself in a discussion about food and justice and a slew of other issues regarding the status of the world. The young man she was chatting with happened to also be in a band and was traveling from Los Angeles to perform in Denver.