Condors Soaring & Prophetic Dreams

                     All photographs: Dawn Jenkins

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Condors Soaring & Prophetic Dreams

Oftentimes things in our Lives stress us, and make us feel out of control.

Big things — or small — they can throw us for an emotional loop.

I was experiencing one of these stressed-out pockets, several years back, when I received my clear, peaceful, answer in the form of two dreams.

As I recall them now, they still ring true.

And they still help me overcome the temptation to live my life in anger or fear, which ruins so many aspects of my much preferred, much appreciated, Peaceful Life.

But what does this have to do with Condors?

I’m pairing this Post with photos I shot, Earth Day, 2019, of soaring Juvenile California Condors. (See more info about Condors at bottom of this Post.) 

I know you’ll enjoy :)) :))  DawnSeeker

The Easy Solution and the Pilot Dream

The following two dreams arrived together, side by side, one night.

At the time I was struggling with some pressing issues. I went to bed, asking the Divine for an answer to come in my dreams.

After awaking in the wee hours, I prayed again, and fell back asleep.

Here is what I recall —

From my Journal:

I asked for dreams, and I got them.

These were very vivid, lucid dreams, the prophetic types, not the every-night ordinary.

In recent days I had been praying to be shown God’s EASY SOLUTION to my troubles, rather than struggle on in difficulty, like I had been.

The Easy Solution Dream

There was a waterway channel. I was walking in the water. It lead me inside a large industrial-type multi-level room, also filled with water. I knew I had to get out.

I saw a window and struggled to open it — impossible. A lady tried to help. But no matter what I did, it appeared I was stuck there in the building.

Looking around, I figured I could trudge down and across another deep, watery area, but I knew it would be very difficult. And it probably wouldn’t work.

Then, I saw a little button, off to the side. It contained the answer!

It turned out to be easily pushed. I did, and a door opened to a girl in a room (like an elevator operator) — and somehow, from there, I was able to just walk out.

My Interpretation

God ALWAYS has an Easy Solution to our problems. (A type of button, nearby, that we can push — rather than continue fretting and struggling on our own).

He is a very present help in our times of need.

Rest in Him. Don’t wear myself out trying to solve everything by my own energies.

Look to the Easy Solution God provides.

Putting the Easy Solution to work

And I was able to put this to work, again, just the other day.

On my precious weekend-day-off, I had offered a favor to a family, with a visit to my horses. It meant days of planning and prep work, which I did. Getting horses out and ready. Nailing on shoes. Driving my horse in his cart . . .

All was set and confirmed. At the appointed time, I was booted up and ready to go.

Yet, right then, I found out — they were running late. Our time would be delayed by two hours. Maybe more.

I was upset. It threw off all my plans for the day.

But, I couldn’t change it.

So I decided to look for the Easy Solution :))

The Easy Solution

First, I got out my handwritten journal and wrote a good rant. All about flakes (it seemed to be the theme of the week — people who made appointments with me and just disappeared, with no further mention!)

Then, I laid down on the couch with some uplifting reading material — and drifted off into a beautiful, out-of-this-world, time-traveling, supernatural nap.

It worked!

• It stopped the anger cycle
• I woke up calm, refreshed
• The later time frame actually worked out really well — probably better than earlier would have
• We created a special day with meaningful memories and insights
• And Magic occurred between horses, humans :))

Pretty cool results, really. Pretty easy button to push.

Rather than get mad. Chill out — take a nap!

And enjoy :))

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The Pilot Dream

Then came the airplane. We were on a boardwalk. Lots of people were there. I had joined up with some people I didn’t really know. There were people giving out cups of juice because something that was scheduled didn’t happen.

I walked up and asked them what was going on. There were a couple of military guys, one in pilot headgear. He was in a small booth, like a ticket booth, with his flight helmet on.

I asked if he was a pilot. He said, “Yes.”

Grandfather Conway Ulyate, U.S. Army Air Service, Fort Sill, Oklahoma (@1918) — wearing  similar leather flight helmet to the one in my dream. (Ulyate family archives)

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Then I asked him if he prayed?

Suddenly, as if in response to my question, I was up on his plane with him. It was like the dragon in the movie, Eregon — a blow-up type vinyl airplane. And we rode astride, on its back, he in front, me behind — like you would on a horse or a motorcycle.

He directed the craft into all kinds of high-tech flying maneuvers. Loop-the-loops. Stalls. Showing off for me. For the crowd. I wondered how it was possible that we even stayed on?

Then, in response to my question of whether he prayed, he put the thing into a DIRECT NOSEDIVE.

I was terrified.

It became apparent that he wasn’t pulling out. We were headed straight down.

I literally clung to the flapping tail, hanging on for dear life. I wondered what the people on the ground would think – we were going to crash and die, right in front of them.

Then I heard a voice inside my head say: “Look what God can do!”

Suddenly I became absolutely calm. Crashing, dying, didn’t matter.

And right when we should have hit, right when we would have perished — in the gentlest of manners, he landed his plane PERFECTLY, flaring at the very last moment, touching down softly on the grassy ground!

We were not hurt!

I was so grateful, and praised and thanked God, repeatedly, for saving us!

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My Interpretation

No matter how bad it looks, The Divine is in control — and there are NO WORRIES. (Even though I must constantly remind myself of this!)

For, even in the nosedive, God sorted it — gentled it, and saved it.

With this dream, He lead me to a higher level of understanding. A deep inner knowing. “With God, ALL things do work together for good.”

Prayer is the key. And calm trust.

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How these dreams have helped me

Over the years, these two dreams have profoundly influenced my day-to-day Life.

When frightening things happen, when it seems all chaos is breaking out — I look for the Easy Solution God has for me. And no matter how bad it appears, I know that He is in control.

Calm down. Chill out. Rather than fight and fume — Enjoy the Ride of Life.

Ride the airplane. Ride the dragon.

Trust. Breathe.

And be Grateful :))

          Dawn’s shadow, off Hudson Ranch Rd., CA

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Copyright 2019, 2024
Photos:  Dawn Jenkins — Juvenile Condors photographed flying near Bitter Sweet National Wildlife Refuge Hudson Ranch Road, west of Bakersfield, California, Spring 2019

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Dawn’s notes on California Condors — (Dawn’s photographs :))

Condors are so rare, I’ve seen them only once before, about twenty years ago, soaring high overhead — and I’ve lived here in Condor territory for 30 years, and spent countless  hours, out and about, on foot and on horseback. I photographed these on 4/22/19, Earth Day, on my way driving home from my horse hoof (farrier) work :)) (See my HoofCare Services page.)

                  Condor Habitat — near Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge, and Pine Mountain Club

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They were young, happy, on the wing — soaring as if just for fun, in the end of day light, over a great expanse. An amazing bird sighting — especially since fewer than 500 birds exist in the world. What a day!!!

I was most amazed by the long, dangling feet. Maybe the young ones just don’t know how to retract their landing gear yet :))

                                                    Juvenile Condor in flight, feet down :))

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I watched four birds, soaring over an area of about a quarter mile. Some going up, others dipping down. Very difficult to focus my camera. Stunning. Breath-taking. Inspiring!

One flew right overhead to check me out — making me think that they must have had some positive interaction with humans from the release program at Bitter Creek.

                          Note dark head, indicating Juvenile Condor, and red marker tag on wing

Please enjoy this Traditional folk music from Peru — El Condor Pasa:

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Interesting California Condor Facts

Cornell Lab of Ornithology — Condor Life History:

• Condors glide and soar when foraging, so they depend on reliable air movements and terrain that enables extended soaring flight. They are so heavy that they can have trouble taking off, so they often use open, windy areas where they can run downhill or launch themselves from a cliff edge or exposed branch to get airborne.
• California Condors can cover hundreds of miles in one flight as they soar for hours at a time, looking for carrion. Pairs are monogamous. Because their crop (an enlarged part of the esophagus) can hold 3 pounds of food, they may only have to eat every 2–3 days.
• California Condors have been reintroduced to mountains of southern and central California, Arizona, Utah, and Baja California. Nesting habitats range from scrubby chaparral to forested mountain regions up to about 6,000 feet elevation. Foraging areas are in open grasslands and can be far from primary nesting sites, requiring substantial daily commutes.

• All of the more than 400 condors now alive are descended from 27 birds that were brought into captivity in 1987, in a controversial but successful captive breeding program. As of 2013, there were more than 230 individuals in the wild in California, Arizona, and Baja California. According to Partners in Flight, about 95% live in the U.S., and 5% in Mexico. The number has been rising steadily each year, as captive-bred birds are released and wild pairs fledge young from their own nests.
• Condor recovery has been slow because of their slow reproductive rate: they produce only 1 egg every 1–2 years and do not achieve sexual maturity until age 6-8 years.

California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife:

• Condors can soar and glide for hours without beating their wings.
• After rising thousands of feet overhead on air currents, California condors will glide long distances, sometimes at more than 55 miles per hour.

Wikipedia:

• California condors have the largest wingspan of any North American bird — from 2.49 to 3 m (8.2 to 9.8 ft). Their weight can range from 7 to 14.1 kg (15 to 31 lbs) [Weight of a toddler]
• Condors are so large that they can be mistaken for a small, distant airplane, which possibly occurs more often than they are mistaken for other species of bird.
• It is one of the world’s longest-living birds, with a lifespan of up to 60 years.
• Individual birds have a huge range and have been known to travel up to 250 km (160 mi) in search of carrion.
• The middle toe of the California condor’s foot is greatly elongated, and the hind one is only slightly developed. The talons of all the toes are straight and blunt, and are thus more adapted to walking than gripping.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

• Immatures (juveniles) have dark heads, grayer necks, and mottled grayish instead of clear white patches under the wings.
• Adults are black with striking white patches under the wings. The naked head and neck are yellowish orange.
• Adult coloration is reached at 6-8 years of age.

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Additional interesting info on Condors:

• More info on Condors from Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge here.
• For Condor population stats:  California Condor Recovery Program
• This post, The Sacred Condor, will give further food for thought about the vast, strange world we live in.
• This blog, by Andrew J. Parks, is from a California Condor field worker, and explains how the color-coded tagging system works, as well as inside the scene photos and cool observations :))

Please comment, and let me know about your Condor or wildlife encounters :))

              ~~ Leaving Condor Habitat now. Thanks for visiting ~~

DawnSeeker

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Like what you’ve read here? Visit Dawn’s sister blog:  Soul Horse Ride

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