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In This Episode:
Ron Patterson, Haudenosaunee Creation Story
Ron Patterson of the Oneida Nation’s Wolf Clan, shares one interpretation of the Haudenosaunee Creation Story. The version he was taught begins in Sky World, where human-like beings lived in harmony under a wise chief. After the chief’s wife broke the laws of Sky World, she was sent through an opening beneath the Tree of Life. As she fell, she gathered the four sacred medicines—cedar, sage, tobacco, and sweetgrass. Below, the birds and water animals worked together to save her. Geese caught her as she fell, and the Great Turtle rose from the waters to provide her a place to rest. She came to Turtle Island, where the earth and all life would eventually grow, marking the beginning of the world as understood in this Haudenosaunee tradition. This summary reflects one respected interpretation of the Haudenosaunee creation story. Like many oral traditions, variations exist among the different Haudenosaunee Nations while sharing common themes and teachings.
Patterson tells us that there are many versions of the story. Here is the Creation Story from the Oneida Nation
Maggie’s Minute: Trimming Shrubs & Bushes to Create “Rooms”
Maggie tells us that shrubs and bushes can serve very different purposes depending on how they’re pruned. By removing the lower branches of multi-stem shrubs, you can create tree-like forms that let in light, reveal the beautiful stems, and provide space for lower-growing plants. Other shrubs can be left full and natural to create hedges, privacy screens, or living fences. Layering different textures and heights—such as groundcovers beneath flowering shrubs—adds contrast, reduces weeds, and creates depth. Thoughtful pruning and plant placement transform an ordinary landscape into a series of cool, shaded garden “rooms” that feel like peaceful, magical retreats while still preserving views from the home. Learn more at Wild Ones Mohawk Valley.
Upcoming Garden Tours!
Garden Tour in Sherrill: Friday, August 7th, 2026 9:00-10:30am
Public Welcome Registration Required, Free Event, Home/Private Garden Tour
Garden Tour in Clinton Saturday, August 22nd, 2026, 10am-12pm
Public Welcome Registration Required, Free Event, Home/Private Garden Tour
Author of, The Plot, Jean Hanff Korelitz
Author Jean Hanff Korelitz discusses how her bestselling novel The Plot was born during the COVID-19 pandemic while she was living in Sharon Springs, New York. After struggling unsuccessfully with another novel, she pitched a new idea to her editor—a story about a failed writer who steals the brilliant plot of a deceased former student. Once she began writing, the novel flowed effortlessly and was completed in just four months.
Korelitz explains how Sharon Springs became both her refuge during the pandemic and an important setting in the novel. The town’s unique character inspired key scenes and provided the backdrop for the protagonist’s moral dilemma. She also reflects on the unexpected success of The Plot, which became a bestseller, led to a sequel, and helped her solve the problems with the novel she had originally set aside.
MV Soundscape with Matt Perry: The Kestrel
In this edition of Mohawk Valley Soundscape, we listen to the unmistakable calls of a young American kestrel in an early August meadow. North America’s smallest falcon, the American kestrel is a colorful bird of prey that hunts insects and small mammals across open fields, often hovering effortlessly as it searches for food.
Matt explains why young kestrels continue calling to their parents even after leaving the nest and explores the species’ decline as grasslands and old farm habitats have disappeared. Despite these challenges, American kestrels continue to brighten the Mohawk Valley wherever open meadows remain.
