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A man named John

By James B. Beard aka Noodin
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A man named John By James B Beard Cultural Speaker, Author October 22, 2025    I first met John at a gathering to listen to an Ojibwe Elder speak in Massachusetts back in 1994. He and his wife, Rhona, had been attending with a small group of people to hear the teachings of this Elder and to study those teachings. It was my first time at this gathering. John was a very quiet man and one would ...
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The barn for Sandy and Tim

By James B. Beard aka Noodin
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The carriage Barn     The barn on this property was built in 1851. It was a part of a twenty thousand acre farm that was the largest farm in New England at that time and, as far as I know, ever since. Adjacent to it, where my cabin now sits, was a caretakers house. The house had five large bedrooms to house workers from the city while working at the farm. This barn was called the carriage barn.         There are six large bays in the barn.        The back of the barn needs a lot of work. It faces south east and catches a lot of Sun. The stick structure in the picture is a sweat-lodge we use for ceremonies.       The north side shingles are in pretty good shape but need to be bleached and coated. Most of the windows in the barn were broken when I took over the property. I replaced all the glass and white washed all the windows when I first moved in.         This ...
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Wisdom of the Wind Interview with James B Beard, author of Walking Spirit in a Native Way by Hannah Thomas

By James B. Beard aka Noodin
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James Beard aka Noodin                Cultural Storyteller, Educator, Speaker,                Author Walking Spirit in a Native Way James Beard is a speaker on topics such as traditional living and natural spirit teachings. His topics address many concerns to do with wellness and balance in life. He is a student of native teachings from Ojib...
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Corn Soup was good - By Peter Schuler, Ojibwe Elder

By James B. Beard aka Noodin
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  Corn Soup was good Three Fires Home Coming  By Peter Schuler         Corn soup was good Singing and dancing better   When I got my second bowl I stood by the booth eating. The little girl who took my money said "you have to go now there is a line' Everyone laughed Then she said, "You have lots of ghosts around you" There was silence I smiled at her and said that was okay I walked to a tree taking the silence with me  Corn soup was good  Singing and dancing better The ghosts have been with me all these many years since I was a boy First time anybody mentioned them to me The very young speak with a clear mind They have not been taught to be afraid to speak of what they see. It's too bad that the old no longer see the spirits of their ancestors Nor do they hear them as they point the way to a return of the quiet ways Corn soup was good   What the children see! - Otter Manitou   ...
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