While drinking my morning coffee, I watched a pastor friend's morning service: we have been friends for about 23 years. The other day, I watched the internet sharing of his wife's Celebration of Life service, hearing his pain & heart-felt declarations - a pain and sentiment that I could identify with … I reached out to him the only way I can at the moment with him being there and me being here. I wanted to let him know that I am aware & that I care. And though he is not yet in a position to hear some of what I posted to him; I am asking Elohim to send the Ruach HaKo'desh to him to minister to him Yeshua's presence in his life's void, a soothing peace for his broken heart - and to prepare his healing heart for possible unknown blessings coming his way: {{So sorry for your sorrow, Jay. A Christian Home Going is such a beautiful experience - and I do understand your passionate declarations, however, please keep your heart open to whatever Elohim has for you. I remember the heartbreaking sorrow, and I remember making the same statements following Bob's graduation in December of 2018. Aside from Elohim & Yeshua, he was my whole world. He told me in the hospital, before he couldn't speak anymore, that he wanted me to marry again: I couldn't even imagine that! Bob was my "it" man - no one can compare. Even though I knew Bob was in Heaven … I missed his physical presence. I grieved hard for years. I told everyone I would never remarry. I wasn't interested in remarriage. Men were not even on my radar. However … Elohim had other Plans. Long story short, Elohim put a new husband in my Life in November of 2022 & we married January 7th, 2023. My new husband is the total opposite of Bob - but he is perfect for me and the life Elohim is blessing me with, now, in the moment. I am still surprised I am remarried - I never wanted it. I never sought it. It came to me suddenly & 100% "a God Thing". Never say never. Always be open to unknown blessings. It is possible to love 2 people at the same time and be faithful to both. I will be praying for you & your children.}} Maybe he'll be angry (I was when someone said pretty much the same thing to me, at Bob's Celebration of Life, in August of 2019); maybe he'll remember reading these words in a year, two years, three years - and smile a bittersweet smile as he steps into his new life with perhaps a new wife … and sends an air kiss to his friend who cares about him and his happiness - and let him know that in the only way she knows how.
In all things, it is important to understand, comprehend, and welcome the concept that Elohim knows our Life Story from beginning to end - we may be surprised at the twists and turns; we may buck against the happenings as they happen: BUT - Elohim knows how the story will unfold from start to finish. We can finish amicably, or we can finish hard; but whatever happens in or Life will happen according to His Will. His Will is the bottom line.
When Holland finished his morning coffee, finished his YouTube videos & FB PM scrolling's - he looked outside at the bright sunshiny day, and said, "How about we go for a drive before the rain arrives?" He didn't have to ask twice! I'm always up for a drive; and rain is scheduled to arrive sometime between tonight and tomorrow at dawn.
We didn't have a particular route planned, we were just driving and enjoying the sunshine. The almond orchards are in full bloom, and the scent on the warm breeze smelled like honeysuckle. When we got to the 4-corner junction, we saw the weekend vendors were back in place - so, we stopped to see what they had to offer. We walked away with 3 quarts of honey, 3 papaya's, & a bag of pistachio's.
Turning towards Huron, Holland said, "How about we loop back home through Coalinga & grab another burrito and a couple street taco's?" I said, "Yes, please! But remember, it's Sunday - they may not be open." He said, "Well, we can try; and if they aren't open, we'll just go up the street to Taco Bell." My husband likes mexican food. Taco Bell is okay - but we both fervently hoped Tacos Y Mariscos Sergio Taqueria was open for business. We can always get Taco Bell food fare … we cannot always find authentic mexican food fare.
On the backside of Coalinga - out where the oil fields are; we saw a marker detailing the rolling hills of the Coalinga oil fields as "the headquarters of the mexican robinhood, Joaquin Murrieta Carrillo; we have driven this road many times and never saw the marker until today. Holland says we probably missed it because it blended in with the brown gritty landscape until the winter rains greened the grounds.
Further down the highway, closer to town, is the marker we saw in September 2025; where someone had paid homage to the pillaging hombre, by leaving a fairly new pair of cowboy boots with the marker:
Historical Marker along Hwy #33-CA
Tacos Y Mariscos Sergio Taqueria was open, so we pulled up out front and we bought the same things as last time … plus a nacho's meal that was prepared by mistake for a customer who ordered something else (so, I bought that, too; it looks different than any nachos I am familiar with, and I was curious); we had enjoyed our hour of sunny outing, and ate the burrito and tacos when we got back home.
I also did some research on this sketchy bandit "robin hood" character - both articles were written with an obvious racial overtone towards "white gringo americanos"; so read these interesting articles with a grain of salt, as I did:
{{California's Golden Outlaw: The Lost Treasures of Joaquin Murrieta
The California Gold Rush of the 1850s was marked by an array of intriguing tales and characters. One of the most fascinating among them was Joaquin Murrieta, a legendary figure whose life and exploits have been subjects of countless fictionalizations and debates.
Joaquin Murrieta was a charismatic figure who emerged during the California Gold Rush. The young Mexican immigrant purportedly came to California to seek his fortune but faced grave injustices. His subsequent transformation into an outlaw led to him being seen by some as a freedom fighter and a bandit by others.
While some see him as a Mexican patriot resisting Anglo domination, others view him as a vicious desperado. His story, however, is not just a tale of one man's struggle against racial prejudice. It's a narrative deeply rooted in the racially charged atmosphere of 1850s California.
California, once a Mexican territory, was ceded to the United States following the Mexican-American War. The discovery of gold deposits in 1848 triggered a massive influx of white settlers into the region. This influx, coupled with discriminatory laws like the Foreign Miners' Tax Law of 1850, marginalized the Hispanic and Native American populations.
This racial tension led to an increase in crime, with some Californios (Hispanic residents) resorting to banditry. Reports of outlaws named "Joaquin" terrorizing California began circulating in newspapers as early as 1850. Whether all these crimes were committed by a single individual remains debatable.
Murrieta's full name first appeared in the Los Angeles Star in 1852. Stories about Murrieta's vigilante origins began to circulate. He was supposedly flogged and robbed, which led him to a life of crime. He became the leader of a gang called "The Five Joaquins," blamed for most of the cattle rustling, robberies, and murders in the Sierra Nevadas between 1850 and 1853.
Murrieta was known for his audacious robberies and his knack for disappearing with the loot. Here are some tales of the treasures he allegedly left behind:
Joaquin Murrieta's Stolen Cache: One of the most legendary stories involves a wagonload of gold stolen from the northern mines. The gold, along with other items, was hidden in a burial cave under a projecting rock ledge after an ambush by Indians. The whereabouts of this cache remain unknown.
The Burney Treasure: Another cache estimated to be worth $175,000 is said to be buried somewhere between Burney, California, and Hatcher Pass.
The Susanville Cache: A third cache worth around $200,000 (then) is believed to be concealed between Susanville and Freedonyer Pass near Highway #36.
The Feather River Robbery: Murrieta and his right-hand man, Manual Garcia, known as "Three-Fingered Jack," are said to have robbed a stagecoach along the Feather River. The strongbox reportedly contained 250 pounds of gold nuggets, which they buried on the banks of the Feather River. This stolen treasure has never been recovered.
In 1853, the California legislature put a $6,000 reward for the capture of Murrieta. A band of California rangers, led by Harry Love, attacked an outlaw camp, killing eight men, including the alleged Murrieta. His head was preserved in alcohol and paraded around the state as proof of his death. However, debates about the authenticity of the severed head and the existence of Murrieta himself continued to swirl.
John Rollin Ridge, a Cherokee First Nation and the first Native American novelist, immortalized Murrieta in his book, "The Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta." This book played a significant role in shaping the narrative of Murrieta's life and exploits, creating a compelling folk hero whose legend has inspired numerous fictional characters, including Zorro and Batman.
The tale of Joaquin Murrieta, filled with injustice, revenge, and lost treasures, continues to captivate audiences today. His life and legend serve as a stark reminder of the racially charged atmosphere of 1850s California, providing a poignant commentary on the socio-political dynamics of the Gold Rush era.
While the treasures of Joaquin Murrieta remain elusive, his story continues to glitter in California's history, as radiant and enigmatic as the gold he allegedly stole. The legend of Joaquin Murrieta, whether fact or fiction, remains an integral part of the rich tapestry that constitutes the history of the American West.
Fact Check: History is often a blend of documented facts, subjective interpretations, and folklore. The story of Joaquin Murrieta straddles these categories, making it an enduring, albeit controversial, part of California's history.
~California Trail Stories: https://www.pacificadventureclub.com/blog/californias-golden-outlaw-the-lost-treasures-of-joaquin-murrieta
HEAD GAMES
~The Head of Joaquin Murrieta: https://stevenmcfann.substack.com/p/bring-me-the-head-of-joaquin-murrieta-d98
The fate of Joaquin Murrieta’s head proved less romantic and mysterious than that of Procopio. In need of money and unable to find someone to store the head, Patrick Connor auctioned the head off for a price of $36. It bounced around owners for ten years before being purchased in 1865 by S.J Jordan with the aim of displaying it in the Pacific Museum of Anatomy and Science. Halfway between Ripley’s Believe it or Not! and a cadaver storage, the museum contained about every imaginable oddity, many clearly constructed by human hand. The head of Joaquin sat amidst mummies, diminutive skeletons and supposed cyclops skulls. Detained for cheap entertainment, the indignity the head suffered is enough to justify the activism of Joaquin’s modern-day sympathizers. Whatever the guilt or identity of the man displayed, to deny him peace seemed to be a confirmation of the continuous war of attrition waged on Hispanics in California.
Joaquin spent his slumber in San Francisco for the next forty years. His sightless eyes watched the city transform. San Francisco was a wild, violent boom town when Joaquin Murrieta arrived in California. A town dominated by arsonist gangs, wrecked by inflation, and filled with virile and volatile young men seeking fortune. In many respects, it hadn’t changed. It was still a rough town full of vice where “anything goes” was the unspoken law. But it had also become a city of prestige and splendor, the “Paris of the West” where the wealthy flocked to luxury resorts, where the finest dining could be found mere hours away from dusty farms and ranchland. It would spend the next century as a wild west outpost for colorful characters living on the fringes of society and seeking the freedom of the frontier Paris. The beatniks, musicians, artists, the gay community, hippies, Hells Angels. All would call San Francisco home and add new color to the fabric of the City by the Bay.
But Joaquin Murrieta’s head wouldn’t survive to see this transition. It wouldn’t see Joaquin’s centennial. In the fires spawned by the Earthquake of 1906, his head was reportedly consumed by the flames. As witness to the rising flames in the ruined museum, Charles Bull wrote that “Murrieta’s trial by fire was his last ordeal. He died as he had lived, violently, and his funeral pyre was undoubtedly the greatest the world had ever known.”}}
The nachos was placed in the fridge for later - maybe tomorrow later, we were so stuffed.
Holland, stuffed to the gills, kicked back and settled into a comfy siesta:
I did a few stretching exercises: I need to stick to routine if I expect success. And I do expect success – that is what I am aiming; and working for. All of the exercises below are generally safe for a 69 year old woman to do, provided she is cautious and performs the stretch slowly and gently, avoiding overstretching or bouncing - if however, you experience pain or discomfort, stop.
Then, I pulled my WIP out, and pulled up a YouTube movie to watch while I worked rows back and forth:
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