Zaytuna Summer Arabic Language Intensive--Berkeley CA

Hiking in the Berkeley Hills ZSAI 2008

Sakina Grome

Bismillah Ar-rahman Ar-raheem

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful

As part of the first Zaytuna Summer Arabic Intensive program held this year in Berkeley, California, students had the opportunity to participate in many local activities and gatherings. Besides attending classes and regular lectures, students were invited to local mosques, lectures, gatherings and other events taking place within the local Muslim community.

Throughout the program, our teachers encouraged us to become actively involved in our communities on all levels, to engage with whichever environment we find ourselves in, and to find solutions to the problems around us. There were many ways, they stated, that we could get involved, and they taught us that we are all leaders in one sense or another.

Our teacher and imam, Dawood Yasin, offered to lead us on a hike after the morning prayer on a Saturday morning in the Berkeley Hills. Many of us were already waking up to perform prayer and to recite a daily litany in congregation. We performed our prayer as usual, but instead of reciting the litany inside, we decided to read it as a group at the top of Strawberry Canyon after hiking up.

The hike occurred early into the course and I remember that it brought many of us together for the first time. It was a great outlet to the week of studying and working hard, while still giving us healthy motivation to keep focusing our attention and efforts towards striving to please Allah.

It was extremely pleasant to be in such a beautiful natural environment, and the experience even served to reawaken some of us to the bounty of Allah’s creation and our responsibility to care for it. The light that morning was stunning, and the collective witnessing of such a scene served to bring our hearts together and renew our spirits.

By the time we reached the top, pushing to get through the last stretch, the fog that had previously settled on the hilltops had cleared and as we sat in the remembrance of God under the shade of the trees, we could see all the way out to the bay. When we came down later that morning, there was a definite shift in our awareness and a contentment that filled our hearts.

Reading The Sands

In 2004 I read an article called Reading the Sands, and was glad to see something positive coming out of the Gulf region regarding the environment and the outdoors.  Here is a brief section of the article.


When I mention that tracking schools have been established in the United States in recent years that keep alive some of the knowledge developed by Native Americans, Abdulhadi Saleh notes the decline of tracking skills in his own country, without any such schools on the horizon as yet. Other than his own thesis, he cannot recall a single recent book in Arabic on the subject of tracking or desert guiding: In Saudi Arabia, he says, there are only living practitioners, and their numbers are declining.

“In the past, trackers emerged and were picked for their specific skills as well as for their character. It was a big responsibility and an honorable status within any tribe and clan. Trackers were decision-makers and often leaders,” he explains. “You’ll see their ability today.” Click here to read the entire article...

I connected a lot the material in the article with a book I am reading by Tom Brown  in his book, Tom Browns Field Guide: Nature Observation & Tracking he says, "Nature is far more colorful and fascinating than most of us can imagine. But our minds are so clouded by modern thought patterns ans stimuli that we do not perceive the pure and natural except through a distorting lens."

Queeche, VT Balloon Festival--2010

I am posting some old photos from the Queeche, VT balloon festival a few years back. We had a great time OUTSIDE, it was Father's day, and as you can see in one of the photos I got lifted with my G's. Great weather + great company = a great time. I'll say it again...Get Outside!

California Dreaming--Yosemite Summer 2011

It took me four summers to get to Yosemite, and all I can say is...It was worth the wait! I was fortunate enough to tag along with Yusuf O'Connell and Erin Bliss--seen in some of the photos. We only had 36 hours, it felt like our time was stretched us. What an amazing trip! I hope to get back there soon, this time...for like a month. Get Outside!

X-Mass Day Outside

Last year on X-Mass day we headed out to Occom pond to get on the ice with our skates. It was crazy cold, but that did not stop us from getting outside. When the weather is challenging we experience our surroundings in all situations, warm, cold, hot, windy, rain, or anything else. It's a great reminder of our limited control. What ever condition you find, make it work!

This year on X-Mass day I headed out with the G's on a short hike. The plan was to build a fire and grill some venison kabobs for lunch. The challenge was to start the fire without matches or a lighter. We did not take it to the the level of a Bow Drill, but we did use a Steel and Flint set up. They loved it! The temps were a little warmer than last year, nonetheless, it was in the low 20's. There were a few complaints about cold toes and fingers. However, once they started eating, all discomforts were forgotten.

Don't use the weather as an excuse to remain inside. Remember, there is no bad weather only bad gear and bad preparation!

Bows & Afro's -- There's No Place Like Home!

I love New England! For the last few years Northern New England is where we call home. When we moved up here I could not wait for bow season to start. I could not wait to get into these Big Woods and get on the deer. However, three seasons later I am still waiting for it to happen. There are many factors that have impacted my hunting, and to this day I have yet to taken a deer in NH or VT. The 2011 season was no different! Zero, still no deer for me in Northern New England.



In the early season I had plenty of photos of deer on my trail camera, so I knew deer were frequenting the areas where I hung my stands. Then, all of sudden they disappeared? Perhaps, it is the abundance of acorns that keeps them from traveling far from food these sources, I am not sure? What I do know is that I only saw about 6 more deer over the next 2.5 months.

The buck in the photo represents an interesting story. On Thursday, November 17th I flew down to Charleston, WV to pick a van I purchased. The plan was to drive back to New Hampshire in two days, pick up my wife and kids and drive to Cape Cod, and catch the ferry across to Nantucket to spend Thanksgiving week with my mother et al...and hunt really hard. While driving back to NH, I saw more deer between WV & NJ in two days, than I have seen in the last three years combined while hunting in NH & VT.



After arriving on Nantucket Sunday November 20th, I connected with my good friend Patrick Topham, and we looked at a few spots I wanted to hunt in the morning. We saw deer on their feet feeding--always a good sign. The next morning I got up early and headed to Polpis (an area on the Island) in a light rain. Under the cover of darkness I walked into the property slowly and sat on the ground nestled-up in some dense scrub oaks. At first light I began calling, trying to get a buck to respond to my simulated doe bleats. As I waited in silence anticipating a response...nothing! I thought, "here we go again, no deer!" I made a quick decision to change spots and make my way to a stand a couple hundred yards away.



Creeping across a field I saw these rubs and was stoked--tree rubs are caused by deer marking their territory, leaving their scent for does, and strengthening their necks for the ensuing battles. I knew a mature buck was working the area making these rubs, and my hope was that he received my text requesting his company.

I quietly made my way to the stand and slipped in without bumping any deer. I waited a few minutes for things to settle down, and began to bleat again. Almost immediately I see a deer creeping off the salt marsh walking directly towards me . This deer is completely oblivious to my presence. I remain motionless and let him walk in front of me. When he is 10 yards in front of me, I stop him with a grunt call. I am fixed on him the entire time, holding my bow at full draw. I release my arrow and watch the deer jump straight up and kick out his hind legs. I thought to myself, "did I miss?" The arrow was traveling so fast I could not see it. I watched the deer run off, and in about 3 seconds his front legs collapse, a clear sign that my arrow found its mark. The arrow was perfectly placed, resulting in a complete pass-through. The deer expired right in front of me. My wait for this year's deer was over!



This deer will provide halal, organic, pure, ethical meat for me, my family and any friends willing to share it with us, and for this gift I thank God.

I hope some day I can hunt the Midwest, and Kansas is pretty high on my list. However, for now, all I can say is....There's no place like home!

Can You Bear It?

I can Bear(ly) talk about all this Bear stuff. However, if that Bear returns Maryam will be ready to Bear down on it. Her rain of arrows will be unBear(able). Can you imagine that? Can you Bear it?