I’m proud to have Native American roots stemming from my Great Great Grandmother who was Choctaw. She walked the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma as did so many of our ancestors. That’s basically all that I know about my heritage and, as many of us probably realize when it’s too late, I wish I’d asked more questions of my Great Grandmother.

My husband thought it was unfortunate that I did not have enough Native American blood to help me get a scholarship when we were going to college in Oklahoma. He actually made a big mistake in that regard. When we married, I was 19 and my father, who had saved for my college expenses, offered to pay for my education. My young, macho husband said “Oh, no. I will take care of everything.” When, at the age of 40, I went back to work on my third degree, a doctorate, Don asked my dad if he still had that money. Oh course it was long gone.  I guess age brought financial wisdom to both my husband and my father.

The jewelry pieces pictured today remind me of my Native American heritage. I regret that two of them are not better photos, but you will get the general sense of them. The brown piece is made of bone horn beads with tiger eye, turquoise and silver. It’s pictured hanging on a garment at Dovetails of Wimberley. There is also a picture of my new cell phone fob featuring a bone eagle. The second necklace has the same eagle beads. The other beads are jasper.