Project 1776: Flight of the Falconers

How a random Facebook post brought me back to my first ‘Project 1776’ Landscape Energy Photo Series.

Falconer Lady overlooking Secret Beach - Land of the Lenape.

Have you ever felt that the universe has a plan for you and even if you stray from that plan or take long breaks, that it always finds a way to bring you back to the thing that matters the most?

Well, the other day the most random post completely changed my end of year ‘goals’ and my big plans for 2026. That’s right, a random Facebook post that had no business being in my feed. Maybe, sometimes, algorithms can be a blessing…

In today’s blog post I will share a little bit of the background story of my journey creating Landscape Installation photoshoots all over the country for the past 22 years. But before that, I have the Harvest Moon Owl my husband and I encountered:

The Universal Nudge!

In early October, on the bright evening of the Harvest Moon, we came upon the most beautiful white speckled owl. Huge orange moon shining behind her as she sat on a wire a few feet above our path. We stopped in awe.

As we stood there for the next few minutes, she grabbed our gaze, piercing our hearts. Bringing the truth of who we are flooding to the surface.

As we stood there in silence, I received this huge message to not waste time, to get on with my projects. With what exactly or how, I wasn’t sure. There was an inkling, but not a solid knowing, I felt unnerved by the power of the message.

After what felt like an eternity, with the energy inside me burning to the point of discomfort, she took off - moving silently through the trees aided by her massive wingspan. We glanced at each other, dumbfounded nodding. We took hold of each other’s hands and finished the walk in silence. We were shaken awake by the fierceness of her penetrating gaze, an ancient unfolding.

Two weeks later I write the post below, as the purpose of that owl meeting becomes clearer. This is the first post of many, a completely different direction to my blog than I had originally anticipated.

I am so excited to begin presenting the last 22 years of the art photography - land energy - ancient earth explorations I have created around this beautiful country.

The Opening.

Written 10-19-2025

I had an awesome experience a couple of days ago and it got me reminiscing about my very first Landscape installation (Land Energy) photo shoot from the Project 1776 series.

Last weekend, there were huge hurricane-like storms that came through where I live in North Carolina and then traveled up to the New Jersey coast. I was born and raised in New Jersey and my family is still there, so I like to keep track of what’s going on, especially in my favorite spots along the coast. As I was following a NJ weather Facebook group, a post appeared in my feed from an unrelated group that focused on NJ history.

The post that caught my eye was about an American Revolutionary war battle, the Battle of Chestnut Creek and Little Egg Harbor massacre, near Mystic Island in South Jersey. The town name jumped out at me and as I read the story of Count Casimir Pulaski (another familiar name), I decided to double check the details. After a quick search on Google maps, I confirmed that this battle turned out to be where I had completed my first Project 1776 photoshoot, Flight of the Falconers, back in 2011!

Click Here to See my Landscape Installation Art!

Noticing the Universe’s ‘Coincidences’

After making the connection between this historical post, the battle location and my photoshoot, I spent the rest of the day in reverie.

The 1776 series had recently been on my mind because of the 250th anniversary next summer of the founding of this great country. With all that is currently going on, I was having trouble connecting to the inspiration of this little world.

And with one swift universal tap on the shoulder, I was re-connected and inspired. I mean, what are the odds that 14 years later I would be re-ignited to the first whispers of Project 1776 because of a random Facebook post. Life is so grand sometimes!

*The ‘Flight of the Falconers’ artwork project had set me on the most extraordinary life path, completed almost 14 years to the day: 10-09-11 / October 9, 2011

The Origins of Project 1776 and the Native American Turtle Clan.

The reason why I chose that spot in Little Egg Harbor is because I considered it the center of the Land of the Lenape. The Lenni Lenape are an ancient group of people that have lived on the sacred lands surrounding the Delaware River / Philadelphia/ Southern NJ for millenia.

There are three native clans that spread out geographically, the oldest being the Turtle clan. William Penn also figures strongly into the early days of change. In the future I will write a post of the path to the turtle and how important it is to this country and even the earth.

How the Hopi Prophecy, Blue Star Kachina opened me to the sacred Lenape Lands.

The turtle connection has been very significant for me for the last 20 years (Another story for another day). Through my experiences with the Hopi, I also came to realize the Turtle Clan of the Lenape are called the peaceful ones, the Original ones.

In the previous few years I had many incredible experiences out west - making deep connections to mesa verde, the Blue star kachina, Blue corn maiden, the White Buffalo, the two Chiron crows, and even the Mayan k’atun + baktun.

The Hopi look to the east for their most ancient ancestors and crossing over the Serpent Mound towards the east coast of the Lenape. My experiences of the ancient land energies began with the mounds of Ohio & the midwest, later heading out to the western lands and Hawaii for more exploration, and eventually returning to my home on the east coast. All while holding this new knowledge to guide my stories of the ancient Lenape.

The Mound Builders, the Hopi and Hokule’a lead me back to New Jersey.

Five years prior to 2011, I had been doing many photoshoots at native sites throughout the United States. My focus was mainly the ancient mound builders in the central and western country, and later the Hawaiian islands. By 2010, having lived in NYC since college, I decided to focus on the east coast and, in particular, the area in New Jersey where I was born.

I came down from New York City every weekend for months to scope out the Pine Barrens and find the ‘perfect’ spot for this New Jersey photoshoot. I visited so many spots where there are only remnants of towns and villages. I went to every historical society I could, to see old maps and pictures, to try to piece together the mysteries that inspired me so deeply.

During that time I came across several authors whose life work unraveled many of the mysteries of these tucked away places. Henry Charlton Beck was one of them. He braved the hidden villages and its people for many years to piece together the beginnings of old New Jersey.

Once I began my quest, I couldn’t get enough of these magical places, the history overlapping, its spiritual significance. I had built it up so much in my head, I wanted to honor the land I was born on, the land of the Lenape.

Strangely enough, those 2011 May through October south Jersey explorations ended with me back at the very first potential photo shoot location I came across in the Little Egg Harbor area.

Jersey Genesis - The Story of the Mullica River by Henry Charton Beck - The Pine Barrens

Flight of the Falconers Returns.

When I returned mid October 2011 with dolls in tow, wild temperatures of 96F greeted me. I drove by use of memory (no iPhone or google maps during that time!) somewhere past the Jacques Cousteau research center, over 7 small, mostly one lane wooden bridges to a place I called ‘Secret Beach’.

Unknowingly, I climbed through a small forest of native poison ivy bushes to land on this nearly deserted island sand bar, a horseshoe mating grounds, with an old ship captain’s house as the backdrop.

A few monarchs were left fluttering around, seemingly complete with their migration.

Beautiful Monarchs on this hot October day, 2011.

The Stillness Within.

This spot, already sacred to me, is where that photoshoot was to be. On my way down crossing the last of the bridges, I had passed the ancient Lenape mound made of discarded mussel shells. The absolute stillness of the marshes and estuaries, seemingly untouched from those long ago times.

As I ‘set up shop’ quieting my inward self and methodically placing my materials on a towel in the sand, my spirit started to do its thing. Memories of experiences loosely connected in my heart and spirit, rising up: my first trip four years before to Serpent Mound in southern Ohio, a spot where I had an unexpected spiritual ‘initiation’ with Trungpa Rinpoche’s spirit at my side.

My heart full, I listened to the calls and nudges of where to go, what to do. With all of those experiences, on this excellent day and place, I created ‘Project 1776: The Flight of the Falconers’. The main characters being Falconer Lady, Robin Hood and Cowgirl. The photoshoot name came to me ‘out of nowhere’ and even though it didn’t make sense in my logical mind, the name stuck. It was perfect.

Answering the Call.

The Project 1776 series began in 2011 because undeniable signs began to appear in my life. I couldn’t help noticing whenever I would complete a photoshoot, information would come to me in unexpected ways.

The information presented spiritual connections between these ancient sites layered with early American occurrences.

I naturally began to gravitate towards photoshoot locations that most emphasized these connections. It took many years to look back to the progression of these photoshoots to make these connections.

Once I became aware of certain things and went with it, the floodgates opened. There was a quickening and a calling. I was being guided more directly in my purpose.

The Peace that Comes from Following Your Heart.

It’s funny to say this, as I write these words with a huge smile on my face, but it also got to be a lot more fun. It was always fun, but now, there appeared a camaraderie with Earth and what I would often call the ‘little elves’.

What became clear was the transformation of the land energies. The sprouting of seeds, the planting of new ones. Connecting all these places together.

I moved somewhat unconsciously in these creations as I went through my own spiritual transformation. I was led in a way that is impossible to describe.

What Now?

As I described the coincidence of this Revolutionary War facebook post to my husband, I was bubbling over with that excitement and wonder from 14 years ago.

And he said, “Well, that’s because you are on a mission!’ And, so I am!

So what does this all mean? For me, it is huge sign to continue with the photoshoots preparing for the 250 year anniversary of 1776. It also is a reminder to write the stories down, to finish what I started. There is so much more to be done, more to learn, more to connect, explore and share.

And the Universe’s message to us all: Keep Exploring, keep Creating and keep Sharing!