To the Beat of the Spirit Drum: A Hodgepodge of Life and Spirit Adventures

By Leila Oliver White

Leila Oliver White has celebrated 92 years of her life in Oregon. As the daughter of pioneers, she is well acquainted with the wilderness and wildlife that abounds in this rugged country. She lives by herself in the country with the help of good neighbors and close family.

This third book records her memories and forays into the spiritual realm.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491703977

Leila Oliver White

Leila Oliver White is the daughter of pioneers who came to Oregon in 1852. She currently lives in the country of Southern Oregon and enjoys the deer, cougars, bear, coyotes, racoons, squirrels and other wildlife that wanders into the view of her windows. Her prior books, Pendulum Dowsing and the Spirit Connection and Granny Ghost Buster, she shares adventures in the spirit world that are continued in this book.

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Copyright © 2013 by Leila Oliver White.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-0396-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-0397-7 (ebk)

iUniverse rev. date: 08/27/2013

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Preface

To The Beat Of The Spirit Drum

Making A Pendulum

Cats, Cats, Cats

More About Cats

Black And Decker

Lessons From The Animals

Nature’s Fragrances

Maggie, My Wire Haired Terrier

Snakes Get In The Act

My Encounter With A Real Snake

Ghostly Happenings

Practical Jokes

The Chicken And The Egg

The Rat And Its Amazing Travels

The Rat Goes Camping

Skeletons In The Family Closet

Daddy’s Old Fiddle

Scaredy Cat

Devil In The Class Room

School Bullies

Rings With Legs

Another Ring Walking

The Spirit Of An Indian Chief

Are We Fair To Ourselves?

Apologies

Metal Allergies

Missing Wheat Flakes

Spirit Things

The Subject Of Exorcisms

Vocal Spirits And Strange Lights

Haunted Rental House

Learning To Repair Books

Snow Birds

Trial By Jury

Orphan Humming Bird

Weather Predictions

Final Observations

To my daughter Eva.

My child, my friend, my partner in crime.

I miss you, but am glad you are in a better place.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to my daughter Linda McClellan without whom this book could never have happened, and to my son Harlan White who shared his adventures and Darlene Park, my granddaughter who also shared her stories with me.

PREFACE

When my second book came back from the publisher and was made available for sale at many book stores, I didn’t think I would be able to come up with anymore subjects. I thought I had surely used every available idea and subject and that was the end of my writing.

I had much encouragement and the theories and ideas kept coming. At the end of each chapter I wondered if there would be another. It was then that memories gave me a nudge and something I thought was gone and forgotten and unimportant would creep into my mind. Then I would realize what a vast store was awaiting me. I only had to let my mind drift back to earlier times. There were many things that took place in my life that I relived and could see that it would be of interest to others.

TO THE BEAT OF THE SPIRIT DRUM

The Drum

Gift shops are so interesting, especially in Native American casinos where many of the items are hand crafted by Native Americans. While browsing in the Seven Feathers gift shop in Oregon I found many things I admired, but I kept going back to three drums of different sizes. The medium sized one kept getting my attention. After looking at the beautiful woolen blankets and robes and a fine selection of handmade jewelry I realized that I couldn’t have it all. I decided on the medium sized Indian drum which hangs proudly on my wall. The other choices would have to wait until another time.

The drum is made of rawhide stretched over a frame of red cedar. It is about sixteen inches across and three inches deep. Small blocks glued together allow it to become the circular frame over which the wet rawhide is stretched. Thongs are threaded through the piece of rawhide that folds over the top of the frame and it is all pulled together underneath and becomes a braided strap. As the rawhide dries it becomes very tight.

Instructions for the care of the drum say to brush it with a light coat of Neet’s foot oil every few months to help keep the top of the drum tight; damp weather can cause it to lose some of the tightness that is required. My curiosity led me to research Neet’s foot oil, and I learned that it comes from the foot of an ox. It is used to restore saddles and Western items made of leather.

My husband was lying on the bed shortly after I had purchased the drum and I was standing in the hall wiping the top of it with a paper towel after I had applied the oil when something hit it with a loud bang. Needless to say I was amazed and startled.

There were many explanations about the cause of the loud whack on the drum while I held it in my hands. Most people said it must be the change in the barometer causing the rawhide to contract or expand. Later I learned through my Spirit Guide that sound was a call to attention. The spirits wanted me to know that they were around.

Now several years later something still hits the drum occasionally with a very loud whack that raises people out of their chairs and startles them. The loudness can be compared with the sound of a small caliber rifle shot. I have learned to