Mike's Bowls

Today we celebrate the 133rd birthday of Yosemite. On October 1, 1890, Yosemite was designated as the third national park in the United States. Though we mark time as the distance between events- in this case, Yosemite's conception as a national park, to the present day, what if we thought about time as the cumulation of moments between people and place?

Let's conceptualize each moment of joy a visitor has experienced as a single blade of deergrass, a native meadow species. This moment could be anything from observing a black bear for the first time, to seeing the Chinese Laundry exhibit and learning that someone who looks like you was instrumental in the foundation of this park. Each of these moments, blades of grass, unite to form something bigger; a meadow, be it Ahwahnee or Cook’s, Ackerson or Tuolumne. The whole of our shared experiences is infinitely greater than the sum of these individual moments.

Of course, Yosemite’s story goes back much further than 133 years ago. Ahwahnee, the original name for what we call Yosemite today, was taken care of by Ahwahneechee, people of the Valley, who have been present here for nearly 4,000 years. The national park that we celebrate today was not created without harming Native individuals, communities, and practices. The Seven Associated Tribes of Yosemite: Bishop Paiute Tribe, Bridgeport Indian Colony, Mono Lake Kootzaduka’a Tribe, North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California, Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, and Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians, maintain relationships with this land and we recognize them as the original, current, and future stewards and guardians of Yosemite.

There are so many stories to be shared and celebrated. Many untold stories to seek out and listen to. And so many stories are yet to be written. What is your Yosemite story?

Photo by J Hallett.

Concepts inspired by Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer.

We played hooky from out art projects today and drove over to Bodega Bay on funky Coleman Valley Road with the top down. It was bright and sunny at the coast with no fog or clouds in sight and about 66 degrees with a light breeze. I call that a perfect day at the coast!