November's national park post

MESA VERDE National Park

November is Native-American-Heritage-month and I researched Mesa Verde, Colorado National Park, known for it’s “Cliff Dwellings”.

 

  Not only did I have nps.gov as my source but Ken Burns included information on his National Parks documentary  and my school library had a book about it as well.  So fascinating.  

 

 “For over 700 years, the Ancestral Pueblo people built thriving communities on the mesas and in the cliffs of Mesa Verde. Today, the park protects the rich cultural heritage of 26 tribes and offers visitors a spectacular window into the past.”

The Anazi people built houses - almost like apartments - into the cliffs of Mesa Verde, Colorado,  in the 1100s.  One long house had 150 rooms.  By the 1300s they abandoned the area, probably because of drought..  Their cliff dwellings were first discovered in the late 1800s with everything untouched.  Unfortunately the dwellings, artifacts, etc. were unprotected and as word grew they became a free-for-all with people helping themselves to the souvenirs.  Hurray for our country declaring it a national park in 1906.  Archeologists, anthropologists and the descendents of the Anazi people (Hopi Indians) were able to take their time in restoring some of the roofs and walls that had naturally collapsed, in retrieving clay pots, tools and other belongings of the people, and even discovering their mummified bodies.  They were able to learn so much about these people. 

Now, you can visit these cliff dwellings as part of a guided tour.  You can see things but not disturb or take anything away from the sites.   I admire the people who have worked together to make this possible.

 •”All of Mesa Verde is an ancestral home that is still inhabited by ancestral spirits, and should be visited with respect. Please do your part in honoring Mesa Verde by staying on trails, leaving cultural and natural resources where you find them.”

“Hiking Mesa Verde - For thousands of years, people have traveled across this landscape of sloping mesas, expansive vistas, and rugged canyons. Today, you can follow in their footsteps by exploring nearly 30 miles of park trails. Hiking and scenic drives offer spectacular views of the cliff dwellings and surroundings.”

But, though hiking is what I am most interested in in every other park I’ve visited - physically and virtually - the only thing I am really interested in at this park is the ranger guided cliff dwelling tours - which does naturally include hiking. All but one of the cliff dwelling tours require tickets and reservations and are led by a ranger.  I would love to go and respectfully be inside these dwellings.

ideas and suggestions

 (I've been thinking about this a lot over some time but don't remember if I blogged about it.)

There are so many wonderful things about being in a big family.  Some hard things, however, is you can feel lost - feel like you just blend right in and no one is all that interested in you or your interests, etc.  So I realized a while ago that it is important for each person's self esteem to have their suggestions and ideas heard, and even followed once in a while.  

For example, going back to my young adult years - my brother Tom loved a book called "The Princess Bride" so when it was made into a movie he really wanted us all to see it together.  For some reason I assumed I wasn't interested.  I assumed it wouldn't be that good, and I was reluctant to even consider Tom's ideas.  Years later, when it came out on video, I ended up watching it and loving it.  I can't remember if I told him that - that he had a great suggestion.  I've always felt bad about my attitude.

Another more successful example - a few years ago the kid's cousin Natalie and her kids came to stay with us for a few weeks before our big family reunion.  We did a lot of stuff together.  Mariah specifically had a park she wanted to share with us and wanted us to eat at one of her favorite sandwich shops - that of Jewish/middle Eastern sandwiches called "Schwarmas".  Everyone loved the park; not everyone was convinced they would love the sandwiches but we all went anyway because it meant a lot to her.  I am so happy that we did.  

This last summer we spent one of the most copasetic and happy few days together of our family's life.  Everyone seemed to pitch in, took their turns at providing meals and activities.  One thing Julia had suggested for years is camping at Kirby Cove, just across the Golden Gate Bridge.  I didn't have much interest in it - I envisioned it being right there in the middle of the city.  But we decided it was worth it to take her up on her idea.  I know she felt some pressure as we were having a hard time finding the special, remote access road and code.  But we persevered and it was beautiful, so fun, and something I would love to do again.

I know that I have appreciated when the family has gone on walks with me to new trails I've discovered in- between visits.  One Christmas Eve Reggie suggested we do Alcatraz together and that was amazing. 

I think we still have a lot of work to do in this department.  We are a big family and there are probably still some of us who have not been heard; whose ideas have not been followed.  I hope we can rectify that situation.

My birthday

 By 11:30 am Saturday my birthday was absolutely wonderful.  (It started off with a stressful trip to the bank which I will explain in my "Safety Deposit Box" post another day).

Reggie had gotten tickets to the "Scrooge" play at the auditorium at the Oakland temple so he and I and Samantha headed up there around noon.  We walked around the beautiful grounds, saw old friends, visited "The Giving Machine" and met up with Tom, Madeline, Elizabeth and Ben.

The play was wonderful.  Even thought there was trouble with the sound/microphones now and then, we were ok because we love that musical so much we almost have the dialogue and songs memorized.  The actors had beautiful voices.  

We headed home just as the Christmas lights were coming on.  We had a beautiful sunset to light our way and it cast a shadows on the buildings in the city so they looked like black silhouettes.  I wish I had thought to take a picture.

When we got home Mariah & family, Julia and family and Luke were here and had decorated and planned a party.  We played a "Grandma" trivia game with the kids, they had made a throne for me to sit in, they bought a deliciously rich chocolate cake and filled the room with balloons.  Reggie picked up the dinner I had requested - burritos and such from a local place called Guerreros.  With the cake we had present time - lots of clothes, lotions, home-drawn pictures, happy birthday videos from Hillary's family because they couldn't be with us, Reeses and a book. 

We ended the night with Mariah, Samantha and I watching "If You Believe", though I did fall asleep half an hour in.

I enjoyed the time with the family and felt their love, which is just what I needed.

Thanksgiving 2021

 Sometimes the house is so quiet with just me, Reggie, Samantha and Luke here.  Other times, like this Thanksgiving, it is refreshingly full and loud.  We had 19 people this time - us 4, Julia's family, Mariah's family, Tom & Madeline with Elizabeth and Ben, Linda and Leilani.  It was a fun time.  I especially enjoyed us sitting around watching the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving videos and the Thanksgiving episode of Northern Exposure.  

It was a beautiful day and I was happy to see Tom & Madeline get some amazing pictures of the light blue sky and yellow setting sun as they walked along our cliffs.  I mean how many people can say that their childhood playground was cliffs covered in ice plant - but that was true for most of us there and I know Tom especially misses it.  It was also nice that Reggie has had a little break from traveling and got some Dad/Grandpa time at the Academy of Sciences with most of the family in the morning.  (Thanks to Ross for holding down the fort and making the turkey).  

The strangest thing of the day though is that there were hardly any leftovers.  Thanksgiving is the one time that you don't want to make the exact perfect amount, but from the turkey to the potatoes, pie, etc. it was just the right amount for the day.  We might need a re-do just for leftovers.

Week long Thanksgiving preparations

 I have been preparing for Thanksgiving all week long!  Luckily I have the week off from work.  I remember years ago that the district chose to give the schools the whole week instead of just Thursday and Friday - maybe to give families more time to prepare or travel for Thanksgiving.  They added on three days to the end of the year to make up for it, but that's ok.

Monday was all about shopping.  I got out there plenty early - right after dropping Samantha off at work.  There was still a crowd, but not too bad.  And honestly, I think most people are so grateful to be out again - as compared to last year - that they/we are more patient, more polite, more - well - grateful for everyday life.

Tuesday I actually went to Safeway before taking Samantha to work because I needed to move my vehicle for street cleaning.  It worked out great.  Then I got more done at home.  One reason this is taking me all week is that I am determined to use my mother-in-law's china for the meal.  But I will save that for a post all it's own.

I got a walk or two in during the week, able to go different places and take a little more time than I do on a work day.

And finally, we've been having Northern-Exposure on throughout the week because of it's Native American theme, and The Great British Baking Show - the current season and holiday episodes.  I love it.  I also have had my Autumn playlist keep me company as it will be retired Thanksgiving night to make way for Christmas music.  Here are my favorite Thanksgiving songs:

And one by Garth Brooks and James Taylor that they don't have on youtube. We've been accessing it by Amazon music.

a special project

 I haven't blogged much this month because I have become obsessed with a special project.  I explained it this way to my mother's descendants: 

Dear family - I'm going through some of Grandma's papers right now and decided I'd like to post in this group a little bit longer, to share some information with you.

Grandma's biggest goal and wish in the last few years of her life was to get her personal history written. She told me a couple of times that she worried the family knew a lot more about Grandpa than they did about her. She wanted her family to know her stories. And so she saved everything - every piece of paper that might be relevant and jog her memory about her life; every magazine article that gave advice on how to write your personal history; every recipe; every letter and email between herself and her parents, siblings, etc. Every card given to her. Unfortunately she wasn't able to get her personal history done. She kept starting - and back in the '70s got quite a bit written - but not much since then, as she was so busy. After Grandpa died she thought she'd have the time to get it done. Several of us tried to help her with different strategies, but she would try them and then kindly say that she appreciated the help but wanted to start again and do it her own way.

Grandma was the most organized person I've ever known. Recently I found her tax returns from the 1950's, all filed away nice and neatly. She even kept a list of what files she had made and which file cabinet they were in. But, in going through her papers I am seeing when things started to change. A few years ago she still saved things but just didn't have the ability to organize them anymore, and like I said, wasn't able to write about her life like she had wanted to for so many years. I think for the last few years she might have been living with the condition that finally took her life - Cerebral Vascular Disease. It was pretty subtle, until about a year ago. Then she began to suffer, but endured admirably.

So anyway - I hope we can get her personal history written for her. Until we figure out how, I thought I'd post some stories about her here - about her last year of life and about the treasures we are finding in the things she saved. It is never too late to get to know her better.

So since mid-November I've been doing at least one, sometimes more, posts a day telling her stories.  It has felt SO good and important.  But I do want to keep going with this blog, so hopefully I can get a few posts in before November is over. As for this post, I'll leave you with this - I just found it and it might be my favorite picture of her.

A November Tradition

 Because my birthday lands right around Thanksgiving, I tend to go on a clothing shopping spree.  Reggie is always asking what I want for my birthday and for Christmas so it makes sense to me to wait until then. And, because the clothes are presents I tend to get a little more and not be frugal on the price as I would if I were shopping at any other time of the year.  I even feel good about throwing in some impracticalities in from Bath and Body works.  It really has been fun.  I have also realized I like online shopping.  The selection seems better than what you can find at each individual store.

The only problem is I then need to get myself out of the shopping-spree mentality and back to real life.  But I certainly do have a nice birthday and Christmas headed my way!

Back to November

 We're in the middle of a month that has been clear and crisp in the mornings, warm in the afternoons.  I love the "autumn iceplant" and yesterday I couldn't get enough of the sun shining through the trees.  One of my favorite movies refers to these as "angel rays".  I love angel rays.  

June's National Park post (yes, catch up for June!)

 CRATER LAKE

Crater Lake inspires awe. Native Americans witnessed its formation 7,700 years ago, when a violent eruption triggered the collapse of a tall peak. Scientists marvel at its purity: fed by rain and snow, it’s the deepest lake in the USA and one of the most pristine on earth. Artists, photographers, and sightseers gaze in wonder at its blue water and stunning setting atop the Cascade Mountain Range.

The park was established for purposes of research and preservation.  There is still much curiosity about what is going on down there!  

In researching these national parks I usually describe the walking areas.  But, though the site did mention that there are walking/hiking areas, it didn’t describe any.  What the site concentrated on/chose to describe was driving areas - especially overlooks and pullouts.  The scenic “Rim Drive” 

The historic Rim Drive includes 33-miles (53-km) of lakeviews, panoramic vistas, forests and meadows. The contours of the road were designed to compliment the natural landscape, and disappear from view as you look across the lake from any point. Along the way there are 30 overlooks with ample car parking, which provide opportunities to stop for views of the lake and caldera. Rim Drive provides access to five picnic areas, hikes of various difficulty, geologic formations and several waterfalls. And though I'm not a snow person - wow does it look beautiful in winter as well as summer!

Halloween 2021 part 2

 Halloween 2021 Reggie and I were party crashers and it was great!  First we joined in on the Serramonte Ward's (Tagalog speaking) Halloween party.  Julia's in-laws are part of that ward, and they were in town, and had invited Hillary and family who were in town to join them.  Reggie and I and Samantha were up and decided to join in too.  It was so fun!  Costume parade, lots of games and lots of food.  This was held at the Daly City church building where I grew up, my girls grew up, and Reggie first visited and eventually joined the church.  It was very sentimental to be there again.

Next we went to our Pacifica building and joined in the SF 5th (Samoan speaking) Halloween party.  This one was also so much fun and huge!  They had invited all the wards in the stake to join in and the neighborhood surrounding the building.  There were games happening inside and a bbq and just hanging out outside, until sunset.  Then the "Trunk or Treating" began.  

My favorite part was the music.  They had dancing inside for a few minutes and I tried my best to do the cha cha slide with my daughters and kids.  Then outside, during Trunk or Treating, I followed the D.J. as he was playing old school music from mine & Reggie's era, and walking around with a huge speaker on wheels.  I got a lot of good pictures of the people, cars, etc.

This Halloween I felt such a sense of belonging, of welcome, of community.  After sheltering in place last year, lying around our house trying to get over Covid, this was just so wonderful!

                                           The Cha Cha Slide below - I'm practicing for next year!