Week#5 (10/13/2024): Each week brings new learnings . . . just as it does in all our lives.

Hurricane Milton arrived this week and I am grateful my family and friends who live in Florida are all well.  However, I know that was not true for everyone.  Milton was brutal for sure.  For all those who have suffered loss and are still suffering, I am holding you up in prayer.  Between the devastation of Helene and Milton, coming one right after the other, it has been a difficult time.  God bless all of you who are going out of your way to help those in need.  When things go bad, we come together.  That’s the beauty that lies within us.  Every effort you make, every kind word you share, every dollar you give, and every prayer you offer matters and is important.  Thank you for all that you do.

I mentioned I came down with an allergy attack last week.  Feeling much better this week as I continue to take allergy meds.  The cough remains but is getting better for sure.  Unfortunately, I ended up with an attack of fever blisters on my lip so I look a bit rough.  They are pretty large and very uncomfortable.  Ugh!  However, this too shall pass.

Monday was back in the library preparing for our new volunteer’s arrival.  Madeline Miller comes to us from Florida and will be here for 6 months.  She has Cabin #1 (I have #9).  She and her two sisters did a real decorating job on her cabin.  She even made a You Tube video to share a visual tour of her new home.  Take a look! Click on this link:  Madeline’s cabin #1.

Just a reminder, here is my cabin.

 

I also found out this week that our cabins have a laundry cabin as well.  Cabin #15 is the laundry room with 2 washers and 2 dryers as well as mops and vacuums that can be borrowed.  There is also an area where you can leave things for others to take and use.  Thanks to Madeline for asking if there was laundry.  I didn’t even think to ask! Here’s another YouTube Link for the Laundry Room. Just click on this link: Laundry facilities 

Tuesday is my Interpretation day at the Welcome Center.  I shadowed the Ranger in the morning and then had the Ranger shadow me in the afternoon.  A little stressful but I managed to answer much more than I thought I would.  The variety of questions never ceases to amaze me.  It’s the really open ended ones that give me pause.  Such as “I’m just here for 2 days, what should I do?”  That gets into hiking questions, fitness levels, levels of interest and in what types of things, etc.  You get the picture!  The best of questions however came as I was walking into the museum.  A couple stopped me as they had just heard what sounded like a gun going off (I heard it too.). They asked if that was the notice that a bear has been seen and if so where should they go so they could see it up close.  While I was not familiar with the sound or that it even came from a Ranger, I assured them that a face-to-face meeting with a bear was not something they wanted to do.  They assured me that was the only reason they came to Yosemite and that they wanted to see a bear as soon as possible!  They then asked, “Don’t you have something to call the bears so visitors can see them?”  Just as an FYI – National Parks are not Zoos!  I tried to express to them that bears were all around us here but that they did NOT want to meet one face-to-face for their own safety.  They were done listening and headed off to where they thought the sound originated sure that they would come face-to-face with a bear.  Sometimes, you just can’t get your point across.

Virginia (Research Librarian) and Madeline (new volunteer) spent Tuesday together getting acquainted and settled into the role.  The remainder of the week we three worked together to get a few projects started. Madeline set mouse traps (and emptied them when we caught a mouse), but more importantly she and I took the library cataloguing class together.  She is a master librarian so she is well aware of library procedures and will be a huge asset.  She was also great in helping me to understand the processes required for cataloguing.  I’m going to love working with her!

Madeline Miller comes to us from her home state of Florida.

 

On Thursday we noticed footprints on the top of two books that were shelved. Take a look!

paw prints on top of 2 books on the shelves

 The prints are too big for a mouse but were perfect for a ring-tailed cat.  After some investigation it was determined we have a ringtailed cat living in our library.  Likely entered through the old fireplace at the back of the room.  Haven’t seen it but it is likely that is the reason we do not have lots of mice around.

According to the National Park Service, the California Ring-tailed Cat is a desirable animal as it seldom causes any concern to people and its prey is almost entirely the smaller native animals. Occasionally in dusty places the small, somewhat cat-like tracks of the Ring-tailed Cat may be seen in the early morning, showing where it has been hunting abroad at night in search of wood rats, white-footed mice, and similar game. It spends the daytime in small caves among rocks or in the hollows of logs or trees.  So, our fireplace has provided the Ringtailed Cat a nice home and we love it for keeping our mice population down.

Ringtailed cat
Rather cute I’d say . . .
Fireplace is just under the clock. It’s a beautiful large stone fireplace that deserves to be seen. I hope we can get it uncovered before we leave!

 

Madeline took Friday to get more familiar with the park and I had lunch with an old NPS friend who works for Yosemite remotely from Santa Fe, NM.  Becky Latanich was my first supervisor in NPS at Sitka National Park. She is a warm soul with a firm but positive leadership style that was easily adapted to . . . so much so I returned to Sitka for a second visit.  Unfortunately she had moved to Pecos National Park by then.  Almost ten years later our paths crossed again here at Yosemite.  She works for the Museum which is the same area where the Library resides.  It was great seeing her again and catching up.  She is as delightful as always.

Saturday was a trip to Walmart.  That means a 2-hour drive to Merced.  I stopped in Mariposa to do laundry and wash my car and then headed another hour plus to Merced.  A stop at Walmart and one at Target supplied me with everything on my list and I returned home around 6pm.  While a bit of a drive it was a beautiful view of the open spaces around me here in California.  What was once green lush cover over the mountains is now a brownish color due to fall.  Not the golden colors of fall back home but beautiful just the same.

There was a fruit store just outside of Merced called Merced Fruit Barn.  They have all sorts of dried fruits and nuts.  Their website is www.MercedFruitBarn.com for anyone interested.  I’m also happy to pick you up anything of interest as I know I will make one more trip to Merced before I leave and it is also on my way back to Texas in December!

Upcoming events include (1) a trip to the Ahwahnee this week with my friend Mary and her friend Grace who is arriving today from Scotland, (2) The Yosemite Valley Floor tour courtesy of volunteer Madeline and scheduled for October 19, (3) new volunteers Laura and Elizabeth arriving October 22 and (4) Halloween celebration in the El Portal community complete with two food trusts, Sal’s Tacos and Madera BBQ on October 31.  

 

Please forgive all errors, take care of yourselves, stay safe and blessings to all.

Hugs, Mara

P.S.  I have been trying to get the old posts to move to Archives section.  For the life of me I cannot figure out how to get them off the main page.  This week is #5 so you can ignore Week #4 and earlier posts.  Eventually I will figure this out . . . if you know of any solutions to move these off the main page please let me know.  By the way, the only one posted as “STICKY” is #5.  

 

 

3 thoughts on “Week#5 (10/13/2024): Each week brings new learnings . . . just as it does in all our lives.”

  1. I love your ringtails cat is keeping your Rosen population down. I’m a sucker for all animals, including those that live in walls
    Some people won’t understand wildlife until they become dinner.
    Glad to read all you’re doing. Love the updates!

  2. Ask your doctor for Acyclovir and get a tube of abreva for your fever blisters.
    I’m loving your adventure from afar. I admire your adventurous spirit. I miss you but December will come soon. Stay safe ( no face-to-face with a bear, lol) and have fun. Hugs, Carol Ann

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