My Mantra for Today

Courtesy of Dear Sugar at The Rumpus, this is my M.O. for the day. And the mug is also on my wish list.

What are you setting out to do for today?

Image courtesy of The Rumpus shop

The Ark of Taste

A few months ago, Inside Sonoma published this article on rare local foods. Sonoma County has four of the 200 regional foods recognized on the Slow Food Movement's "Ark of Taste" list of foods under threat.

Photo by Ariane, Inside Sonoma

Our specialties include: dry Monterey jack cheese, gravenstein apples, crane melon and mission olives. Have you had any, or all of them? The good news is the Slow Food Movement has heightened awareness and these items are making a resurgence.

What are the endangered foods where you live? Check out the Ark of Taste site to find out.

Lessons from Fruit

Love yourself today! And eat some fruit.

Yosemite- Day 4

Last day in Yosemite! I made the decision to exit via the south so we could see the other side of the park and delay our departure by a few miles.

But first, one last look before leaving the valley.

When we reached Wawona and the Pioneer Yosemite History Center.

Just think, this used to be the fancy way to get to the park.

My heart stopped at "stagecoach rides." And at covered bridges and historic structures. Then I just pretended I was Laura Ingalls Wilder.

From inside the old artists' cabin, where we met one of the artists-in-residence.

Little house in ... Yosemite?

The smithy.

Buying tickets for a coach ride at the original stagecoach office. Those windows! The ticket lady! My heart.

The stagecoach ride was bumpy. And dusty!

Our driver- a single, employed man looking for a wife who can cook, sew and has all her teeth. He drinks a little, but he's a catch!

Making friends.

In jail.

I found my room. It looks move-in ready, don't you think?

We hopped on the shuttle to see the redwoods in Mariposa Grove, which I'm a little concerned about. How many more fire scars can these babies withstand?

This guy is known as the Grizzly Giant.

The Bachelor and Three Graces.

One last look before we leave?

Yosemite- Day 3

For the last day camping and hiking in Yosemite, my dad and I had our biggest hike yet up to the top of upper Yosemite Falls. It's a good 7.6 miles, nothing we can't handle. And lucky timing, too, since in a couple weeks this seasonal waterfall will most likely be dried up till next year. Did you know this is the highest waterfall in North America? Here are some views on the way up.

I wasn't a fan of the ravenous, immune to human, zombie-like squirrels, but I liked to see this little guy laying on his stomach. Or maybe he was on a stakeout for his next meal from an unsuspecting hiker?

This could be a repeat photo, but I seriously couldn't get enough of this view.

Scared of heights? Me, too.

Yosemite hosts many youth programs throughout the summer to help kids (like here below) develop their connection with the environment.

For more info on protecting Yosemite, check out the Yosemite Conservancy page.