If you read last week’s post, you’ll remember that I visited Yosemite NP in early August with family to scatter my mother’s ashes, who passed away in March 2020. Please indulge me a bit more as I share more about our time together to convey this week’s theme, “reunited.”
A Pandemic Passing
Because Mom passed in early March, the pandemic closures had not happened yet, and we were able to be with her in San Diego when she passed. 2020’s pandemic kept countless people from being with loved ones who were seriously ill or passed away through mid-2021, depending on where you lived.
Her wishes were to be cremated and then have her ashes scattered in Tuolumne Meadows of Yosemite National Park. Because we still lived in California, we agreed that we could meet in the summer of 2020 to make it happen. My sister-in-law secured the permit. Then, BOOM, the pandemic caused California to shut down on March 18th.
In August 2020, pandemic travel restrictions were lifted, but some restrictions remained (masks, social distancing, etc.). Only part of my family gathered in my mom’s town near San Diego at the local community center and park, where we had a commemorative brick made to honor mom’s life.
Living in Sacramento then, I couldn’t make the trip, so I had to watch the small family memorial through Zoom and photos. In November 2020, as we were selling our Sacramento home, we drove to San Diego, where I finally saw the brick myself. That helped with some closure.
In 2020, every member of my family took the opportunity to make new real estate choices, whether refinancing, selling, and/or moving. All these geographic moves scattered us across three states, making gathering to finally memorialize Mom complicated.
“Dreams are the seeds of change. Nothing ever grows without a seed, and nothing ever changes without a dream.” – Debby Boone
All About Mom
I love this image of Mom, taken in 1979, standing at Vernal Falls in Yosemite Valley. Notice her short shorts, cute figure, and rucksack. She was 40 in this picture. She was the original Rucker (rucking is a newish fitness option—walking while carrying weight on your back).
Instead of calling it a backpack like ordinary people, she called it her rucksack. I used to tease her about it. And, of course, she had a paperback with her. Who knew she would be a trendsetter 40 years later? 😉
“Summer backpacked with her dream to reach a place forever green.” ~ Angie Weiland-Crosby
Let the Event Begin
Early this year, we coordinated with family to meet in Yosemite in August. We were literally all reunited for this event, four years in the making.
I flew from my home in Eastern Washington to California’s San Francisco Bay area to stay overnight with my oldest daughter. The next day, we drove through Yosemite National Park to the town of Lee Vining, a 20-minute drive to the Tioga Pass entrance into Yosemite.
It was a thrill to be reunited with my daughter and step foot inside Yosemite Valley once more—this was my 26th time entering the national park!
Once we arrived in Lee Vining, we met for dinner, where several of us shared gifts. My youngest daughter made gift bags with Mom’s picture, handmade beaded bracelets, and Mom’s favorite “red-red” lipstick, as she used to call it. We were encouraged to wear the bracelets and red lipstick while hiking to the Tuolumne River the next day.
My sister-in-law brought small containers to hold the ashes for those who wanted to spread them in various areas. She also provided stickers to decorate the plastic containers. This is mine, captured with my bracelet and mom’s urn.
I had the bright idea of posing our braceleted hands together, and someone else added that we should do this over her urn before we scattered the ashes.
On Saturday morning, we caravanned in three vehicles to Tuolumne Meadows, loaded with ice chests and provisions to spend the day there, honoring Mom and our family. We parked and then hiked for 30 minutes to the favorite fishing spot dubbed “the Cascades” by Mom years ago.
I was elated to be reunited with this area I had not seen since I was 17 years old.
Upon our arrival, my brother-in-law announced the time was 11:11 (am)! I shouted, “eleven-eleven, message from Heaven!” realizing Mom was here with us.
This was the first time my son-in-law saw Mom’s favorite fishing spot. And I’d say it was an excellent introduction to Tuolumne.
Moments later, as we each walked around in our private commune with mom, my youngest daughter placed her grandmother’s picture among some flowers overlooking the “cascades.”
I walked over, took the photo, and immediately sobbed for several minutes. This was why we were here, witnessing the final act of Mom’s physical resting place.
After some time spent here, we hiked back and enjoyed lunch in the parking lot. As we prepared to drive back toward Lembert Dome for another meadow walk, a thunderstorm began, typical of summer afternoons in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.
“And the rain comes washing clean, on the summer of my dreams.” ~ Kathy Mattea
We didn’t walk into this part of the meadow due to lightning and thunder. We stopped at the footbridge and…
We said one last goodbye to a beautiful woman, wife, mother, sister, auntie, and grandmother who embraced life, nature, and her family.
Let the Legacy Continue
Beginning in 1970, my parents took us camping every summer to various national parks. They created a leisure legacy for their children and our children, perhaps for future generations. This is why we chose the high country of Yosemite to honor Mom.
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” — John Muir
I will never forget being reunited with my family—brothers and their partners, daughters and their partners, and nieces—on the almost holy ground of Tuolumne Meadows to honor my mother’s life. Thank you for reading this long post.
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post. Please use your own original images, whether new or from your archives.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.
Sharing for Marsha’s Wednesday Quotes: Change
Please share your interpretation of REUNITED this week. Creativity is encouraged, so please share your own photographs (old or new), poems, original short stories, and music inspired by the theme. Join me next week as we explore “Before and After.”
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