Get the cake out, today is Kings Canyon National Park's Birthday! We did a lot of exploring in Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks in the Fall of 2013, and one day was extra special....along with seeing the the Nation's Christmas Tree and hiking the Zumwalt Meadow Trail, we met "John Muir!"
Mr. Muir, the "Father of the National Parks" was taking a stroll with a bunch of park visitors, sharing fascinating facts about the Giant Sequoia Trees, and all kinds of plants and critters, and even some neat looking bugs. But then, he gathered us all around in a circle, and asked us to hold hands. Uh oh....was I going to have to sing? Thankfully not....us sock monkeys have some screechy tones!
What he did do, was share the story of The Web Of Life...how we are all connected and in some way depend on each other to survive. Just as we could all find something in common with each other in our little circle, so does the plant and animal world. Bugs need dead leaves, hawks need the chipmunks, bears need the grubs, bees and hummingbirds need the flowers, even ants help plant roots....Wow! Every living thing has a purpose!
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."
At the end of our nature lesson with Mr Muir, he gave me a big hug and told me that I was a special little monkey, and that he was proud of me for being an advocate for National Parks. Thank you Mr Muir!
It's amazing who you can meet in a park!
Miss P.
PS....Did you know that Kings Canyon is one of our oldest National Parks? It was originally established on Oct. 1, 1890 as General Grant National Park, to ensure the permanent preservation of wilderness character 25 years prior to the passing of the Wilderness Act.
PPS....Did you know that John Muir loved Kings Canyon so much he once called it "a rival to Yosemite!"
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