09 Jun Mis vecinos los Pájaros carpinteros

The weekend before I headed to Yosemite, I attended the Xochilhuitl ceremony in which we celebrated spring. It was important to me to pay my respects as well as get my blessings from my elders before starting on my journey in Yosemite National Park. Once I left the ceremony I packed my bags and gave my love to my loved ones and headed for Yosemite. My summer housing is located in El Portal, California, just outside the Yosemite National Park boundary. It is a hot place within a valley surrounded by sage and oaks. I share a house with three other park employees. One of them is a fellow aquatics crew member, another is a search and rescue employee, and lastly a vegetation intern. I also share a house with a family of Acorn Woodpeckers. Every day after work I see the woodpeckers outside in the patio talking to each other. They mostly try to guard their acorns that they’ve cached in my patio. Most of the time, however, they do not bother me and usually keep me company especially after a long day of work.