Celebrating in Yosemite

We planned the celebration before the event I ended up celebrating.

We go to Yosemite National Park often. With all the rain (and snow in the mountains) California has had this past winter after five years of drought, the 80 to 90 degrees weather we had last week started the snow melting. The local news programs warned us the Merced River which runs through Yosemite Valley is running high, almost in flood stage. On top of that, there is a lot of construction happening in the park and parking is limited.

Merced River just outside the park off Hwy 140

Time for us to go! Wednesday -- middle of the week -- school isn't out yet -- newspapers warning we should wait until later -- shouldn't be too many people.

Meadow in Yosemite Valley -- green with standing water

Wrong! Evidently, about half the world's population didn't get the memo, because they were there, too.

Water level really was high -- more than I recall ever seeing it, although I missed the big flood of 1997.

As it turns out, it was a day of celebration for me. I have been struggling to finish my latest manuscript. What I thought would be between 27K and 40K words like my other books in the Eastern Sierra Brides 1884 series turned out to be longer.

Much, much longer. It ended up at 78.9K words. A full-size novel. A behemoth.
 

El Capitan on left, Sentinel Point. Cathedral Rocks & Bridalveil Falls on right

The way things were going -- more research for this book than any other than the very first one I wrote -- I had no idea I would finish this week, let alone before our planned trip. However, TUESDAY turned out to be one of those marathon days where I churned out 7,600+ words. 

Yosemite Falls

Are all those words good words? Keepers? Like the photo of Yosemite above, I doubt it. Especially the last 7,600 are questionable. I see a lot of cutting, tweaking and editing in my near future.

Next week.

The balance of this week after Tuesday has been time for R & R -- Rest & Recreation for both me and my manuscript. Next week will be soon enough to see if I turned out a majestic masterpiece or a real mess.

YOSEMITE: My National Parks Centennial Tribute

As I look at recent blog posts, I realize other than featuring a few guests, I have not posted much on this blog. That is because I have been busy writing on group blogs.

One of my favorite topics this year has to do with Yosemite. Considering this year celebrates the centennial of the National Parks system, it is only fitting I write about the topic. Since Yosemite National Park is the most notable park closest to where I live, and one I enjoy visiting frequently, it is only fitting that I write about this park.

I started with a post on Fire Star Press, an imprint of my publisher, Prairie Rose Publications. In June, just before President Obama's visit to Yosemite, I shared a photo journal of some sights in Yosemite National Park that the first family might visit. You may visit this post by CLICKING HERE.

In August and September, I did a duo of posts on Sweet Americana Sweethearts blog, a group blog I organized and administer with eleven other authors who write sweet historical romance.

The first post features another president who visited Yosemite National Park back in 1903. President Theodore Roosevelt spent several days in the park. Much to the chagrin of the local California politicians and others, the president managed to sneak away for a wilderness experience and meeting with John Muir with only two park rangers and a packer to attend him. You may read about it by CLICKING HERE.

The previous post featured one of the two park rangers who accompanied President Roosevelt, Charles Leidig. The post in September features the other park ranger, Archie C. Leonard. For this post, I have the fortune of knowing two descendants of Mr. Leonard who shared with me their personal photos and family history information and gave me permission to write about Mr. Leonard. You may read this post by CLICKING HERE.

Zina Abbott is the pen name used by Robyn Echols for her historical novels. My novel, Family Secrets, was published by Fire Star Press. 

In this photo I am standing by my buddy John Muir inside the museum at Yosemite National Park.

Please visit and follow the Zina Abbott’s Amazon Author Page by clicking HERE.