This past weekend, I had the good fortune to be in Sacramento during the Annual Indian Art & Crafts Market at the California State Indian Museum. This is a small but wonderful museum which sits at the corner of the property just outside Sutter's Fort State Historic Park in the heart of Sacramento.
California Indian cultural items in the museum include fabulous collections of basketry, beadwork, clothing and exhibits about the ongoing traditions of various California Indian tribes. Descendants of the first Californians, tens of thousands of them, still live in California and still cherish and carry on their unique cultural heritage. Indigenous people have donated many photographs of family, friends and memorable times for use in the museum. A section of the museum features a hands-on area, where visitors can try their hand at using Indian tools, such as the pump drill, used for making holes in shell beads and other materials; the mortar and pestle and soap root brush, made from the soap root plant, all used for grinding acorns.
The event showcased about 15 artists or families who came from all over California.
There I met
Chuck Snell and his wife who sell traditional shell jewelry and supplies for making your own jewelry. Their dentalium shell necklaces are a popular item in the museum's gift shop. I was able to purchase from them some of these necklaces as well as a selection of abalone earrings.
This jewelry is simple, elegant, timeless and very affordable. It will make a spectacular addition to our store at the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park.
To read more about the dentalium shells and their significance in the Native American cultures,
read this interesting article.
It's always exciting opening boxes here at Friends, because I never know just what I'll find - we're constantly receiving shipments of hermit crab figurines, telescopes, raccoon finger puppets, custom-made socks, hand-carved gourds from Peru and fused-glass jellyfish, just to name a few. This morning, as I opened one of our latest shipments, I knew immediately that we had picked a winner.
These Naturalist Library Pocket Journals, made by Michel Design Works, are the newest addition to the parkstores. Brightly colored, intricately designed and oh-so-compact and convenient, these little gems are perfect for the naturalist with a passion for writing (or anyone with a grocery or to-do list!).
Each notebook features a delicate study of birds, flowers, shells or fish. The patterns are overlaid with romantic handwritten words and phrases culled from vintage postcards. The designs evoke old-fashioned botanical prints, sketches and watercolors done by early botanists and naturalists. As a testament to just how gorgeous these notebooks are, we sold three to our staff before the price tags were even on! You can get one too, by visiting any of our five park stores.
Spring is here and the Pacific Migrations Visitor Center at New Brighton State Beach is open for business again. Welcome back to lead interpreter, Jeff Barnes.
Good Health, Extreme Happiness, Good Fortune!
Some of you may not have yet discovered Epicenter Cycling in Aptos which opened in December. The store, conveniently located at the entrance to Nisene Marks State Park, is the Santa Cruz area home for all Trek Brand bicycles and bicycle service. It also features a great assortment of accessories for the mountain biker.
We feel this is a great outlet for our Nisene Marks "That's My Park" t-shirts and the trail maps for Nisene Marks and Wilder Ranch. Thanks to owner, Shawn Wilson for giving us the opportunity.
