Nature Journal with John Muir and the John Muir Conference
Art work by Susan Barry (www.susanbarry.us.index)
With our new publication Nature Journal with John Muir
edited by Bonnie Johanna Gisel we were invited to the
recent John Muir in Global Perspective Conference
March 31 - April 1, 2006 at the John Muir Center at the
University of the Pacific in Stockton California.
Our new volume is a writing, sketching journal with quotes
from John Muir's writings heading up each page and
providing inspiration for writers, artist, naturalists and all
who enjoy nature as John Muir did. Bonnie Gisel, noted
John Muir scholar and Curator of the LeConte Memorial
Lodge, the Sierra Club's home in Yosemite National Park
and author of Kindred and Related Spirits: The Letters of
John Muir and Jeanne C. Carr, drew quotes from John
Muir's original writings, many that have not been collected
previously.
edited by Bonnie Johanna Gisel we were invited to the
recent John Muir in Global Perspective Conference
March 31 - April 1, 2006 at the John Muir Center at the
University of the Pacific in Stockton California.
Our new volume is a writing, sketching journal with quotes
from John Muir's writings heading up each page and
providing inspiration for writers, artist, naturalists and all
who enjoy nature as John Muir did. Bonnie Gisel, noted
John Muir scholar and Curator of the LeConte Memorial
Lodge, the Sierra Club's home in Yosemite National Park
and author of Kindred and Related Spirits: The Letters of
John Muir and Jeanne C. Carr, drew quotes from John
Muir's original writings, many that have not been collected
previously.
We know of John Muir's relationship to
Yosemite and his involvement in environmental
preservation. We know he started the Sierra
Club and wrote a great deal on his travels and
work as a glacialologist, botantist and
preservationist. We know he was instrumental
in getting Yosemite set aside as a National
Park and we know of his failed struggle to
preserve Hetch Hetchy Valley against the City
of San Francisco. But so much of what John
Muir was and what he did is not generally
known.
Jo Moulin from the John Muir Birthplace Trust
in Dunbar Scotland was at the Conference to
give us a look at what it was like for John Muir
growing up. They have turned his birthplace
into an interpretive center focused on John
Muir's work. www.jmbt.org.uk
We learned of his years in Canada from Scott
Cameron and Ron Knight. We learned of his
travels to Finland and Western Russia from Dr.
Mikko Saikku. We found out from Dr. Michael
Branch that late in life Muir took another of his
extraordinary adventures and traveled to the
Amazon and to East Africa. He truly was a
global traveler.
Yosemite and his involvement in environmental
preservation. We know he started the Sierra
Club and wrote a great deal on his travels and
work as a glacialologist, botantist and
preservationist. We know he was instrumental
in getting Yosemite set aside as a National
Park and we know of his failed struggle to
preserve Hetch Hetchy Valley against the City
of San Francisco. But so much of what John
Muir was and what he did is not generally
known.
Jo Moulin from the John Muir Birthplace Trust
in Dunbar Scotland was at the Conference to
give us a look at what it was like for John Muir
growing up. They have turned his birthplace
into an interpretive center focused on John
Muir's work. www.jmbt.org.uk
We learned of his years in Canada from Scott
Cameron and Ron Knight. We learned of his
travels to Finland and Western Russia from Dr.
Mikko Saikku. We found out from Dr. Michael
Branch that late in life Muir took another of his
extraordinary adventures and traveled to the
Amazon and to East Africa. He truly was a
global traveler.
Dr. Bonnie Gisel, Michael Branch and Stephen Joseph
Bonnie Gisel and her collaborator Stephen Joseph took
us on there quest to locate and collate into a book the
significant contribution that John Muir made to the field
of botany. Muir went as far as Alaska to collect and
identify Herbarium Specimens
us on there quest to locate and collate into a book the
significant contribution that John Muir made to the field
of botany. Muir went as far as Alaska to collect and
identify Herbarium Specimens
On March 29, 2004, California
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
announced his selection of the
John Muir- Yosemite design to
represent the Golden State in the
U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters ®
Program. The design was adapted
from a concept by Garrett Burke
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
announced his selection of the
John Muir- Yosemite design to
represent the Golden State in the
U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters ®
Program. The design was adapted
from a concept by Garrett Burke
Hetch Hetchy Valley before the Dam
Our book table
We also learned from Dr. Robert
Righter that the final battle that Muir
engaged in, saving Hetch Hetchy
Valley, may indeed finally be won.
Feasibility Study 2005: Finding the
Way Back to Hetch Hetchy Valley: A
Vision of Steps to Restore Hetch
Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National
Park and to Replace Water and
Energy Supplies
(September 13, 2005)
This major new study reveals that
practical, reasonably priced solutions
exist which can easily replace the
water and energy that would
otherwise be lost if O’Shaughnessy
Dam were removed and Yosemite’s
Hetch Hetchy Valley were restored.
The above taken from the
Restore Hetch Hetchy website
www.hetchhetchy.org
John Muir's work continues
Righter that the final battle that Muir
engaged in, saving Hetch Hetchy
Valley, may indeed finally be won.
Feasibility Study 2005: Finding the
Way Back to Hetch Hetchy Valley: A
Vision of Steps to Restore Hetch
Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National
Park and to Replace Water and
Energy Supplies
(September 13, 2005)
This major new study reveals that
practical, reasonably priced solutions
exist which can easily replace the
water and energy that would
otherwise be lost if O’Shaughnessy
Dam were removed and Yosemite’s
Hetch Hetchy Valley were restored.
The above taken from the
Restore Hetch Hetchy website
www.hetchhetchy.org
John Muir's work continues
Garrett Burke led us through his unlikely
adventure as the person in California who
contributed the concept design for the
California State Quarter. It was a
delightful presentation and a wonderful
lesson about the place that John Muir has
in our states history and Garrett's joy in
bringing the story of the Quarter and Muir
to the school children and people of
California.
www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/coin/
garrett_burke.html
adventure as the person in California who
contributed the concept design for the
California State Quarter. It was a
delightful presentation and a wonderful
lesson about the place that John Muir has
in our states history and Garrett's joy in
bringing the story of the Quarter and Muir
to the school children and people of
California.
www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/coin/
garrett_burke.html
This Publisher and Conference guest
Thanks to Jill Harcke
Director John Muir Mountain Day Camp
www.muircamp.org
for providing the photos of the Conference.
Director John Muir Mountain Day Camp
www.muircamp.org
for providing the photos of the Conference.
Who was John Muir?
John Muir (1838-1914) was America's most famous and
influential naturalist and conservationist. He is one of
California's most important historical personalities. He
has been called "The Father of our National Parks,"
"Wilderness Prophet," and "Citizen of the Universe." He
once described himself more humorously, and perhaps
most accurately, as, a "poetico-trampo-geologist-botanist
and ornithologist-naturalist etc. etc. !!!!" Legendary
librarian and author Lawrence Clark Powell (1906-2001)
said of him: "If I were to choose a single Californian to
occupy the Hall of Fame, it would be this tenacious Scot
who became a Californian during the final forty-six years
of his life."
The above paragraph was taken from the Sierra Club
website John Muir Exhibit.
www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit
John Muir (1838-1914) was America's most famous and
influential naturalist and conservationist. He is one of
California's most important historical personalities. He
has been called "The Father of our National Parks,"
"Wilderness Prophet," and "Citizen of the Universe." He
once described himself more humorously, and perhaps
most accurately, as, a "poetico-trampo-geologist-botanist
and ornithologist-naturalist etc. etc. !!!!" Legendary
librarian and author Lawrence Clark Powell (1906-2001)
said of him: "If I were to choose a single Californian to
occupy the Hall of Fame, it would be this tenacious Scot
who became a Californian during the final forty-six years
of his life."
The above paragraph was taken from the Sierra Club
website John Muir Exhibit.
www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit
We at Poetic Matrix Press hope that this new writing journal will make a
contribution to the work of John Muir and will become an able tool for poets
and artists and others to find that moment of true meaning and maybe pass it
along to the rest of us. We wish to thank Bonnie Gisel for the opportunity to
be a part of this project.
If you are a teacher, workshop leader, naturalist leader, participate in a writing
group, etc. we would like to work with you on ways of utilizing this writing
Journal as a tool. We have the Nature Journal with John Muir in hardcover
and paperback. Please get in touch with the Publisher.
contribution to the work of John Muir and will become an able tool for poets
and artists and others to find that moment of true meaning and maybe pass it
along to the rest of us. We wish to thank Bonnie Gisel for the opportunity to
be a part of this project.
If you are a teacher, workshop leader, naturalist leader, participate in a writing
group, etc. we would like to work with you on ways of utilizing this writing
Journal as a tool. We have the Nature Journal with John Muir in hardcover
and paperback. Please get in touch with the Publisher.