Gold for New 49ers!

I got out my crusty miner costume for San Lorenzo Park’s 2024 49er Days, meeting with six groups of 4^th graders. I told them about life beneath canvas while searching for gold and also shared my mostly true bear story about Bill, Terry and Michael. Suffice it to say that Terry always survives the bear’s panicked retreat and did so again — six times! I thank able organizers Julia and Fiona for including me in the event!

P.S. I might have mentioned “Joaquin’s Gold”. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QFRCT4N/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MUHK5KC819MC&keywords=Joaquin%27s+Gold+and+other+tales+of+Old+California&qid=1642121544&sprefix=joaquin%27s+gold+and+other+tales+of+old+california%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-1

Wine and Gold!

Walton & Walton were in business together last Sunday at the Subject to Change Holiday Market, selling Glassmaker wines and Joaquin’s Gold. We had a fine time gently hawking our wares together. Great wines and a great book — what’s not to like? You’ll have to dream about the wine, but you can get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Joaquins-Gold-other-Tales-California/dp/B09RTX6G3G/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

“Llorona” is one of the best!

 Bewildering Stories just included “Llorona” in its Third Quarterly Review, a collection of the best stories from all its summer issues. I’m most pleased that Joaquin Murrieta’s encounter with the famous ghost was so honored!

http://www.bewilderingstories.com/anthologies/anthos2020/861-872_antho.html

Llorona is in Bewildering Stories!

Central California historical anecdotes and local legends have inspired and informed many of my stories, especially those including Joaquin Murrieta. The Los Burros gold mining area has many ghostly tales and it is the setting for this story. Joaquin rides in to Manchester, a mining camp in the Santa Lucia, to search for a missing woman. He finds her and a treasure, as well.

http://www.bewilderingstories.com

P.S. A spoiler – Manchester really did burn down, but no one knows the true cause.

Gold Rush Days at San Lorenzo Park

MCARLM’s great history event for 4th graders took place again last Tuesday and Wednesday. Though I didn’t have my tent for day #1, I still told 49er stories and sang “My Darling Clementine” with the kids. They got to pan for gold, eat hardtack and visit the blacksmith’s shop, as well!

P.S. Mothers and aides were thrilled to visit with their old school teachers, too. Many of us can still do a fine job – at least for a day or two!

 

A Bear Story for the Ages at Gold Rush Days

The bear comes out of the tent. He’s looking for Bill!

I told “THE BEAR” story and sang campfire songs with 4th grade students at MCARLM’s 2017 Gold Rush Days at San Lorenzo Park. I saw fifteen groups of kids over the two days of the May 24th-25th event. Among other things, they also visited a blacksmith shop, a one-room schoolhouse, a general store and a chuck wagon. Best of all, they panned for gold! My many colleagues did a great job and California history came to life!

Bill scared that old bear!

My Darling Clementine

Phoebe Cheney and I before the 4th graders arrived – Photo by Joan Ungs

San Lorenzo County Park near King City is an underappreciated (at least by many) treasure and the Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum is its crown jewel. The museum took a really big hit on May15th, literally so. A hundred year old, seven feet in diameter eucalyptus tree tried to take the roof off the barn at about six in the evening. It failed – by a little – and nobody was around to be hurt. The folks at MCARLM had scheduled a big, three-day historical event for local kids beginning on the 16th. Everyone pulled up their bootstraps and we went ahead with the presentations. Local 4th graders put their hands (tongues, ears, stomachs, feet and everything else!) on the history of our gold rush. I got to be a 49er and introduce them to Clementine’s boyfriend. You know the guy: “How I missed her! Until I kissed her little sister!”