- Family Weekend: Nov 3-5, 2006
- 2006 Family Weekend
- Yosemite National Park
Four families joined us for our annual WildLink Family Weekend from November 3-5. Yosemite graced our weekend with a full mantle of autumn color. Activities included a private screening of the film The Spirit of Yosemite, a day of guided hiking and independent exploration in Yosemite Valley, and a campfire under the stars. Read on to hear the participants' highlights of the weekend.
I enjoyed the beauty of Emerald pond. The glassy surface was like a mirror, that reflected the awesome wild outdoors.
I really enjoyed the views we saw on the Vernal Falls hike, but most of all, I appreciate the work that was put into this weekend. Mandy and Peter's work is very much appreciated!
Sleeping at Mirror Lake Family of deer An enchanting view of night sky Plus digging on the river for some gold
One of my favorite sites of the Yosemite national park was the half Dome. Even though this is my second time here at Yosemite, and visited Half Dome before, I never realized the Face of the Woman crying. Finding it today was an experience in itself.
I thought that happy isles was a very enchanting place, especially where the water began to turn a deep blue color before the first bridge.
The museum was very interesting. I got to see how weaved baskets looked that were made many years ago.
My favorite part was the village. It was just amazing.
I loved the squirrels!!!! I also liked climbing on the big, big, big rocks!!!!
The view was grand, the hike was great, the fellowship was wonderful, I'm so glad Yosemite is in Cal state.
I loved Yosemite, beautiful view!! It makes me come to enjoy this camp next year, too!!
I like it, Go Wild!
This hike was so fantastic! The views were breathtakingly beautiful and it was fun to have a challenge. Deeps is awesome! I loved the yellow leaves!!
The colors were inspirational! Especially rich emerald green & vibrant goldenrod yellow. Besides all the obvious beauty everywhere, I was impressed with the mind-boggling masses of granite this valley represents. I also liked the eagle head shape I saw in the large rock in the pool at the bottom of Vernal Falls.
I enjoyed seeing Yosemite again, especially in the Fall. It was great!
The walk to Vernal Falls was fun—this is my first time in the autumn colors—the hike was well planned.
Family Recipes 2006
In the spirit of a long-standing tradition of the WildLink Family Weekend, several of our participants shared some of their favorite family recipes and the stories behind them. Read on to learn their stories and how to make their favorite dishes!
Spanish Stuffed Salmon
Who is in your family? Ruth, Yolanda, Tony and Mathew
Where does it come from? This is my grandmother's recipe. It is from Spain.
What is the story behind this dish? Mother Yolanda learned from her mom, who learned from her mother, who resided in Madrid, Spain.
Ingredients: 1 whole Alaskan King Salmon (headless) 1 16 oz. can stewed tomatoes 1 whole bell pepper 1 whole onion 2 lemons Lawry's garlic salt Pepper (to taste)
Preparation: Stuff salmon cavity with ¾ stewed tomatoes, chopped bell pepper and onions, one entirely squeezed lemon, sprinkle garlic salt and pepper to taste. Close salmon. On top of salmon pour remaining lemon in circles on top of salmon. Again sprinkle pepper and garlic salt to taste. Wrap entire salmon in foil and place on cooking sheet in oven at 350 degrees. Bake 30 minutes according to size of fish. Check tenderness of fish with fork. When salmon is flaky and tender, open foil and continue to cook for 10 minutes.
Banana Waffles
Who is in your family? Fred and Julene, John, Jenni, Joyce, Julianne, Janelle & Jill
Where does it come from? This is my mom's recipe. It is from America.
What is the story behind this dish? My mom hates to waste food, so she came up with the idea of using overripe bananas to make waffles instead of banana nut bread. She started doing this when I was a toddler, and it became a Saturday morning tradition to have banana waffles while listening to kids' programs on the radio (we didn't have a tv). My older sister started making them a few years ago with various fruits, and we enjoy them other days of the week, too.
Ingredients: 2 ripe mashed bananas (other fruit options are applesauce, chopped fresh apples, fresh berries, cranberry sauce(with whole berries!), canned or fresh peaches. Use your imagination and experiment!) 2 eggs ¼ cup vegetable oil 1 cup milk (can also be sour or buttermilk) 1 tsp. salt 2 tbs. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. cinnamon 4 tsp baking powder 3 cups flour (use ½ whole wheat, ½ white)
Preparation:
Mash bananas in mixing bowl. (We use an 8 cup Tupperware mix and store for this; it makes pouring the waffle batter easier). Add eggs, oil and milk in any order and mix well. Add salt, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and baking powder, and mix well. Add flour and mix well again. Batter should be thin enough to pour easily. If it seems too thick, add water until it is thin enough. (Add water in small amounts—maybe a ½ cup at a time). Can be topped with syrup, yogurt, etc.; we also just eat them plain or with just butter.