Olympic National Park inspired pendant
There are many things I love about my country and our National Parks are right at the top. We are so lucky that past federal administrations dating back to 1872 had the foresight to protect our most beautiful places, natural wonders, and historical places for future generations to enjoy and admire.
National Park Week begins today, April 19, 2025. The National Park Foundation is the official charitable arm of the National Park Service and is committed to generating private support, building strategic partnerships, and enhancing our parks for present and future generations. I hope you'll consider supporting them to protect these precious resources for us all.
Starting last summer I began a series of pendants that honor our parks. I hope to create many more this summer. The first one I created was this one honoring the Olympic National park, as it was in our backyard when we lived in Port Angeles. I've written other blog posts about this amazing park that is nearly a million acres in NW Washington. It has everything from a temperate rain forest to glaciers. A wild river called the Elwha with headwaters in those mountains was dammed twice, but only a few years ago was released to run wild again in hopes the record runs of fish will once again gain a foothold.
The pendant above was inspired by the gorgeous porcelain jasper that had an image that looked like a fish and artwork similar to the Klallam tribe's. At some point I'd purchased from Danny Wade a cast Salmonidae type fish. The anadromous type in that family are born in fresh water and go out to sea before returning to spawn. It was perfect for my memories of the area that include the annual Klallam canoe trip when it was hosted by the Lower Elwha tribe and my hope (and it worked!) for success on the dam removal projects.
Check in tomorrow for my next National Park inspired pendant!
“There is nothing so American as our national parks … the fundamental idea behind the parks … is that the country belongs to the people, that it is in process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us.”
President Franklin D. Roosevelt; 32nd president of the United States who signed Executive Order 6166, which created the National Park Service we know today