May Meet Up
Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Location: Shuttle Bus stop #3 at The Ahwahnee Hotel
May is typically peak dogwood blossom season in Yosemite Valley, so we thought we’d get together at the west end of the valley and slow down to appreciate and journal the magnificent show there. On dogwood trees, the beautiful white displays that people normally call flowers are actually bracts – a specialized kind of leaf that forms at the base of the cluster of actual flowers – and helps the diminutive flowers attract pollinators. Cool, right?
Of course, dogwoods will be only one of the many wonders in the east end of Yosemite Valley, so I hope you’ll join us for some quiet exploration of whatever we discover.
What to Bring
- Something to write with and on. I usually have some extra stuff if you forget, or just want to experiment, but a bit of printer paper and a pen or pencil is also just fine! The goal here is to slow down and observe the natural world around us, and put our insights and questions on paper. Although not necessary, having some options for color is also fun – whether that’s watercolor, colored pencils, pastels, or markers.
- Clothing layers. As usual in Yosemite, we’ll expect the temps to dip as the sun gets low in the sky, so come prepared with a few extra layers. We will have the option of retreating to the hotel if it is truly chilly, but an extra warm layer or two will make staying outside more comfortable.
- Magnifying glass? (optional) The teeny tiny flowers of dogwood trees might be best explored with some kind of magnification. A phone magnifier or a pair of close-focus binoculars would probably also do the trick.
- Your Curiosity and Wonder. The last thing on the list, but the most important.