THESIS: August 2015

Located west of the island was Blossom Rock, a treacherous submerged rock that lay only 5 feet below the surface of the water at low tide. Blossom Rock was discovered and named in 1826 by Captain Beechey of the HMS Blossom. Beechey noted that the rock could be avoided by aligning the northern tip of Yerba Buena Island with two especially large redwood trees growing in the East Bay hills as one entered the Bay. These redwoods were located in what is now Roberts Regional Recreation Area, near the "Madrone" picnic area; the area is marked with a historical marker. The "Navigation Trees" were logged in about 1851, exacerbating the danger of Blossom Rock. The top of the rock was blown up in 1870, and another section removed by blasting in the early 1930s.

There are three parks located on Yerba Buena Island. Hill Park near Treasure Island Road and Macalla Road which used to be a military cemetery until the high visibility traffic approach to the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition necessitated its removal and transfer of graves to the San Francisco National Cemetery in the Presidio of San Francisco. With Blue Park and Tower Park atop YBI by Yerba Buena Drive.

In his book Two Years Before the Mast, published in 1840, Richard Henry Dana, Jr. mentioned the island and called it "Wood Island".

https://localwiki.org/oakland/Blossom_Rock_Navigation_Trees_(California_Historical_Landmark)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_Buena_Island

Baucis and Philemon

So the question becomes what could this possibly have to do with the myths and legends of the Mediterranean? We know plenty of stories where gods love mortals and they always seem to end badly for the mortal. Adonis, Cyanus, Hyacinth….. mortal is killed and god or goddess mourning for a while transforms them into a plant. No kiss eternal and no lives grown ever deeper into each other. The story of Baucis and Philemon is one of the beauty of human love. It’s a simple tale, but then the most meaningful are, and we find it passed from the Greeks into the Roman’s literary tradition. From there it took Europe by storm for centuries.

The story goes that Zeus and Hermes were discussing the state of humanity and decided to dress up as poor travelers. They travel the world looking for a bed for the night and some food but find themselves turned away at every door. In the end Zeus is in a bad mood and Hermes isn’t smiling either and both agree that humanity had become wicked in it’s treatment of strangers. Finally, after visiting every house and being turned away the pair end up far out in the marshes at the edge of town. It’s here they came to a hovel where the couple Baucis and Philemon lived. This couple had nothing and yet they invited the strangers in. The little they had to eat was offered and shared. The small pitcher of beer was shared and though these strangers drank heartily the pitcher never seemed to empty. With this Philemon began to suspect that something was amiss with her guests. Saying nothing she refilled the beechwood cups. Each time they were emptied and still the jug remained full. Whispering to her husband they realized that they were in the presence of gods and so fell to worship offering to cook their only goose for them. Hearing it’s fate the goose ran and hid in Zeus’ cloak and so the gods reveal themselves.

Zeus tells them that the goose is to be kept alive and that the couple should climb a hill nearby, not looking back until they reach the top. This they do. Screams and the rushing of water are heard but the couple walk on not daring to look behind. When they reach the summit they turn to see the land has been flooded and the people are all drowned. In the ravaged land only one building stands, their cottage, which now stands as a gleaming temple amid the ruins. So Baucis and Philemon become the guardians of the temple and are promised that when they die they will not be separated from each other. When death’s kiss finally comes they feel themselves being transformed. Baucis into an oak and Philemon into a lime their branches joined together over the temple door. There they remained forever, bound one to the other in death as in life.

THESIS

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

CLIENT / CULTURE

Trees