Christmas 2011

Dear family and friends,

It is late November as we write this. Outside our window, it is snowing heavily. Last Tuesday, 20” of snow fell upon Holden Village, wrapping us in our white, winter blanket for the next five months. Tonight we expect another 10” to fall! We have adapted to life in the snow quite well. Last winter, Brennan skied nearly every day after work, and Tara took up snowshoeing. Cold weather is also conducive to hot cups of coffee, knitting, and long conversations with friends. As the days grow shorter, darker and colder, and as the church calendar begins anew with Advent, we look back on the light of 2011 with gratefulness.

Last February we decided to serve for another year at Holden Village, a Lutheran retreat center in the North Cascades of Washington State. Brennan is the Utilities Lead, overseeing the power, water, and heat functions in the village, and Tara is the Crafts Coordinator, teaching a variety of classes in weaving, paper crafts, sewing, and fiber arts. Each day brings a new adventure in these jobs! Our spare time is spent hiking, reading, and home brewing. We currently have three batches of homebrew in progress: Oatmeal Stout, mead (honey wine), and a doppelbock called “The Holdenator”. We have also enjoyed a few trips out of the village, including a road trip with friends to Arches, Bryce, Zion, and Grand Canyon National Parks. This spring, Brennan participated in the downhill ski leg of Ski to Sea, a relay from Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay. Another important part of our year was our “daughter’s” graduation from Holden High School. Confused? Let us explain. For the 2011-2012 school year, we were host family to Alisha, a senior boarding student from Minnesota. She quickly became part of our family. Her graduation in June was a joyous time, but it was very difficult to say goodbye. Many of our friends and family have visited us at Holden this past year as well. It has been a blessing to share with them this place that has become such a part of us.

Now we are looking ahead to what’s after Holden when our term here ends in July. We are applying to teach internationally for the 2012-2013 school year. For those of our friends who share our faith, Advent is a time of waiting and listening. And so this December, as we wait and listen, update our resumes and apply, we trust that we will go out from Holden with good courage no matter where our next steps lead. Emmanuel has come: God is with us.

May peace be with you and yours this Christmas and into the year to come.

Love, Tara and Brennan

9/18/11

Brennan’s Holden Summer notes in reverse chronological order
This past weekend: Plan A; climb Copper Peak with Dale; he had to stay in the village as Medic. Plan B; Climb Mt. Fernow with Chris; we weren’t confident enough in the weather forecast. Plan C; Pack my float tube to Holden Lake and go fishing. So I went with Plan C, and decided to spend the night there so I could fish for two days. The fishing was pretty good, 28 fish in two days, mostly Cutthroats to 11” with a few rainbows, most of them taken on flies that I tied. I did find out that my waders have some small holes in the feet. But that was nowhere near as interesting as the porcupine that wanted to cuddle that night. After an hour of deep sleep I was jolted awake by an odd feeling, which turned out to be a 30lb porcupine at my knee looking for some salt to lick. I yelled at him and he ran off. He came back, I threw rocks at him, he ran off. He came back, I threw rocks at him and chased him up a tree by hitting him with my hiking pole. He didn’t come back, but I spent the rest of the night paranoid that he would come back, as well as thinking about what I would do if I accidently killed him, as I hear that porcupine is some of the best tasting meat there is.

A porcupine near Holden Lake from an earlier trip, possibly the quilled cuddle craver

The swimming has been great the last month, and I am keeping up my streak of swimming every month. I also decided to ski every month this year, which has brought the transcendent beauty and motion of winter to these warm summer months. However it will be nice to not have to pack skis 3,000’ to access this joy.

Mid August: Tara brewed her first batch of beer, a Classic American Pale Ale called “The Village Blonde.” I brewed a batch of Imperial Raspberry Stout, it is going to be good!

Early August: Climbed Cardinal Peak and Emerald Peak with my friend Kevin who was on staff for three weeks (it was utterly fantastic to spend this time with a great friend). These climbs brought some partial views of Lake Chelan, as well as providing a great context of the Railroad Creek Valley and Holden amidst the sea of peaks that is the Cascades.


A tight squeeze on Cardinal peak


Kevin on Cardinal

Even earlier August or maybe late July: Climbed Bonanza Peak with Kevin and Dale. At 9,511 feet, Bonanza is the highest non-volcanic peak in Washington. Having spent over a year gazing at it, longing to climb it, and generally being scared shitless by this thought, I finally had the right people to give it a try and feel confident in our abilities. We spent the night bivied 3,000’ below the peak, with a great view of the next day’s route, which did not aid in sleep. We topped out at 9:30 the next morning, and were soon enveloped by clouds, but we were able to get some nice looks at the valleys that surround this massif. After 7 or 8 rappels we picked up our camp and headed to the village for Friday night salmon dinner, which was delicious even with the aching feet (that were wishing I had changed to dry socks for the last 6 miles). The next day Kevin and I hiked to Domke Lake to do some fishing. We splurged and rented a motorboat instead of a rowboat based on our previous day’s accomplishments. The fishing was for 12-13” rainbows and cutthroats, and was very good, especially considering we could see the peak we climbed the previous day in the distance.

Heading Up Bonanaza


Dale and I on top

Rest of July/August: Various hikes to Copper Basin, and Holden Lake. Our friend Jen visited in the middle of July and we went up to Holden Lake with the Shultz family, and most of the lake was still surrounded by snow. One of the Copper Basin trips was with Tara (I packed up my skiis and got in my August ski up there). The bugs were so bad we took along our tent so we could spend some time enjoying the basin without going crazy. I napped in the tent while Tara painted Copper Peak in her watercolor journal. Watched two Barn Swallow chicks fledge on our porch railing as they were alternately fed by their attentive parents. Spent a night camping and fishing at Domke Lake with Tara, Scott, and Lori. Is there anything better than fresh fried trout and wine overlooking a lake at sunset?

Skiing in August!

June: Hiked 20 miles along the shore of Lake Chelan with Tara from Prince Creek to Stehekin. We forgot to pack dinner for the first night, lost the matches, and ran out of fuel, which left us with a Snickers bar each for breakfast, but we hiked to the Stehekin Bakery where we gorged ourselves on fresh cinnamon rolls.


Breakfast

Spring Break Utah/Arizona Road Trip

Four friends. One bus ride down the mountain. Four south-bound boat tickets. Two cars. Four new tires.



The players:

One Pastor, slightly obsessed with megafauna and Edward Abbey.



One Artist, sketchbook in back pocket 24/7. Also obsessed with Edward Abbey.



One Crafts Coordinator, slightly afraid of heights.



One member of Team Utilities, photographer extrordiaire.



Six National parks. One State Park. One National Monument. Lots of hikes.




















One camp stove. Twenty-four packets of Starbucks Via. Three boxes of Mac and cheese, two cups of shredded cheddar, one pound of bacon. Ten pounds of oranges.



One sunrise hike.



At least three snowstorms.





One night of 11 degrees. Eight hand warmers.



One day of 85 degrees. Four bottles of sunscreen.



Lots of "picnics."



Thirty-five dollar motel room. Two beds. One hundred square feet. One TV. Two Final Four games.



One friendly rivalry between the photographer with the polarizing filter and the photographer without.



One mullet. Two haircuts (goodbye, mullet!). One sad husband.





Three six-packs of Polygamy Porter.



Three California Condors. Eight Big Horn Sheep.



Five mule trains.



One slot canyon.



Five water color paintings. Ten postcards.



Eight smelly shoes.



Four friends (still friends!). Two cars. One broken muffler. Four return-trip boat tickets. One bus ride up the mountain. Home again.

Road Trip Thoughts

Tara’s Matins (aka "Morning Devotions" shared with the village) from April 11, 2011

Brennan and I just returned from a road trip to southern Utah and Northern Arizona with Scott and Lori. One thing I loved about this trip was all the time in the car to listen to the radio (we put on over 3,000 miles). I love public radio and miss it dearly when I’m in the village. However, there is such a thing as too much news, and I probably went through some culture shock after only being exposed to internet news for all these months. I listened to so many news broadcasts that it became overwhelming: the nuclear crisis in Japan continues, as the death toll rises and the degree of radiation’s effects is still unknown; militants in the Ivory Coast attack a village, killing nearly a thousand; more than 50 people killed on Tuesday when gunmen attacked a local government building in Tikrit, Iraq; Gadaffi forces move into Misrata, Libya, trapping terrified civilians inside the city. I could go on.

I was driving home somewhere in Eastern Oregon or South western Idaho when the weight of all the news we’d been listening to caught up with me. I couldn’t listen anymore. I turned on my i-pod instead. I felt helpless, unable to influence such massive politics and brokenness. We should make a donation to send to Japan, I thought. I could email my senators, I thought. I have to do something, I thought.

Just about that time my good ol’ Indigo Girls, one of my favorite music duos, came through my speakers:


We get to be a ripple in the water
We get to be a rock that's thrown

Hmmm.


But I'm OK if I don't look a little closer
I'm OK I if don't see beyond the shore
I'm OK I don't have to do the killing or
Know what the killing is for

We're floating we're swimming
And at this moment we are forgetting
What we caused what it takes
For one perfect world when we look the other way

We're talking we're driving
And in this moment we are denying
What we caused what it takes
For one perfect world when we look the other way

Pretty blunt, huh? But the song doesn’t end this way.

If you can’t see beyond the myth of isolation
And the miracle of daybreak doesn't move you anymore
Connect the points and then see the constellations
As the night comes down on the reservoir

We're swimming we're floating
And in this moment we are beholden
To what we've caused to what it takes
For one perfect world
Can we learn to live another way?
It’s one perfect world
Can we learn to live another way?

We get to be a ripple in the water.

We get to be a ripple in the water. Even though the hate and hurt is overwhelming, I do have a choice about whether the miracle of daybreak is still a miracle to me, about not living in ignorance about the world’s brokenness, but holding it close as I live and love the ones I’m with each day. As I drove on, silent tears streamed down my face beneath my sunglasses.

Another Indigo Girls song came on.

Dust in our eyes our own boots kicked up
Heartsick we nursed along the way we picked up
You may not see it when it's sticking to your skin
But we're better off for all that we let in

Lost friends and loved ones much too young
So much promises and work left undone
When all that guards us is a single centerline
And the brutal crossing over when it's time

(I don't know where it all begins)
(And I don't know where it all will end)
(We're better off for all that we let in)

We're in an evolution I have heard it said
Everyone's so busy now but do we move ahead
The planets hurting and atoms splitting
And a sweater for your love you sit there knitting.

I've passed the cemetery walk my dog down there
I read the names in stone and say a silent prayer
When I get home you're cooking supper on the stove
And the greatest gift of life is to know love

(I don't know where it all begins)
(And I don't know where it all will end)
(We're better off for all that we let in)

To me, this song was saying “Hold the hurt close, Tara, your heart has room for it. Let it in. But keep living, too.” Again, what I realized is that I do have today. I can send a check and email my senator, but if I have not love, I have nothing. Love knits. Love walks the dog. Love cooks. It’s so ordinary we forget it’s love.

A hundred miles later we pulled off the freeway for a bathroom break in the gravel parking lot of a small-town diner. Lori and I were both driving our cars at that point. We rolled down our windows to check in and she asked how I was doing. “Okay,” I said. I shared with her and Brennan that I had been thinking about all of the world’s brokenness and that I realized that what I can do today is love the ones I’m with. “Isn’t that the name of a song or something?” We laughed, probably at the fact that my “deep insight” was best coined with a phrase from pop culture. “I think it’s the name of a book!” We laughed again. “Love the one you’re with.” Love laughs, too.

Let us pray. O God, in the face of the world’s ills, in view of the symptoms of sin and brokenness that surround us, renew our spirits, Lord, with faith, hope and love. Amen.


Prayer:
http://blog.sojo.net/category/verse-and-voice/

Songs:
Ray, Amy and Emily Saliers. “Perfect World” and “All That We Let In.” Sony, 2004.

Winter

2/27/11

First the big news, Tara and I will be at Holden for another year!!! We’ll be here till July 2012. I got a promotion to Utilities lead from utilities assistant, which means a little more responsibility, and I am looking forward to it. Tara will continue to work in the craft cave.

The winter has been quiet and enjoyable, and I couldn’t ask for much more. I skied every day this past week, not a bad way to get some daily exercise. I get done with work around 4:00 throw on my boots and skins on my skis, skin up for 20-30 minutes, take a run in beautiful powder, and head in for dinner. After 2 months of not being used, my powder skis are finally back in action! Last week I went out with a couple of guys to the Big creek valley, about 2 hours from the village. We found a huge open slope with a foot of powder, and made a day of taking laps up and down the slope, it was amazing. During the few hours we were out there we saw three avalanches come down on the east facing slope on the other side of the valley. As the sun warmed the rocks and snow, it loosened and started to drop, which made for some incredible sites and sounds. We decided to get off the slope we were on well before the sun hit its upper reaches, which coincided nicely with the time we wanted to leave to be back in time for dinner, you can’t miss pizza night.

I was planning on heading up to big creek yesterday to explore more of the valley. I had my gear packed, and was about to take off when I remembered that I was responsible for power outages, I checked with the other people who can turn the power back on and they all had plans, so I had to stick around the village. But I had a decent back up plan, brewing another batch of beer. So I took a quick ski run with Brian covering outages for an hour, then I dove into my newest hobby.

I have found brewing a great way to spend some time. It is a long 8-9 hour process, but it is relaxing, and I love investing the time to make a quality product. Since we don’t do too much cooking up here, this is a good outlet for making something and being involved in our food, or in this case drink. At Holden it is very economical to make 5 gallons of beer. The hops we picked in September, I use the yeast slurry from someone else’s beer after it has been fermenting for a week, and the 12 pounds of barley cost two bottles of the finished product to our brew-master/barely supplier Terry. So it is free. It is better priced and better tasting than what you can buy in the store. Barley, hops, yeast, and water not a bad way to spend your time in winter. Maybe some time I’ll document the whole process and post it here, we’ll see.

In about three weeks we are taking off to Southern Utah and Northern Arizona to visit Arches, Bryce, Zion, and Grand Canyon national parks. We are going to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and spend two nights down there.

bvl





Growing Barley, beer in progress, beer.



Skis


Looking across the valley where we saw the avalanches



Turns



Our slope in big creek, we only skied the bottom 1/4, and still skied over 500' each run.

Christmas letter

After 4.5 years of marriage, this may be our first official Christmas letter, but I’m not sure. Either way I’ll start at about this time last year. I was teaching high school Biology and a bunch of other classes at Mt. Vernon Christian School. Tara was teaching K-8 ELL at Lucille Umbarger elementary in Burlington. We both loved what we were doing, but also wanted to do something different, like teach abroad, the Peace Corps, etc. The problem was that filling out applications is just not very fun. But there was one application that we were really motivated to complete. It was an application to volunteer at a Lutheran/ecumenical retreat center/village called Holden Village, which is located in the heart of the North Cascades. I had been there the previous September with a group of students, and loved it. Any way that is the only application we sent in, and once we got the letter informing us that we were accepted, there wasn’t much point doing any other applications because we really wanted to go to Holden.

So back to the spring. I climbed and skied down Mt. Baker in March. We went to Hawaii in April with Tara’s family. Once we committed to Holden, Tara got a year leave from her job, but I didn’t (didn’t try either). Saying goodbye to students was tough, but I’ll take that as a sign that we did some good in their lives. In May we went out to Holden, for Tara’s first visit of the place where we would spend a year. She loved it, which was good considering she had committed to live there for a year. It also turned out to be a very restful weekend as we prepared for the end of school. Since we were moving out in the beginning of July, we didn’t plant a garden this past year. We missed that spring ritual, but were looking forward to Holden. We helped our friend Kevin butcher his 22 chickens, and it was a great learning experience for us (I learn by doing, Tara learns by watching…) for when we have our own birds and we got paid well: a bird that weighed 6 pounds after it was fully dressed (pretty big!)

In June, after school got out, we both took art classes at the North Cascades Institute on Diablo Lake. Tara took a watercolor class to inspire and improve her watercolor skills. I took a drawing class hoping to move my drawing past a third grade level.

As the seasons moved to summer, we moved to Holden with some great help from family and friends in packing up our apartment in Mt. Vernon, putting some stuff in storage and giving lots to Goodwill. A quick word about Holden: it is nearly impossible to describe. It is a Christian community that welcomes all people to enjoy the beauty of the mountains, streams, and lakes, and to see God’s presence in the beauty of creation and in community. As I write this, it is snowing, and the current snow pack is over 50” deep. If it wasn’t snowing, I could look out our window and see two different peaks that tower 4,000’ above our valley. For more info you can go to www.holdenvillage.org, or come visit!

Here is what he have been up to since we got here in the beginning of July:

I work in utilities, which includes monitoring, maintenance, and improvements of our hydro-electric power plant, water filtration plant, sewer system and heating systems. It has been a great learning experience, and I am loving working with my hands for more than a summer. Tara is the craft cave coordinator where she teaches classes that range from basket weaving and tie dying to book binding and card making. She also supervises up to six volunteers in the summer and teaches guests how to use the village’s twelve looms.

We have both learned to drive a bus for the village to bring guests 10 miles up the valley from the lake. Summary: don’t drive off any of the nine switch-backs. We also took a wilderness first aid class. Summary: don’t get hurt. We are in the wilderness.

In November we did an overnight trip to Holden lake, where Tara caught the biggest fish I have seen caught in that lake. It was a peaceful starry night with deer browsing just feet from our tent. It was a little unnerving to hear animals that close in the inky darkness, but I reminded Tara that if there were deer around, there wouldn’t be any bear to harass us (she actually believed me!).

While here, Tara has become a prolific weaver. She also learned to knit and has made about ten amazing hats in the two months since she started. I have hiked a lot, climbed the two closest peaks to the village, caught some fish, done some back country skiing and developed a distinct appreciation for the sauna and its frigid dunk tank.

We also are the sponsors/pseudo-parents for a student who is boarding at Holden School for her senior year. Alisha is from Minnesota, and it has been really great getting to know her and her family. We joke about how great it was to skip the diapers stage and the terrible two’s and go straight to an awesome teenager.

In November we went to Spokane to visit Tara’s brother who is a freshmen at Whitworth University. It as a great time to catch up, and we got some awesome wool sweaters at Value Village to keep us warm during the winter.

In the beginning of December we visited family and friends in Mt. Vernon and Lynden for a week, where I returned to my role as Uncle Jungle Gym, and Tara drank a good number of Starbucks lattes.

In closing, I’d like to share the prayer that we say often at Holden (it’s fittingly called the Holden Prayer.)

“O God, you have called us your servants, to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us, and your love supporting us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Blessings to you and your family in 2011.

Peace, Brennan and Tara




Here are a few pictures from the year