Mietzke's POST Holden Adventure

The yellow leaves gather in swirling pools dancing around each other waiting to see which one will slide between the rocks and down the river. Snow is gathering on the tops of the mountains edging its way down into the valley in sputters and starts that have the feel of winter cold. The wind picked up today pulling leaves off their branches and chilling me beneath my sweater so I shivered where I stood watching the goings on of nature. I don’t know why I feel constantly taken by surprise as if I had never seen or felt these changes before. With the changing leaves comes the cold… Isn’t that how it has always been? I woke up this morning and the sun was shining up the valley. The mountains are covered with snow mid way up, and the autumn colors are brighter than ever. There is something magical happening here. I couldn’t get enough of the view, the combination of the snow ant the autumn colors is astounding. It is like viewing two seasons at once, seeing the place where they meet but do not cross over. I went out and tried to take pictures, but they just don’t capture the essence of it.

For the last few days I have been working on hanging drywall, taping and muddling in the Hydro/electric plant. I have been working with Analisa which has been fun. I like this kind of work, but it can get a little lonely and tedious, although not when doing it from a ten foot ladder. I have also been working on getting the Library ready to hand over to the new Angela who comes in just one week. The Library is beautiful, but there are still so many loose ends and details to figure out. The Manson sixth graders are visiting this week and have some fun programming going on. It is fun to have some many kids in the village exploring and getting to know it. They are such a great group of kids, and they seem to be having a blast!
We said good bye to our friends Gail and Hanna this week and it was a sad parting. They have been an iatrical part of our community up here. Gail has been like a third grandma for the girls and a cushiony mother figure for me and it was such a blessing having her around, and Hanna has become a good friend to our family and will be missed. It feels strange heading into winter without so many of you who were a part of it with us last year. Anni, Abby, Jenna, Gail, Cable, Caleb, Beckah, Katie and Sue, The Loulay family, Marve and Nancy, Rachel C, Patty, Aaron, Nick, John, Matt, Stephan, Daniel, and others. We miss you and think about you a lot!
Dave and the girls are going out this week to go camping with Dave’s folks, so we are preparing to send them out. I will be meeting them out there on Wednesday of next week. It will be strange being in the village without them