Mietzke's POST Holden Adventure

The frost grew out of the ground
like tiny spires claiming domain over the rough red earth.
They declare the ridge as winters property
Even as the first colors of fall come into play
The battle won’t last long on this side of the slope
which sees no warmth from the suns rays,
but gives itself quickly over into winters icy grasp
Where the frost will grow feathered fingers that reach for the sky

This morning I awoke before the sun and headed down the hill for the operations meeting. It was misty out and the clouds were low and the sun had just begun to breathe light into the valley. The sky to the East was pink framed with clouds of gray mist and the light brightened turning the mist into a rainbow. It was beautiful to see those magical colors appear in the mist as I was still waking up. I stood still and quiet taking it all in and as the sun moved down the valley it lighted the mist to the west as well where colors began to haze into view and reach for the sky. It was one of those moments where you don’t want to blink for fear of missing something. When the sun climbed above the clouds the valley darkened and I awakened from my awed stupor, walked into the dining hall to get a cup of coffee throughout the day I carried that beauty, that thought held in light with me, and it brought me joy.

We had a ladies night at my chalet tonight and if felt like all of the women in the village were here. There was good conversation, the telling of stories and carameled apple slices which reminded me of fall. It always amazes me how many people you can fit into the living room of a chalet. It was a nice way to end the day.

Dave and the girls are out camping with the grandparents this weekend and I am in the village alone which feels strange and relaxing simultaneously. I miss them but I am also enjoying getting some time to myself and getting time with people in the village in a different way. Tonight I hung out with some friends from Tacoma in the Jacuzzi and then spent some time in the sauna. It was relaxing and fun. The stars were out and the moon was bright in the sky silhouetting copper basin beautifully.
After the sauna I headed up the hill to the chalet and it dawned on me that I wasn’t afraid. When we lived in Tacoma and I was home by myself or just the children and I. there was always a low lying fear that someone would break in and we would be hurt. I remember checking the lock multiple times and feeling afraid if I had to go outside to feed the rabbit that there might be someone waiting out there to hurt me. I used to hate being home alone and would often ask people to come over while Dave was away. Actually, even when Dave was home, there were still aspects of that fear in my daily experience. It feels nice not to be afraid and it makes being alone enjoyable.
I love you and miss you family and I hope you are having fun with the extended family.

My family left today and it is strange to be here without them. It is not often that I am the one left behind. This afternoon I went out into the woods with Ben, one of the Mavericks to collect some aspen branches to weave into a triptych for the winter season. The decorations part of my worship assistant job is so much fun! I love creating large scale scenes that set the mood for the season. We collected branches from fallen trees and I am excited about creating a barren woodsy scene for the worship space, a reflection of this time of year where we are turning inward and hopefully have time for introspection. There is a group up at Holden right now that does homeless outreach and as a part of their outreach brings people from their Seattle programs up to Holden for some respite and relaxation. The group has been an absolute joy to have around and tonight they did a forum that they called homelessness 101 and talked about their ministry and we got to hear some stories from some of their lives and work. I was amazed at the amount of people they serve and the way that they reach out and support and love without judgment. I have been really impressed with the staff and the people who are up hear from the program and their willingness to talk about the issues that surround homelessness and their passion for compassionate change. After the talk Mark and Nancy RB invited me over for the evening and we hung out and talked for a couple of hours. It was a really good evening.
I’m home now and it is cold in here. We had sputtering of snow all evening and the temperature is dropping. I miss my family, but I know they are having fun, and with so many kind people around time will pass quickly.

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