A Gap Day

Today is a gap day.  I am having a leisurely day of, listening to unusual birds sounds (which I identify on the Merlin App), watching the goats play (they live on the farm that I am camping on which overlooks Lake Chelan) and reading the book, Unraveling  What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World’s Ugliest Sweater.  It feels good to be still after long days of driving and hiking throughout the National Parks that I have visited so far.

The book is a perfect read today because it was borrowed to me by Barb, one of my sisters in sheep (SIS) who I lived with at Holden Village.  Tomorrow I return to Holden,  an old miners village in the Cascade Mountain Range that was made into a Lutheran Retreat Center, for the first time to visit since my stay there in 1976-77.   At Holden I was involved in the “Christian Life Style Enrichment Program”.  There were 13 post-high school students who lived in the village and studied philosophy, rhetoric,  literature and theology together.  A big part of living in the village during the off season was learning to living in community.   It is very remote.  In the 70’s there was no phones, no tv, and mail came on the boat 3 times a week.  We had to make our own fun, which we did, while learning to live together in community

A small group of us made our own looms with the help of the carpenter.  We started by plaining the wood, cutting the pieces, tying the heddles…until we had a finished product-a 4 harness table loom.

Following that we learned to spin and dye yarn.  Who knew that lichen from the trees and onion skins could make beautiful green and yellow hues.  The first project I wove was  a throw pillow for my parents. I continue to weave, but have not done much spinning since I was at Holden. However, that might be in my future as a retired woman!

The women who embarked on learning the craft of spinning, dyeing and weaving  dubbed ourselves SIS, sisters in sheep.  To this day Barb, Cathy, and Lois who have remained treasured friends who enjoy one another’s company when we get together.

I am looking forward to being back at Holden and be a washed with memories of people and experiences from 47 years ago.

Holden Village remains off the grid with no cell phone service and no wi-fi, so there will be no Gratefulsaunterer postings until after August  16th.

Previous
Previous

Mount Rainer National Park

Next
Next

The Summer Day