Every Spring for a decade, we’ve been migrating north to sunny Mazama around the time of David’s birthday on May 25th. Our tribal gathering place is now Michal Friedrich’s Wesola Polana.
You can see the rusty steel “Herd” lined up behind Simone. The alien looking RV’s or ”Rolling Huts” were designed by architect Tom Kundig. What a blast to stay in. There is now a little restaurant right in the compound called the Wesola Polano diner so packing for the trip north means we just need to get the bike gear and kids in the car.
First things first, bask in the sun, then unload the car. Above, John Gilleland, Kim Turos, Monica Stephenson, David Stephenson gather on the deck. We’ve had groups of 70 or so migrate north and other years, most years there are about 20 of us.
We peel off for hikes, rides, swims, climbs and use the farm house porch as our communal living room where we litter the kids toys and set up the slack line.
Naomi on the river trail gathering sticks and singing with her boots reversed and her shirt on backwards.
Naomi bare back on the little red machine but donning a helmut.
Anselm and Simone climbing on one of the Rolling Huts.
The fields are linked and out in the middle of nowhere we found a badminton court, a soccer field and above where Simone is standing there is a massive telescope.
Simone found a pile of feathers in the soccer field. An eagle had just swooped down for a pigeon lunch and left a bit of roughage behind.
David and Naomi off to check out the Mazama river.
Simone and Sophie climbing the Wesola rock.
Ahoy Captain Ahab, we’ll be setting sail in a few minutes. Come aboard with us.
Jungle-gym in the forest.
Sophie, Annabel, David and Monica arrived not long after we did.
Strangely, even playing cards seems special at Wesola.
David Stephenson takes many photos and does the annual video interviews of the kids. He is taking the photo below.
The kids run wild for the 3 or 4 days we are in the Methow Valley.
Naomi and David hitting the wiffle. David made it extremely clear that he didn’t want any birthday presents and of course we heard him but we didn’t listen. We made lots of things for him, fancy awards, paintings with photos in them, sculptures and pottery, poems…
…after all that, I think he liked them. The red hat above was also a present.
Treasure hunts are a part of this tribes vernacular. 20 particularly delicious plums are hidden along the path to the river. We use the Tarico rules which go like this. You can find two plums…then when you spot a third plum you need to stand in the path near it but not give it away, thereby giving a hint to a younger hunter. Once everyone has two, it is a free for all.
We looked and looked but we could only recover 19 plums. Hmm.
Blaise and Adrienne out for an idyllic walk along the river.
Maryanne and Michal will be parents by July!
Spinning the wheel that opens the windows of Michal’s house up.
Here is the Delta Shelter in a closed position. The kids love to turn the big wheel that opens and closed the steel blinds. The bed is on rollers and can slide out onto the porch for sleeping under the stars.
Each year, David interviews the kids. Sophie is going first this year. He poses a short series of questions:
1.) “What do you know now that you didn’t know last year?”
2.) “What do you love to do?”
3.) “Is there anything in particular that you want to do next year?”
John and Kim out walking with Dante who is groomed with a Lion’s mane.
Putting the wheel on for a road ride.
Anselm, Blaise, Adrienne and I went for a hike only to discover we were hip deep in snow. We found a few rocks to rest on between the drifts.
It is June 1st, Eliot’s 4th birthday. Blaise made a flour-less chocolate cake and lit matches for candles.
Wish successfully launched.
Simone, Petra, Eliot in birthday crown and Anselm on a visit to the horses with carrots, apples and an onion. They liked them all.
Your children are beautiful, the pictures lovely. Such joy and happiness. Good on ya. What a lovely way to update folks like me who have lost touch over the years. Best, Rita Ashley