A few of my favorite things...

watching movies on the Holden Cineplex Outdoor Theater Screen- namely "The Sound of Music," dressed as my favorite SoM character (Maria, of course). The Utilities crew sure knows how to put on a show!

living in the mountains and taking weekends to enjoy hiking them. 20 miles may have been a bit ambitious today, but it was well worth the scenery and conversation.

family potlucks with my adopted, extended family. Steak, salads, cheese, blueberry beer, and Michael's delicious ice cream cake!

dance parties- especially girls only dance parties in celebration of Elise's engagement and life in general.

living in Chalet 12- aka The Treehouse with 5 incredible women.

receiving snail mail- most recently from Karen Martin-Schramm!

llamas- which I spotted again today- this time on the trail.

thank you cards from 3 of the cutest Narnia kids. Okay... they're all cute.

a beautiful Eucharist service to complete the week. Tomorrow I'll be singing "I have confidence in me" (Maria's second song in SoM) as I gear up for the biggest week yet.

Llamas and Lounging

Today is officially "Llama Day" here at Holden Village. Llamas are pack animals and are utilized by the US Forest Service to help maintain hiking trails. Today 7 llamas arrived on our luggage truck! Not our average delivery! Soon Main Street (well, the only street) was filled with curious folks aiming to touch, photograph, and otherwise encounter the llamas. The llamaliers (the couple who care for the llamas) passed the reigns over to the village kids and let us interact with them. It was amazing! Rumor has it the llamas will make an appearance in our 4th of July parade!

This afternoon the sun is shining and making for a great day to be outside enjoy friends and slack lining. Ice cream too. What a great day!

82 kids are scheduled to be in Narnia next week- time for me to relax and gear up for that (and not be on the computer)!

I love this place!

This past month at Holden has been all that I had hoped for. I was so anxious to return to this place and experience village life in a new season. The transition from Spring into Summer has provided me with a taste of a new way of life here. I've traded my snowshoes and long underwear for hiking boots and my swim suit and enjoying a variety of activities only accessible after the Spring thaw. This is a magical place to be- whatever time of the year (and I think I'd like a year to prove it).

In the past month I've celebrated Cameroon's Independence Day by playing soccer beside mountains. I cut and wore my hair in a mullet for about a week. I attended Prom (for the second time in my life) and dressed as Sporty Spice as the theme was Jane Austen and all things English. I think I watched a meteor shower (my friend Tom and I sat for an hour and a half in a field and spotted no less than 12 shooting stars!). I have spent time with a new friend learning about her life as a young girl growing up when Holden was still a mine. I've traded my toilet scrubbing duties for diaper changing duties in Narnia. I've learned to serve a "Holden Scoop" (which is appx. 3 times the size of any other "scoop") of ice cream by working in the Snack Bar. Not bad for a month's work!

I've also said goodbye to many friends already. It seems that my heart has grown strong from saying so many goodbyes here and elsewhere. Good thing too because it seems some days my heart would break where it not so strong. It's hard to make so many good friends (of all ages) and see bus loads of cool folks leave daily.