I landed a job in Stehekin to teach cross-country skiing in December of 1973. I tell everyone I did it backwards. I stayed two winters in a row then full time after that. Most folks get work in the summer with high hopes to stay longer. The beauty and remoteness of the place drew me in immediately. I grew up in New England with an adventurous and athletic family. We skied, sailed, hiked, explored the woods near our house, ice skated, played several school sports and spent many a vacation in quiet dramatic places, either in the mountains or on the ocean. To balance out the rigorous physical activity, I often stuck my hands into the art drawer in the kitchen. Mom kept a small collection of art supplies there for us to tinker with. Whether it be painting homemade holiday cards or knitting sweaters for my tiny teddy bears, I truly enjoyed the pleasures of creativity. My Mom taught me how to knit at an early age. My maternal grandfather painted watercolors and my paternal grandfather loved to photograph birds. Between the three of them I felt inspired in my youth to pursue a variety of artistic mediums. As a teen, I chronicled family outings on film. In college I experienced painting, sculpture, ceramics and drawing. Later, I took an adult education class on photography. When I moved to Stehekin and married, I studied photography with my husband and gained hands on experience in addition to talking with other photographers, and reading books. Today, I continue to remain physically active. This keeps me fine tuned to focus my eyes and hands on my creativity.