CCB Whidbey Island Women's Retreat 2014

It has been awhile since our church's women's group has had a retreat, in fact, several years, so of course my husband immediately thought I should go.  And it sounded like fun. . .but you know how it is, there is always SO MUCH TO DO.  By the time Friday came and I met with my last clients of the week, I was feeling like I really shouldn't go, I should stay home and GET SOME WORK DONE.  I could see the next busy week looming ahead with all the stuff I HADN'T GOTTEN TO this week and that it would somehow be multiplying like rabbits over the weekend.  And then. . . .

But I had not only agreed to go and had paid, but I was committed to drive two other women to the event as well.  So I got packed and ready to go.  As we headed for the Mukilteo/Clinton ferry, I almost immediately felt myself beginning to relax.  No point in wasting a perfectly good weekend worrying about what could and would be worried about next week!    CB and CC (my friends) and I had decided to leave as soon after noon as we could and by the time we got to Whidbey Island, we were interested in lunch.  We decided to drive into Langley and see what we could find!

 We were immediately impressed with the "Mediterranean Grill"  under the Cafe Langley sign. 

 This very cozy and nicely decorated little restaurant had wonderful aromas emanating from the kitchen. 

I should have taken the photo before I ate half of the entrée. It is not quite so pretty by this time.  It was chicken and tortellini's with broccoli and some sort of marsala sauce.  It was so good that I ate all of it --  since I couldn't take it home.  I seriously ate nothing else the rest of the day and even in the morning wasn't particularly hungry.  I am going back there again in the not-too distant future and hope that they have it is still on the menu.  Hmm.  I got a business card.  I think I'll call ahead and make sure I can get it again. Well worth a day trip to Whidbey Island!!

For an excellent meal, keep this sign in mind!

 We then wandered through a variety of shops.  CC and CB each bought some "Chocolate Mint Tea" at a little shop, and we saw some gorgeous and exquisitely soft clothing that fortunately for our pocketbooks wasn't our size! 

We had never seen a cross-dressing rooster before, but it was quite festive.

I noticed this terrific looking vintage truck on the street -- don't know if a regular or a visitor, but it was well worth a second look.

 We arrived at our retreat destination at Camp Casey (owned by SPU).  This was our main cabin and the women who were only staying one night had another cabin a distance away due to some scheduling snafu's.  We met here for our main teaching sessions.  Can you believe this houses ten women but only has one bathroom!  That is completely an optimistic world view.  Christian charity was practiced by all and no altercations ensued.

 TK and her daughter MI were the driving force for the the 5.5 meals that everyone enjoyed.  The point 5 at the end was the fact we made sandwiches to go for lunch to take on the way home.  We did not fear starvation this weekend.

 The purpose of the retreat was fellowship and fun as well as informative teaching.  We were all very encouraged to  remember the faithfulness of God to us all -- even in the hard times that several in our church, including some on the retreat, are facing at that very time.  MA taught on the visit of Jesus to Tyre and Sidon and his conversation with the Gentile woman who came to him asking for help for her daughter who was demon possessed.  At first Jesus ignored her request -- didn't say a word.  Later the disciples encouraged Jesus to just give her what she wanted so she would go away and leave them alone.  But He said He had come to the Jews and continued to ignore her.  She then came over and began worshipping Him, acknowledging that He was the Messiah and her Lord.  He then really shut her down by stating that one did not take the food belonging to the children and give it to the puppies.  But in a final, trusting and victorious repartee, she responded that "even the puppies eat the crumbs which fell from the children's table."  "Ah", Jesus said to her, "Your faith is great!" And He granted her heart's  desire and her daughter was healed.   MA noted that Jesus only said this about two people that he met, this woman and the Roman Centurion who had requested healing for his servant.  The Centurion noted that Jesus didn't have to come to his home to do this, He could just command and it would be done, His authority was absolute.  While marveling at this man's faith, Jesus only commented about him to others.  To this woman, He spoke directly to her, affirming her faith that had grown rather than failed in the onslaught of seeming disregard and congratulating her.  What a blessing to be encouraged to never give up when trusting in Jesus, even when He doesn't seem to hear and things look bleak!

The next morning the weather began clearing and for the rest of the weekend weather was wonderful!

 After breakfast we had a second  session with MA and this time the topic was on Psalm 91.  This fabulous Psalm centers on the complete security of the believer in the faithfulness of God. MA then expanded on how God's faithfulness covers all areas of our lives and shows that there is nothing that can impact our lives when we are securely in the hand of God, not even in death.

 

In the afternoon we divided into three groups for a "scavenger hunt" throughout the town of Coupeville. CB (with whom I carpooled) and MD and myself were the third.  Not being a "games" kind of person it would have been fine with me if there hadn't been room for me.  But  I was a driver and so was a first round draft pick! 

 First we discovered that the high school hides its mascot very well and there was no Wolf in view anywhere on the school property that we ever found.  So we moved on!  We had to find Halloween decorations across the street from the church with the steeple.  But wait, there were two sets of decorations -- so we took two sets of photos -- note the different angle! 

 We found the Court House with little trouble!

 We went wrong here.  The question was what was Penn Cove known for.  Well, they didn't mean Penn Cove Gallery.  They meant the mussel farms out in the Sound.   How would we know that?  We didn't know the water was Penn Cove!  Live and Learn.

 We managed to find a place to document ALL THREE local newspapers in one place.  Rumor has it that they are all owned by the same people!

 Then we went successfully on to find "the boy who always reads."  I think was my favorite statue around town!

 Then we had to find a reflection of ourselves without a mirror!  There were are with MD and CB waving and me holding the camera!

 Part of our mission was to find a "Welcome to Coupeville" sign -- there were standard issue City signs, but we thought this one by far the best!  CB is the scarecrow in overalls.  Me the farmer wife.  MD the bright and sunny sunflower!

We would get extra points for having at least one person from our group in the photo. MD doesn't look particularly wild about having to hang out with Myra Maines, but she is contributing. There are many creative tombstones in this seasonal cemetery -- and we were the only group who was able to document this on our hunt. 

 This was a remarkable piece of history.  This cross was erected to commemorate the receiving of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by Northwest Native tribes in 1840. Father Blanchet was asked to come and share the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ by Chief Talalakum to teach his people the new religion.  The priest was surprised that the people had learned the hymns and prayers that he had taught the chief the year before.  Tribes included Skagit, Snohomish, Skokomish and Clallam! 

 The upright beam is supposed to be the original of the cross that the Native Americans erected as they worshipped the Lord.  What an amazing story to learn.  Bet they don't teach this in the local history!

 We also had to find a dog using a fire hydrant.  We found this one.  But another group was totally gutsy!  Not knowing that this dog was around the corner, they had the personal fortitude to ask two perfect strangers walking two dogs if they could take a photo of their dog using the real fire hydrant!  The dogs walked back and forth without really providing the exact attitude desired, but I thought that showed an amazing level of self-confidence (or chutzpah) on the part of that other team!

 We had to document finding the jail.  The first time we drove through the parking area there was a Sherriff just leaving.  All the parking places were reserved for the police, so as we were under observation, we did not elect to stop and take a photo.  Rather we went around the block and the front passenger took the photo on the move.  We did NOT want to find ourselves viewing the jail from the inside!

 We figured out that basketball was the "sport choice of the big gray church."

 We needed a "flying fish" and thought that maybe the spinning dolphins (hard to see) above the welcome to Coupleville sign might qualify.  But we had an ace up our sleeve!

 We discovered from the gift shop owner that in spite of not being able to find a HS mascot around town that this necklace is based on the mascot, so we got credit for that!

And now for our big surprise of the day!  While still needing the "flying fish" MD was able to pull one out of a hat, so to speak, or in her case, but raising her pant leg a bit!  Just what we needed -- the flying fish!

 Starting to run out of time, we hurried and found the "antler'd" building with a wooden duck!  Loved that decoy!

 We hurried to take our photo with the Captain  The whole group had to be in the photo!  My second selfie (first one only had half my face).  Note to self -- raise camera and don't take photos up your nose!  Disgusting! TMI for sure!

 Something went wrong here.  This was the second photo.  The first had the "Cliff House" sign. But for some reason the sign was missing when the photo showed up.  A little quirk that will have to be investigated later to avoid similar events again. 

 We came back to the cabin completely cheered by two hours of pure laughter and fun!  A beautiful evening again declaring the Glory of God! 
Unfortunately, I didn't end up with photos of the people in the other scavenger hunting groups -- so many people are not represented! 

 After our last session with MA, where among other things we learned that Spurgeon called Psalm 91 the "Cheering Psalm" we said goodbye to many of our group who had to return Saturday evening for various obligations.  It would have been fun if they could have stayed longer.  Those of us remaining spent our time improving our already fabulous looks.

  

 

 

 

For some things there are no words. . . . .

 Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful!

 Our last session . . .the last remaining members

-- even better friends than before! A few others not in photo.

At the end of the eventful and refreshing weekend, we boarded the Washington State Ferry and started homeward.  What a wonderful weekend!  I am already looking forward to the next time we can all get together.  Such quality time with wonderful friends and sisters in the Lord. 

(I only use initials for living people, or references to relationship to me if family to preserve what little privacy they have left in this world!)

Last thought. . .





1948 Christmas Wishes from Grace Doud to Susan and Herman Weber & family

The Grace Sherwood Doud referred to in the last blog sent a Christmas card to my Grandmother 40+ years after the time described in the previous blog post of the Doud Brothers in Tacoma.  Grace still lived in Tacoma and in 1948  and  sent Susan and Herman Weber a package and a card.  The reason I wanted to share this was because of the descriptive short note written on the inside.  Grace is remembering back to her  growing up years on the farm in Kendall (picture at the end of last entry); the same farm on which her niece Susan and family still lived and worked -- Spring Brook Farm.  The parents she is recalling are Richard William Sherwood and his second wife, Grace Gulvin Sherwood.  He had been married previously to Grace's sister, Mary Ann with whom he had seven children.  Grace Sherwood Doud was the last child of that marriage as Mary Ann died in 1866.  A year later, Richard married his sister-in-law, Grace Gulvin, namesake of his youngest daughter. The two of them had three more children, two of whom also moved to the Pacific Northwest.  During the early 1870's when the events Grace recalls happened, she would have been in grade school.    

December 15, 1948

Dear Susan & family,

            I am sending you a small carton of holly.  Hope you enjoy it.  I have a large tree in my yard.  It is so beautiful with its vivid green leaves and bright red berries.  It is such a beautiful reminder of this happy Yuletide.  My thoughts go back to a Christmas Eve long ago when Aunt Esther [Gulvin] was at the farm. She gathered we children around her and we sang carols at father and mother’s window.  It was a lovely night, cold and plenty of snow and the stars looked so close with the Milky Way a path all across the sky.

            We have so little snow here and none so far except in the mountains where it is deeper than it has been for many years.  Most of the passes are closed and there will be little skiing for a while. 

            Love to you all and a Merry Christmas from

                                                                       Aunt Grace Doud

 

 

Esther Gulvin, the Aunt to which she refers in this letter. Esther was another sister of Mary Ann Gulvin and Grace Gulvin. 

Chester, Willard and Leslie Doud --Doud Bros. Lumber Company

I came across the above business card belonging to Chester Doud.  On the back of it is scribbled Christmas greetings to my great Grandparents, William and Ella Jane Sherwood who lived in Wisconsin, from Grace and Chet Doud.  I noticed that this card was from when the company was headquartered in Buckley, WA rather than Tacoma.  The three brothers were Leslie, Willard and Chester.   The fact that this card says Buckley means that it was probably written on around 1905. 
Ironically this card was mailed to Wisconsin in 1905 and it has now made a round trip back to the Seattle area almost 110 years later!    Buckley is a small town east of  Tacoma. It now has a long history of logging industry and still has a large logging festival every year!  It's fun to know that the relatives had a part in this.  And the father of Chester, Leslie and Willard -- Chauncey Doud, -- died and was buried in Buckley in 1912. 

So I looked up the Doud Brothers Lumber Company and discovered that according to Robert D Martin, Jr. a descendent of Leslie's daughter Geneva,  "In early 1906 they decided that they wanted to have a mill nearer civilization and shipping facilities (both rail and cargo) and bought a site on the waterfront, just south of the Tacoma smelter. The Defiance Lumber Company incorporated that year with a capitalization of $275,000 and the mill was soon built. By 1907 the company owned 18 acres with 1,400 feet of shoreline and employed 150 men."   There are also photos of the Defiance Lumber business available on the internet from the Tacoma Public Library.

This was Chester Doud around 1920.  He only lived another year from when this photo was taken.  

This photo below and the close up from it above, was taken at Chester and Grace's house at Mason Street in Tacoma. 

On the back of this photo it says "March 21st, 1920." Sam Sherwood (brother of Grace) wrote on the back that the "Doud-Sherwood clan all get together and having a bit of a summer weather decided to have their pictures took". He also said "We were sorry that Bird and Binder could not be with us." The couple in the back right are DEFINITELY Ella Jane and William Sherwood, and the couple in front on the left are DEFINITELY Sam and Daisy Sherwood. I believe the couple standing in back on the left are Chet and Grace (Sherwood) Doud and that the two people in front on the right are Elmer Sherwood (married to Birdette) and his sister Marian (married to William Binder).  The photo says that "Bird" (Elmer's wife) and "Binder" (Marian's husband) were not there.  Elmer's wife, Birdette, was another Doud cousin to these three men so there were at least two connections between the Sherwood and Doud families.

Grace lived until 1959 -- this photo has my mother walking behind her was taken 1946. It's ironic that when I moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1977 that I had no idea that I had distant relatives from the Midwest who had been significant players in the history of the Pacific Northwest.  These included the Doud Brothers as well as the Rhodes Brothers with their three stores in the Tacoma and Seattle area.  But that's another story for another day.  

 

I have a letter from Grace Doud to Will and Ella Jane Sherwood -- written from Buckley during the time they lived there. Copied below:

1904-0214 – Grace Sherwood Doud to Will & Ella Sherwood,

Buckley, Feb 14, 1904

My dear bro, sister and family

            I feel like I had neglected you shamefully for so long and that I must thank you for the picture you send me at Christmas.  I take it down and look at it often and find something new every time.  I think the porch over the dining room door such an improvement.  I hope you are all well this winter.  I never see Lill Cady hardly any more.  So I don’t get the news of Glendale and vicinity.  We have had a good deal of sickness here since November.  There has been seven deaths.  Think of it, in a little place of this size.  Three died of typhoid fever.  There are no new cases for which we are so thankful.  There seems to be a great deal of it everywhere this year.  We are having such stormy weather.   It snows and blows and rains.  This time of year is always our worst part of the winter.  But in spite of that my daffodils are peeping through the ground, in fact a couple of inches high.  Richard is going to school in Tacoma this winter at Whitworth College. He is in his first year of high school work.  Is doing well and likes it but wishes he could live at home, he is a home boy.  And reminds me so much of your Will.  I hope he grows up as good a man.  Roy is like his papa and thinks his father perfect and if he grows up and makes as good a man as his father I shall be pleased and grateful.  Roy is harder to control than Richard.  Susie and George must be getting tall and strong.  I can see them trudging off to school over the road we used all to go when Jack Frost was nipping at my toes and ears.  In those days I little thought I would be away out in Wn [Washington] with boys of my own going to school.  If all goes well Chet and I will see you next fall, but I don’t dare plan very far ahead.  Aunt Grace, Sam and Daisy are coming out here next June.  The mill has been shut down since Christmas.  They have been putting in a railroad for logging purposes.  They have just completed it and commence running this week.  All the mills about here have been shut down so there are a great many idle men.  The first of the winter we had a regular housebreaking epidemic, till finally they put men on the streets at night to watch.  No great amount was ever stolen. 

           

      Bellingham.”  They take in Fair Haven too so it makes quite a city.  Elmer is still fire chief and is as fat as ever.  I am very well this winter.  I weigh 140 lbs which is more than I have weighed since I was married.  We have very good schools here this winter, employ eight teachers.  Roy’s teacher is especially good I think.  Do they employ high school teachers in the Glendale school house and are the Browns living there.  If you see them remember me to them especially Louise and how is Mrs. Dunlap.  I never hear from her or of her and Fred Cutland and family and the Duncans.  How people do come and go out of ones life but never quite forgotten, especially friends of one’s youth.  How is the old farm yielding now, I hope well.  I suppose you have lots of stock and how is your health.  Will, I wonder if you are thinking of me, you seem so near tonight and you know I believe in telepathy somewhat.  Do either of the children like music and where is Dora?  Is she teaching?  I miss Richard so much, he is always at the piano or pegging away but Roy never goes only when he has to practice the Villian [violin?] But he has talent and reads music so readily I shall keep him at it for which he will be grateful at some future day I hope. 

The have changed the name of “Whatcom” to “

            Well, I can’t think of any more to write and guess you are tired of reading this so will say good by hoping to hear from you. 

                                    I am your loving sister,   Grace Doud                         Buckley, Wn

Grace and Chet had been married at the Bride's home on October 18, 1887 and they had originally lived in Pittsville, Wisconsin where Chet and his extended family were living at the time.  They had quite the clever announcement -- the little cards fit into those tiny envelopes.

Alas,  Chester only lived to be 56.  Grace did not remarry, but lived with her niece, Grace Sherwood Pautsch, until she died in 1959 at the age of 96.   The home where Grace and Chet were married and where her brother and sister-in-law lived at the time of this letter was called by the family "Spring Brook Farm" in Kendall, Wisconsin. 

This photo was taken around 1900.  The R. Sherwood parents on the marriage announcement were Richard and Grace (Gulvin) Sherwood originally of England.

 

CORRECTION: After looking at the wedding announcement again, I realized that the Richard Sherwood's  WERE NOT living at the farm at this time.  It was the "Mauston" address that reminded me that after William (their son) and Ella Jane were married they officially rented the farm from the parents and the parents moved out for a few years.  They probably wanted their own lives as much as the newlyweds!  When Richard Sherwood died in October of 1889 (two years later) Grace, his wife, stayed in Wisconsin and moved to Wonewoc, Wisconsin by 1900.  Sometime before 1909 Grace Sherwood, Richard's wife, moved to the Pacific Northwest and she passed away in 1909 in Tacoma, Washington.