St Love Revolts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbwDjFW0YRE

Fourteen years ago today, we laid eyes for the first time on the place we would later name Camp Babarosa. Keren’s mom Barbara, called Baba by her grandchildren, had passed away a month earlier, and Keren had spent the ensuing weeks obsessively searching for a piece of property that we could afford with what her mom had left for us. It gave her something to focus on and dream about to help manage her grief.

It seemed like anything in our budget was either too small to feel like a private getaway or too far away. Then she stumbled upon a number of listings outside a town we’d never heard of, Goldendale, Washington. The county seat of Klickitat County is just two hours away and right outside the Columbia Gorge National Scenic area. A dry area, as the Cascades capture most of the precipitation coming in from the Pacific, and rather barren, as the Missoula Floods scoured out most of the topsoil a few thousand years ago. But there were also areas of white oaks and Ponderosa pines, a tree I had fallen in love with decades ago in southwestern Colorado.

So there we were on a gray, misty Valentine’s day, the kids running around exploring while Keren and I marveled at the calm remoteness. Twenty acres adjacent to forty owned by the federal government. A cluster of trees surrounded by fields of prairie grass and rocks deposited by the floods. It had happened so quickly, it felt at times as if Barbara had guided us there and was a witness to our discovery. We made an offer on the spot.

We spent the first year hosting as many friends there as we could, eager to have slow and connected time with those who supported us in our grief. We quickly had defining experiences and established lasting routines and traditions. It was a powerful period of time, full of beauty, emotion, intention, and reflection. In the middle of it, I wrote the words and melody for Ponderosa, which felt like the first real song that I’d created. I felt compelled to capture the place, our developing rituals, and the lasting generosity and love of Barbara’s gift.

I always wanted to do a video for the song out at “the land.” Knowing the 10th NPR Tiny Desk Contest was coming up, it seemed like the perfect time. So this past May, when the area is reliably at its greenest, we headed out with our instruments and our good friends Jon and Dave to capture the visuals. Dave sent his drone up for some sweeping aerial views. Kyle set up microphones in the field to capture the ambience of early evening crickets.

The contest organizers generally frown on excessive attention to the video element, but ultimately we were doing it for ourselves and those dear to us who have helped make Camp Babarosa a place of respite, reconnection, and rejuvenation. Enjoy.

-Craig

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbwDjFW0YRE

Ponderosa by St Love Revolts Our 10th submission to the NPR Tiny Desk Contest. Inspired by and filmed at Camp Babarosa, outside Goldendale, WA.

Hey Friends.
SLR is playing this Saturday March 11th at The Trap Door in Washougal - 1834 Main St. Come have a beer with us and hear some great live music. Starting at 7:00, see you there!