"I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord who created heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore." (Psalm 121) "
Our art studio is located in the Issaquah Alps, the highlands which include a series of mountains, Cougar Mountain, Squak Mountain, Tiger Mountain, Taylor Mountain, Rattlesnake Ridge, and Grand Ridge. This lovely forested mountain community amid some 200 miles of forest hiking trails is part of the largest urban wildland in the nation, spanning 20,000 acres across Cougar, Squak and Tiger Mountains. So what's been happening with our family, life and employment? Tom commutes to Bellevue each day where the shop where he's employed will soon begin work on new commercial work contracts beginning December 2007. Our son David Gabriel works as a tile and stone fabricator and has recently received a significant pay raise. Anthony and wife Jessica, the daughter of a local sheriff, bought a new home and live in Seattle. Our son Robert is a skilled roofer and lives in Seattle. Of our three lovely daughters, Lisa is a teacher in New Mexico and has a son, Joel. Amber works at a coffee shop located in downtown Seattle which houses the Friends of Youth organization. She is the assistant manager. With me as a stay at home Mom and artist our family is able to homeschool our daughter Zani. The apartment we occupy looks out on the mountainside of evergreen trees and blue skies where we enjoy watching the miriad of birds and wild life. During the December windstorms, a 4 1/2 foot cougar appeared to the maintenance men in the parking lot as they inspected the property for storm damage. During the summer, a yearling bear made his appearance behind the town homes. When police arrived he made a quick getaway or might have ended up at the zoo. During summer we hired contractors and looked forward to our studio rennovation. We hiked and picked handfuls of huckleberries and wild blackberries for scones and pancakes. We also got exercise in the state of the art fitness center where all ages enjoy the use of the equipment to build stamina. We use our 9X10 dining room with it's profusion of full length windows for my
art studio. Tom set up an 8 foot table facing the windows for Zani and I to work on her homeschool and do our art work. I've been painting some through the summer, and will put new photos on the website when I get some. Meanwhile here are some photographs from our Alpine Studio Our 8 year old daughter Zani studies from a variety of curriculum materials ranging from the bible to materials found in various mail order catalogs and homeschooling resources. She wants to take guitar lessons and especially likes studying her cassette taped lessons from Richard Little Bear Wheeler, who dresses in period costume and teaches American History from a Christian perspective. She also likes Kids National Geographic, and Animal Planet, Steve Irwins program. We celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary this autumn with a ferry ride to Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands. We stayed at East Sound's Outlook Inn and had dinner at the Inn At Ship's Bay. We hiked around Rosario Beach and the marina where the deer came up to our car and took photos at the Marina. We spent the second night at the turn of the century Orcas Hotel at the ferry terminal, with breakfast in their dining room with a cozy stone fireplace and magnificient view of the harbor. We had a marvellous time. Our historic cottage and art studio on the Everett Register of Historic Places is located on the Snohomish River. Three years before we bought it, the owner installed a new foundation, and received the city's Brown Award for restoration of the carved rafter tails, or roof corbels. Tom built a river rock wall and pillars and white picket fence. We put in a 96X96 front window, thermal glass bay windows in the dining room, a new travertine hearth, cararra counters in kitchen and bath refinished the fir floors downstairs, installed new drapery hardware and drapes, and put in a white Jotul woodstove in dining room. It's been under renovation this year for the kitchen floor, plaster and brick work, a new roof, etc. Tom recently demo-ed the kitchen floor down to the original first growth fir flooring, and is having the original tongue and groove flooring refinished. In November 2007 Tom's Dad suffered a heart attack, was hospitalized and transferred to Swedish Hospital in Seattle for surgery. The outcome has been very good and for that we are extremely thankful for this answer to prayer. We've enjoyed the year, though it's not been without setbacks that have helped to teach us patience. Will celebrate the New Year weekend with three days in the Bavarian village of Leavenworth, where Zani loves to sled down the hill, build a snowman and has great fun! For some good inspirational music, we recommend this old favorite of ours, from Scottish folk singer Jean Redpath's album:
My life goes on in endless song above earth's lamentations, I hear the real, though far-off hymn that hails a new creation.
Through all the tumult and the strife I hear it's music ringing, It sounds an echo in my soul. How can I keep from singing?
While though the tempest loudly roars, I hear the truth, it liveth. And though the darkness 'round me close, songs in the night it giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm, while to that rock I'm clinging. Since love is lord of heaven and earth how can I keep from singing?
When tyrants tremble in their fear and hear their death knell ringing, when friends rejoice both far and near how can I keep from singing?
In prison cell and dungeon vile our thoughts to them are winging, when friends by shame are undefiled how can I keep from singing?
Wishing you all a Happy Hanakkuh and God's richest blessings in the coming year!!!
Tom, Alana & Zani Campbell
The Sound of Music In Switzerland The Trumpet That Shall Never Sound Retreat From Sea To Shining Sea The Light & The Glory Skylark's Simchas Artists Biography Skylark's Studio At Studio Tom & Alana Campbell's Studio Skylark's Snohomish River Studio Song of the Lord In The Arts Lark Ascending Ari Art Arise French Prophets & Light The Lamp The Song of Jericho Shelter In The Rock The White Rose Heidi: By Johanna Spryri Le Alouette des Champ Plumage Springerlie: House On A Hill Ingebretsen Aebleskivers Campbell Family Heritage Album The Bird of Paradise
Breakthrough Intl 5214 South 2nd Avenue Everett, Washington 98203-4113 Telephone (425) 257-9511
