From Cyndi Ball: 

Our first LHG Chapter in Washington!

After a leisurely breakfast with my sister-in-law, Carolyn (yogurt with Oregon blueberries, fried duck eggs, and local bacon ) Trina and I packed up and hit the road. Carolyn gifted us with the use of her Mercedes SUV, and it's fabulous! We are riding in style! :)

We headed north on I-5 to Castle Rock, a quaint little town with a population of just over two thousand. When I lived here before, we would drive the corridor from Seattle to Portland to visit relatives. With six kids in the car, we didn't have time to stop and explore the cute little towns along the way. Castle Rock has undergone a makeover, and it's so quaint with all its local shops. 

We were to meet the board of the LHG of Cowlitz County, WA Chapter at Vault Books & Brew, a bookstore/coffee shop. Soon three wonderful ladies walked through the door, and we hit it off right away. We pulled up stools to a cafe table and began to chat, listening to each person's story. 

We shared LHG's story, how it began, our vision, and what a community of other like-minded women would mean for them personally.

Every person comes with a story. It's so beautiful to hear the HERstories and how the next piece of our tapestry is woven into the design of LHG. At first, these fabulous women were unsure of their next steps and how to gather other women together while juggling their daily lives. But after two-and-a-half hours of sharing and teaching and answering questions, these ladies were ramped up and ready to go!

They are our first official Chapter in the state of Washington. We've since had a couple more requests for Chapters here, and I expect more after our time at the Mother Earth News Fair in Oregon this weekend. We're excited! The Pacific Northwest is a perfect spot for the National Ladies Homestead Gathering! :)

After we said our goodbyes to the ladies of Cowlitz County, we continued north on I-5 to Silverdale, where my brother and his family live. He's lived here in the NW for six years, and I've yet to see his new home. Last time I saw him and his family was in North Carolina at our folks' place in 2014. Such a great time together with them! Trina and I were wined and dined with dinner on their beautiful back deck under a clear sky and cool NW breeze. Grilled chicken, marinated spinach salad, fresh sweet corn on the cob and a fruit salad. The night was so relaxing, and the food delicious.

We talked long into the night, catching up on lives; Trina hearing a lot of family history. Relationships, family, community. My heart and passion and the privilege of helping others connect with one another.

I mentioned to Trina after leaving Castle Rock and the ladies of the Cowlitz Chapter, "Doesn't it just blow your mind that we are on the west coast talking with ladies who want to carry on the vision of LHG and reach their local community?!" 

It definitely blows my mind ...

(Click here for the next post in the series.)