Adytum Opens Memorial Day 2010

Adytum will begin her second round of “soft openings” Memorial Day weekend. We weren’t planning to officially open until some additional projects were completed and things were “perfect”, but events transpired that accelerated everything. Namely, people want to experience what we’ve created here not caring if things were quite ready yet–so ready or not- we will enjoy the awesome season together, and keep working and as we go along.

Somewhere along the way, the house seems to have become a driving force in her own right. It sounds strange, but the Adytum house and the lands all seem to be conspiring to bring opening day about. Having worked on novels, this is the same phenomenon I’ve observed when I cease to drive the story forward and the characters themselves take off and create their own reality.

Most people remark that they feel Adytum herself extends a huge welcome and draws like minded individuals here who love the spectacular natural beauty, appreciate the spiritual life and nature while respecting the integrity of the land. . Luxuriously appointed suites, fine art and sculpture, romance and indulgences….magnificent natural beauty viewed through this house of glass….this is Adytum within.

Adytum will always be a work in progress, the work of a lifetime. While the Star of the North Suite, The Orion Suite and First Light have largely fulfilled the romantic and spirit nurturing visions we have for them- encompassing every extravagance, the 15 ¾ acres will always be evolving. We and our staff are committed to doing the work by hand, forgoing chemicals, pesticides and herbicides, carving walking and meditation paths out of dense, thorny brush and supplanting weeds with natives.

Soon trails will be marked and a walking labyrinth achieved as we connect all the paths and trails. One day the gardens around the house will be maintenance free…meantime, we have made peace living on the edge of wildness in the Pacific Northwest. We’re learning to enjoy the nettles and dandelions in ways we never dreamed possible….gastronomically…

Starting the morning with a walk in the woods overlooking the lake and valley is sumptuous in the extravagant privacy of the land. The air is full of birdsong, croaking frogs, the wind in the ancient Fir and Maple, and the air is fresh and clean…Inside the main house, classical music or smooth jazz plays softly. Suites are IPod/I Phone ready for your own music selections. WiFi…

Celebrating the spectacular sunsets at days’ end in the library or in the hot tub with a glass of wine is an honored ritual at Adytum. In suite couples massages can usually be arranged to extend the deep relaxation. Nights are simply extravagant here. With the absence of light pollution, the stars explode overhead. The Milky Way and constellations you’ve never seen light up the sky, particularly in the winter. But the summer sky is intense as well. Reconnecting with the beauty of the night is such an amazing venture.

After a nourishing gourmet breakfast featuring an organic, vegetarian and largely gluten free menu and the best coffee from the Italian made Miele built in coffee machine, Lake Mayfield beckons so bring your kayak, canoe or fishing gear. The Tilton, which feeds into it, is heavily stocked with Rainbow Trout. We are a registered wildlife habitat, bird sanctuary and a working Fir and Alder plantation, so bring your binoculars. The plantation is home to many nesting birds who return year after year. Hawks and Eagles soar, along with local ultra light pilots right outside the windows. If you’re into mountain biking there are many trails nearby. We like to ride around the DeGoedes Bulb Farm fields and through the little town of Mossyrock.

Ike Kinswa is 5 minutes from Adytum and has some lovely hiking trails, even a rope swing to jump off into the glacier fed Cowlitz water. The Mossyrock Dam attracts visitors from all around. Further east is Morton where the Logger’s Jubilee is held every August and the Packwood Flea Market and, of course, Paradise and Mount Rainier are the crowning jewels of this area that welcome people from all over the world. My favorite time to go is when the lupine and wild flowers are blooming so profusely that the air smells like heaven…late summer.

When it’s raining, we love to sit in the Tower Room, so named for its 24 windows overlooking the lake, rivers, blueberry and flower fields, and watch the storms come in off the lake. Play the baby grand digital piano, listen to music (the acoustics in this room are awesome) or take advantage of the Spa using the Far Infrared or Turkish Steam Sauna. Or perhaps we read in the library or play chess on the third floor by the fire. We’ve stocked Adytum with DVD libraries to watch on the flat screen TVs, movies, and books on a multitude of topics, chess and board games. When the sun comes back out, there is bocce ball, croquet, football, Frisbee golf, taking a salt water hot tub or making s’mores around one of the fire pits.

We love to read and sip iced tea under one of Adytum’s signature orange umbrellas while we watch the boaters on the lake. The magical beauty here captures everyone’s hearts, and guests always linger, reluctant to leave the deep peace and relaxation that emanate from the house and land. Adytum is sacred space. It is a world unto itself…a destination.

We look forward to meeting you and know that you’re in for an unexpected indulgence that will become a new ritual in your life.