I visited Breitenbush for the first time in 1980. The specialness of the place was very apparent to me and left a deep impression. I was fortunate to live only an hour or so away and I stayed there many times to be rejuvenated by the land and the people.
Tired of urban life in 1985 I applied to live there and became a resident. For as long as I can remember nature has been the primary healing force in my life. One of the things that happened for me at Breitenbush was I developed a passion for photography. There was just so much beauty in nature there that I had to start taking pictures.
I loved living there and had no desire to be anywhere else. Yet after three years of much personal growth and many adventures I knew it was time to leave and live in Portland. Strangely I also ended up being a caretaker in Jawbone Flats at Opal Creek in 1989 before I would settle in Portland.
I had no idea I would ever live at Breitenbush again until the spring of 2010 when circumstances conspired to lead me to reapply. I was hired to work in the office for the summer and it turned out to be a great fit for my life so I ended up staying for 10 years. I worked there until the pandemic hit in March 2020 forcing layoffs and closure to the public. I'm now back living in Portland.
You can email me at: john@breitenbushblog.com
