 A rock. A sharpened stick. In the hands of humans, tools. They improve our mechanical advantage. They help us build shelters, feed the masses, create art, conduct business. Syrendell uses tools for our hands-on workshops and retreats: hammers, files, drop spindles, lucets, and looms, to name a few. However, in this current technology, we also rely on things such as HoneyBook, Weebly, Instagram, and a thing called Google. They're all tools - devices that help us create, express, innovate. Like all tools, they were designed by people who were confronted by a problem and saw a solution. HoneyBook, for instance, is a people-first company in San Francisco founded by a couple of hipsters who saw a need for a wedding directory. Here is a list of the computer/digital/web tools we use for both of our businesses Syrendell and Tan Weddings & Events. These tools have allowed us to optimize our work flow, express our imaginations, develop our brand, and reach our audience. And as you will see, there's a specific tool for every task. You wouldn't use a paring knife to cut crusty sourdough bread, would you? So when you see your children enjoying handwork at one of our Syrendell Summer Camps, know that we use more than just a crochet hook to make it happen. The toolbox for entrepreneurs and business owners contains gadgets and Google, hammers and HoneyBook! Click on the icons to take you to the respective companies or to our own pages. Click on the HoneyBook icon and it will take you to a sign-up page!
Who are the teachers of Syrendell Summer Camp 2017? They are individuals who are passionate about their craft and happy to share the joy! Meet Jennifer Tan, our handwork teacher and camp co-director.  Photo by Milou + Olin Photography 1) Where were you born and where did you live as a kid? I was born in the San Fernando Valley, but my family decided to leave city life for the small mountain town of Chester, CA, on Lake Almanor, where I spent most of my childhood. 2) What did you like to do as a kid? I loved unicorns and the Greek myths, so my Barbies and stuffed animals often became characters in my imagined world of the gods and goddesses. I enjoyed playing the flute - I still do. 3) Who were one of your heroes growing up and why? I have always admired Deborah Sampson. I remember reading about her and how she fought in the American Revolutionary War disguised as a man! She is one of a very few women who actually experienced military combat in the 18th century. Another hero of mine is Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, harvest, the seasons, and the cycle of life and death. 4) What/who motivated you to become a teacher? My first teaching post was as a middle school band teacher. I've always wanted to make a difference in the education of our children. So I decided I could make a larger impact as a school administrator, and I worked as a vice principal and principal for a school of over 1000 students, serving the faculty so they can make a difference in their classrooms. Leaving that behind years ago, now I simply love teaching children and adults the crafty things I enjoy! 5) What inspires you to be creative? The fiber crafts - handwork - is such a fascinating form of art. It is a fusion of function and form, arising from our need for clothing and textiles. I think what draws me to it is that you can make something beautiful and it is also something you can use. For me, I love the problem-solving aspect of it, there are strict rhythms and patterns and yet there is a thrilling uncertainty of working with nature's resources. 6) Do you have a pet? What is its name? My family has a cat named George and a rabbit named Bun-Bun. It's fun to see them in the backyard hanging out while we do some yard work. 7) What is one of your favorite foods? I really like Mexican food - one of my favorites is a vegetarian burrito. Hold the mushrooms! 8) If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be? I would be like secret agent Sydney Bristow from the TV series Alias. Her character verges on superhero - she speaks multiple languages, very fashionable even when fighting the bad guys, and is super intelligent. But instead of guns, I would be toting crochet hooks and knitting needles! 9) Why do you want to teach at Syrendell Summer Camp? Syrendell Summer Camp is a dream come true. As program director and teacher, I so cherish the administrative and creative autonomy to be responsive and sensitive to the children, the community, the culture. And I get to share this philosophy with like-minded individuals such as my husband Rick, and the other members of the team. Who are the teachers at Syrendell Summer Camp 2017? They are people who draw inspiration from Nature, cultural roots, and parents. And from a bull sire named Chester! Meet Karen Hansen, our AfterCamp teacher and faciliator.  1) Where were you born and where did you live as a kid? I was born in Cali, Colombia. I lived in Colombia and California as a kid. I'm grateful I got to live in another country and culture as a child. It gifted me important perspective I carried into adulthood. 2) What did you like to do as a kid? I loved Nature…exploring outside …trees, plants, flowers, stones….warm rain …sun. My father was a master gardener, so our yard and garden were a wonderland for me - delicious too! My mom was a master gardener with indoor plants. We grew up without a TV, so we were outside as much as possible. 3) Who were one of your heroes growing up and why? My mother. She was an amazing person who came from a simple indigenous background and beautiful culture and became a career woman and then mother. She led a life of service and touched a lot of people for the better in her life. She's still a hero to me! 4) What/who motivated you to become a teacher? My mother. She was a teacher. She raised me in a way that reflected every moment of life as an education. She taught me the value of giving and sharing, especially with children. 5) What inspires you to be creative? Bottom line….Nature! There is a flow that we are all a part of. It's never turned off. It's always there if we just allow it. I love the thought, the knowing, that we are all inter~connected by this flow. 6) Do you have a pet? What is its name? I don't have a pet presently but not long ago I had a buffalo herd and Chester was our bull sire. He was an amazing Teacher. At 2400 pounds his presence was profound, and I am grateful to have known him and his herd so closely. 7) What is one of your favorite foods? Ummm…that's a hard one, as there are so many….but on a sunny day like right now…a perfectly ripe papaya sounds heavenly! 8) If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be? Oh this changes from time to time… today I think I'd like something like teleportation for myself and the power to take others with me (willingly of course:). I could travel freely and take friends with me. ….Where shall we go? 9) Why do you want to teach at Syrendell Summer Camp? It's an amazing staff with a profound love for children and all their Potential. The location is ideal with Nature holding us as we explore. This relationship with Nature as we share time together enriches us all! Who are the teachers at Syrendell Summer Camp 2017? They are people who are kids at heart, never outgrowing their spirit of imagination and wonder. Meet Rick Tan, our woodworking instructor and camp co-director.  Rick with Wilson and Linden at West Davis Pond 1) Where were you born and where did you live as a kid? I was born in the Philippines. We (mom, dad, and two younger brothers) emigrated to the United States when I was five, landing in Chicago, Illinois. After three years of chilly winters, we headed to sunny California, where I lived in Sacramento for most of my childhood years, and our family grew by two more brothers! 2) What did you like to do as a kid? I enjoyed playing outside! In the provinces of the Philippines, I remember being outdoors for most of the day, playing with my brothers under the fruit trees, chasing chickens, digging in the dirt, hunting for spiders, chewing on sugar cane. 3) Who were one of your heroes growing up and why? Aside from my parents, I would say Lolo Victor (my maternal grandfather). He sparked my love for art when he taught me how to draw a bird when I was only 4 years old. I remember how encouraging he was when I proudly showed him my drawing. Whether it really looked like a bird or not, I just knew I was forever hooked on the creative process. 4) What/who motivated you to become a teacher? There was no "Aha!" moment. In fact, teaching was not my original path. I had studied to practice medicine, but my heart fell away from it after graduating med school to raise a family. Jennifer was at the time (twenty years ago) working her way up as a school administrator, and I became a substitute teacher in the school district. I discovered that being in service to humanity and being a healer could also be accomplished in the classroom. 5) What inspires you to be creative? I am inspired by the thrilling notion of bringing an imagined idea or concept into the sense world. It's the Renaissance spirit (Leonardo da Vinci, another hero). Whether it is a piece of furniture, a play, a painting, or a musical composition, the process of making it tangible to see, hear, feel, and touch is exhilarating. It most often starts with, "How can I do it?" 6) Do you have a pet? What is its name? We have a tuxedo cat named George. He was born the day before my family moved from Fair Oaks, CA, to Davis, from a stray momma cat who adopted us a month or two before that. We also have a bunny named Bun-Bun. The two like to forage in the backyard. 7) What is one of your favorite foods? There are several traditional Filipino dishes that I love, love, loved as a kid, and still do - comfort foods that my taste buds will always crave - adobo, kare-kare, dinuguan, lumpia! Or fried calamari, when it's on the menu. Sashimi, on special occasions. ONLY ONE?! 8) If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be? Possessing a chi-bending skill like the Force. 9) Why do you want to teach at Syrendell Summer Camp? My wife Jennifer and I wanted to create something special for families who share the same vision for their children of a wholesome, joyful, creative, inspiring hands-on program. It is a way for us to give to our community a unique experience, a top-notch camp experience, with super-talented and super-dedicated people like Trisha and Brian and Karen. Who are the teachers at Syrendell Summer Camp 2017? They are creative people with a passion for teaching. And snacking! Meet Brian Wolfe, our culinary arts instructor.  Robyn and Brian Wolfe 1) Where were you born and where did you live as a kid? I was born in Juneau, Alaska. I grew up in a military family and we moved every two years until I was in high school. I don't remember living in Alaska (it was probably too cold for me anyway). When I was a kid we lived in Alaska, Virginia, Arizona, New Mexico, and California. 2) What did you like to do as a kid? As a kid, I loved martial arts, playing baseball and basketball, collecting baseball cards, drawing and painting, playing the guitar, and snacking! (I guess this is what I like to do as an adult too). 3) Who were one of your heroes growing up and why? My Dad has always been a hero to me. He inspired me to be interested in a wide range of activities and to always strive to learn more about myself and the world around me. He was a Commander in the Coast Guard, a Judo black belt, an architect, musician, and he now owns a community theater! From martial arts to music to painting back drops for plays, my love for the arts comes from my dad. 4) What/who motivated you to become a teacher? My mom was an elementary school teacher for 30 years. Her dedication and passion for teaching definitely rubbed off on me. I was also lucky enough to have some amazing coaches and martial arts instructors growing up. The inspiration that I've received from good teachers in my life inspire me to be the best teacher I can be. 5) What inspires you to be creative? As an introvert, I'm not always the most socially outgoing person. Art and music has been a great way for me to express myself and connect with people. I also love to be creative when I cook and I'm grateful to have a family that puts up with me making a huge mess in the kitchen and testing out all of my recipes on them. 6) Do you have a pet? What is its name? One of our cats is named Hendrix after the greatest rock guitar player who ever lived. Hendrix the cat has a big ego, loves attention, and he's an accomplished hunter. Our other cat, Henley, is a giant, reclusive Maine coon named after Don Henley, drummer and lead singer for the Eagles. Our cats are rock stars. 7) What is one of your favorite foods? I love a good turkey sandwich with everything on it! Turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, bacon, dijon mustard, mayonnaise, toasted sourdough bread! 8) If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be? I would be able to make turkey sandwiches appear out of thin air! This is such a tough question. Actually, I think time travel would be a really cool superpower! 9) Why do you want to teach at Syrendell Summer Camp? Rick and Jennifer Tan see everything through a beautiful, artistic lens. The attention to detail, quality of staff, and atmosphere of creativity and fun is like no other camp for kids out there. AND, I get to cook great food with the kids and EAT all week! Arts, crafts, food, play... what more can you ask for!? Who are the teachers that teach at Syrendell Summer Camp? They are kind, creative souls who were once children too! This is first of a series of interviews with these wonderful nature folk. Meet Trisha Lambert, our early childhood track instructor.  1) Where were you born and where did you live as a kid? I was born in San Diego and lived there my whole life until I moved to Davis for College. 2) What did you like to do as a kid? As a kid I loved being outside, at the beach, playing in the canyons and going to the San Diego Zoo when ever I could. In my early teens I walked everywhere with my best friend- we walked miles home from school just to be together, we would just talk and talk the whole way. In the summer we would walk miles to the beach because we just loved to walk and felt like we had all the time in the world. 3) Who were one of your heroes growing up and why? My dad was my biggest hero! He knew so much about everything- especially plants and gardening. I still love to garden. I also remember him motivating me to have good spelling- he could connect any possible grown up job to needing to have good spelling! 4) What/who motivated you to become a teacher? A love of children. 5) What inspires you to be creative? Nature the most, if I don't have much time in nature I find I have trouble being creative. 6) Do you have a pet? What is its name? Shadow. I found him when he was a tiny, tiny kitten in the snow in South Dakota. 7) What is one of your favorite foods? I really enjoy fresh berries in the summer. I currently live surrounded by berries! Heaven! 8) If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be? To be able to heal all people with love. 9) Why do you want to teach at Syrendell Summer Camp? I love working with young children and I love the adults that run the camp. I love crafting! and enjoying helping children learn that they too can be creative.  Looking at "Portrait of My Father" by Stephen Kaltenbach. My brother recently forwarded an article called "Regrets of the Dying". As my four brothers and I get older, and with parents who are in their golden years, certain topics begin to crop up as gaining some level of relevance. However, being in reasonably good health, all of us, and though I am facing the big 5-0 this year, I know his intention was to raise our awareness NOW, while we're healthy and young, or young-ish! The author of the article is Bronnie Ware, a palliative care giver in New South Wales, Australia. She worked with the terminally ill and dying, and she compiled a top five list of regrets that people expressed when "they are faced with their own mortality." Read Bronnie Ware's blog post here. Here are the Top Five Regrets by Bronnie Ware: 1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. 2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard. 3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. 4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. 5. I wish that I had let myself be happier. We all can look back at even just the day before today and re-evaluate something we've done or failed to do. We might reflect and wish we could have done it differently. It's part of human nature, and how we grow and evolve and learn. What we don't want is to make the "shoulda, coulda, woulda" mantra become a chronic, life-long tale of self-loathing and regret. With that in mind, I made a list of remedies to combat the regrets, a one-on-one, hand-to-hand face off. Top Five Remedies to Combat the Top Five Regrets: 1. Now and every day, I tap into my creative inner being. Access your deep self - the place of intuition and imagination. Those thoughts are entirely your own, free from others' expectations. From there, let yourself be inspired by it. Now innovate - do something different, bold, true to yourself. Do this daily, and you come to realize how much courage you really do have to live an authentic life. 2. Now and every day, I find time to be a kid. Take your cues from children - they love to play! It brings out a sense of wonder, freedom, laughter, and pure joy, things we rarely associate with work. (If you are lucky, work is play!) More than we think, play and recreation have many benefits to our wellness, so it is advantageous to balance work and play. Make time for play, to be a kid. 3. Now and every day, I speak from my heart. We fear in our society being judged, being vulnerable, being labeled, so we often hold back on revealing our feelings. Those are real barriers to self-expression. But there are more mediums of expressing oneself than just through speech. Speak from the heart through painting, writing a song, a poem, or a blog post. And when you do find the words - don't worry if they are not perfect, they just have to be sincere. 4. Now and every day, I connect with someone I care about. It's a romantic notion to send a letter, sealed with wax, delivered by a rider on horseback, through the woods. Technology has allowed for Facebook, Skype, emails, and texting. All you need is a screen and your thumbs. Less romantic? Maybe so, but you have even less of an excuse not to reach out to someone! Despite the means, maintaining a connection with people is vital. Call today, horse not required. 5. Now and every day, I make something, love someone. The need to make stuff is a primal human quality. The need to love and be loved (nurture and be nurtured) is also a human trait. Happiness comes from our ability to fulfill these desires and needs. Making stuff can be as mundane as preparing a meal for your family or more involved such as building furniture. Create something with your hands! As for loving and being loved, happiness happens because we are reassured that we are not alone. Regret is a tough thing. The idea of time gone by wasted makes us uneasy. Our mortality is limited, so the best we can do is optimize our life on earth, living creatively, connected, compassionately, now and every day. Rick Tan About the Artist of "Portrait of My Father"
Stephen Kaltenbach (b.1970) studied at the University of California at Davis, where he was mentored by Robert Arneson. In the 1960s he was at the center of New York's avant-garde, where he became known for conceptual work, such as bronze time capsules. In the 1970s he returned to California and focused on painting, but since the 1980s he has created sculpture and media installations. No mention of a teaching career is made in online biographies. "Portrait of My Father" was painted from 1972-79 as a tribute to his father. 
We formed a circle with our mandala stones - the final workshop in our 3-day Syrendell Winter Retreat. Each river rock represented an individual - an artist, a scientist, a photographer, an innkeeper, a coordinator, a brewmaster. Each rock a constellation. Each constellation one universe. We are all unified by the human desire to be creative. Being creative is honoring earth's bounty, accepting the gifts of the elements, using our own hands. Creating is in our nature, and most certainly comes from a wellspring of loving intent. It connects us, nourishes and heals us, completes us. Now if only we can get our world leaders to all be together to braid yarn, paint stones, sand wood, and go wine tasting in Calistoga, CA...! Syrendell Winter Retreat 2017 from Rick Tan on Vimeo.
VENUE | Brannan Cottage Inn
WORKSHOPS | Syrendell PHOTOGRAPHY | Nick Graham Photography CATERING | All Seasons Napa VINTAGE RENTALS | Graceful Gatherings LINENS | La Tavola DECOR AND FLORALS | Tan Weddings & Events WOOL and YARN | Mama Jude's  As the parent zips up his little one's jacket and puts lunch in the backpack, readying him for school, he gets eye level with the child and instructs, "Now remember to say 'Thank you', play fair, and keep your hands to yourself."
"Yes, papa." Most parents believe that curriculum and skill building are taught at school, while core values such as politeness and respect are taught at home. Parents take on the responsibility of raising courteous people. The reality is, to reinforce these values, the other parents of the children in the classroom all need to share the same values. So in truth, developing the SELF means developing SOCIAL WELLNESS, and vice versa. In this regard, every classroom is a setting for teaching the whole human. Social behavior among children is a reflection of parenting philosophies. So you can easily see the challenge and frustration of putting children in a classroom together whose parents (and teachers) have different expectations about behavior and discipline. Like the curriculum or physical development, social expectations can also be tabulated and measured - benchmarks for social development. Using Steiner's developmental goals of the curriculum, putting it side by side with other philosophies, and listing associated values and demonstrable social expectations, I created a table called "Social Wellness Milestones through the Grades". It is a work in progress that sequences the development of social skills from grades one through nine. Regard it as minimum requirements for student social health and wellness. Click on the button below for a downloadable pdf .  photo courtesy of Milou + Olin What makes us human is our ability and desire to create. It's in our blood to transform the natural materials around us into shelter, tools, clothing, art, and food. We are in a constant and dynamic relationship to the elements - to fire, wood, water, and earth. We are also in a most amazing relationship with one another. Syrendell's Winter Retreat "for couples and bffs" explores the idea that we are creative people who want to be creative together! If you look back to the Renaissance, the explosion of science, art, and exploration were a result of the momentum of entire cultures and communities discovering and learning together. In the rugged elegance of California's wine country region, nestled in the romance of historical Brannan Cottage Inn in Calistoga, we welcome you and your significant other or bff to join us in celebrating the human experience of creativity...with wine and conversations! Hope to see the two of you soon, Rick and Jennifer Tan |
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