STORIES FROM THE VALLEY

Most projects begin with an idea of what they might become. You picture the finished place, imagine how it will feel and make plans for how you are going to get there. What is harder to imagine at the beginning is how much the process will ask of you in return. Valley of the Cross has developed in that way. The land and buildings have changed, but so have we. Over time, it became clear that creating the kind of place we wanted was not only about improving the physical space.

Valley of the Cross began with a piece of land and the idea of creating a place where people could come to stay, gather, and spend time away from the pace of everyday life, while building a life here that was closely connected to the land itself. Austin arrived in the valley with a clear idea of what he wanted to create, but living and building here gradually gave that vision more shape. Most things took longer than expected. Winter rain could pause outdoor work, summer heat