Sunday, June 5, 2011

What a Day!!! (Inner Gardening MIni-Retreat)



i could feel in my bones that it was going to be a wonderful day.  i never doubted that for a moment. could not have asked for more picture-perfect weather…  i was prepared (ok, maybe over-prepared!) but somehow the unfolding of the reality ALWAYS exceeds my expectations.  because it’s the connecting and sharing that happens throughout the day that create the MAGIC of the retreat.

(laura - thanks for taking this!)
 this was the first time i have done a one day mini-retreat.  the others have all been an entire long weekend so things can unfold gradually.  it’s a challenge to fit everything that i wanted to share into one day and, as it turned out, i had to cut a lot of it out.  but that’s totally ok!  because it’s not nearly so much about the material that’s presented as it is about the new ideas that are sparked and the interactions that take place.

 














it was also the first time i have co-hosted a retreat with a partner.  laura and i only met recently but quickly realized that we had similar dreams and ideas as far as bringing women together around a creative theme.  it was wonderful having someone to bounce ideas off from and to share in the responsibilities.  laura is an art teacher.  she led the group in an easy and fun mixed media project that produced some pretty amazing results. oh – and she makes a mean coffee cake too!


 robin did a brief yoga session with us that was just the right ingredient to set us up for our afternoon of art-making.


 here are a few more shots from the day…..

lunch on the terrace

playing in the children's music garden

hiking

yoga

art-making

kait matthews, vaf featured artist this month


reveling in the flowers!

in the end, it's the PEOPLE that make or break an event.... could not have asked for a better, warmer, wiser, wittier, or more wonderful group!!!

so now that we’ve got our “feet wet”, we are excited about doing it all again….. 
more details to follow!!

5 comments:

  1. It was a great time, spiritually refreshing!!~Robin

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  2. Dear Patty-I loved seeing all these pics! yes...the weather was just perfect! So glad to have participated Patty. And here's to dreams coming true!-Soraya

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  3. I had a great time. Lovely people!

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  4. looks and sounds awesome! would love to join if i live closer. thanks for sharing the magic.

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  5. you must have had so much fun! gardening is near and dear to my heart. and of course, crafting... :)

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