Exciting News!

just over a month from now, we will be heading up into the mountains and surrounding ourselves with nature, art, good food and drink, laughter and sharing.  can hardly wait!!  i have a few newsworthy tidbits to pass along....

carol, me, carolyn, hiking at the march 2010 retreat

sadly, since carolyn, our esteemed chef, has moved recently, she will not be able to join us at the march retreat.  the good new is, however, that carol wilson will be taking her place!  carol is a fabulous artist.  you can see some of her work here.  she also attended the march retreat last year and some of you met her at our space between holiday reunion.  now the really exciting part... carol will not only be cooking,  but will be doing a mini workshop for us on MOSAICS!  as you can see from these samples, she knows what she is doing!  i have walked through her backyard and it is quite an adventure!!  sooo excited!!

so....  add mosaics to what we will be doing art-wise, in addition to altered photos and collage.  it will be a full weekend, but with down-time too.  i am committed to that!

i have been gathering some other tidbits of wisdom to share with you as well as some fun stuff for the goody-bags.

still have a few opening for this retreat.... scroll down for more info. or email me.

Hiking in Palomar Mountain State Park

Nature as Nuture

i’m posting today almost “on location”. no, i’m not at the upper meadow lodge, but i am just down the road at a cozy cabin on mt. palomar. i came up here to preview the hikes for the march retreat. it’s been kind of cold and blustery, but then, well, it is february and it is the mountains, after all!

as i was hiking today, i was thinking about “nourishment”, the theme for the next retreat. and for me, when i think about what i find to be nourishing in my life, NATURE is right up there near the top of the list! which is why i have chosen a lodge that has over 8 acres of wander-able land. and why i think a beautiful natural setting is vital to the success of the retreat. and why hiking is such an important part of our agenda.

no one is required to hike. as with all space between activities, it’s optional. but for those who are able, i think you will find it to be a soul-sustaining activity. something to look back on and cherish. to sooth the challenges that will inevitably come your way.

i feel that the time spent quietly in nature creates spaces in our brains that open themselves to all sorts of creative inspiration. it all works together. i have seen it happen and i am a believer!

scroll down or go to "older posts" for more info.  still accepting sign-ups for this retreat!!
(all photos taken feb. 9 and 10 on mt. palomar)

Update!

the dates of the march retreat have been slightly tweaked!  instead of a thursday - saturday schedule, we are opting for a traditional weekend friday - sunday schedule to accommodate those who need it.

soooo.... the new dates are:

FRIDAY, MARCH 25 - SUNDAY, MARCH 27

so far we have been very fortunate in being able to come in earlier than traditional check-in time and stay later, so no guarantees, but we are hopeful, as this really adds to the quality time we can spend!!

one of the art projects we will be exploring is "altered photos".  i thought i would post a few that i have been working on to give you a general idea.  it's fun, easy and can go in a million different directions.  the resulting photos can then be use in a collage with other photos, other items, paint, or ????

sanded and scraped

sanded, scraped and colored

bleached

i have been working on the first (optional!) homework assignment, which follows the "nourishment" theme,  as well as an adjusted "what to bring" list and will be sending those out to participants soon.  

we have a lovely group of creative women, but are still hoping for a few more participants.  if this is something that interests you, but you just are not sure (believe me, i have been there!!) you can find my email on the "pricing" page.  i would be happy to answer any questions you might have.  

also, scroll down or click on "older posts" to see other pics and info that have been posted.  definitely getting excited!!!!!

NOURISHMENT retreat details!!

Please join us March 24-26

for the next amazing

Space Between retreat,

themed "Nourishment"

Takes place at the gorgeous 

Upper Meadow Lodge,  and surrounding area

high atop Mt. Palomar in San Diego County

2011 has arrived in all her glory and the days will start ticking by in their usual relentless manner.  now that the worst of the flood damage control and restoration is behind me, i can start to devote some time to a much more fun and exciting endeavor…. retreat planning!!!

i have been tossing around some ideas…. trying to imagine (my new word of the year!) some ways to change things up a bit since we will have some retreat “repeaters” and ways to incorporate the retreat theme of nourishment.

here are some “teasers”:

first off, let me restate the space between motto.  everything is optional.  if you choose to participate in these preparations and activities, wonderful.  if you choose not to, for whatever reason, no one will think less of you.  i promise!!

• consider bringing a recipe to share for something that is both nourishing and delicious.  (you don’t have to bring the actual dish, well, unless you want to)

•  consider some type of contribution to the retreat – this could be a poem or story or book to share, an art technique or any other kind of technique to teach to the group, a presentation of some sort, a prepared dish or meal.  you probably have other ideas…. (don’t forget, no pressure…. it’s optional!)

•  our discussions will be loosely-structured toward the nourishment theme…. body, mind and spirit.

• we will each make lists of what nourishes us (probably as homework) with optional sharing.

•  we will keep “nourishment notes” in our journals or a separate space.

•  we will have a few planned nourishing quiet times, to let it all sink in

•  we will share art techniques and have several available options for art-making

 

wow – writing all of that out is getting me excited!!  now comes the hard part… i’m going to ask for a $100 commitment to hold your space, any time but for sure by the end of the month.  as soon as i get about 4 or 5 checks, i will commit to our lodging.  just email me if you need my address.

i have updated the pricing page.

 

oh – one last note… i can’t find specific dates, but i’m pretty sure late march is included in turkey hunting season, as was the case last year.   i think the best way around this would be to avoid the national forest and hike in the state park.  that will give us some new territory to explore.  all outdoor photos here were taken in the Palomar Mountain State Park  (scroll down to see lots more photos of the retreat  lodge and area!)

Save the Dates!

True or False:

• i feel strong when i nourish my body.
• i feel sharp when i nourish my mind.
• i feel enlightened when i nourish my spirit
• creativity is an excellent source of nourishment
• relationships can nourish and enrich my life

if you answered “true” to one or more of the above, 

you would be an excellent candidate for the next  

space between creativity retreat, 

aptly themed, 

“nourishment”

come spend a few days nourishing your body, mind and spirit 

in the mountains of san diego county

join a small group of women who are interested in spending some time

hiking, journaling, creating and sharing, 

all in the comfort of a luxurious mountain lodge.

you do not have to be an artist to attend this retreat! 

in fact, you don’t even have to think of yourself as creative

(you are, but you may not know it yet!)

save the dates:

march 24-26, 2011

details to follow  

pricing will remain around the $300 - $325 level (all-inclusive) 

with discounts for previous attenders or bringing a friend

limited spots available  

no commitment required at this time, 

but please let me know if you are interested.  

 you can email me at:  patty@nomadicnotebook.com

What's Next??

now that i’ve had a month to bask in the warmth of the october retreat  and had another amazing opportunity to retreat with my scarf sisters in manzanita, my little brain is starting to knock on the door of my heart and ask this question.  what is the next step?  do i want to plan another retreat??  

i feel that there is a momentum that has been created and i want to go with that flow but i do want the retreats to evolve and i want to evolve with them.   for me they are a very special means of creative expression and, hence, they should never become stagnant.  they should grow as i grow.  as i learn new truth and wisdom, those elements will be translated into retreat elements.  and since each retreat is a huge growth experience for me, i want that growth to be reflected in each subsequent retreat.  

at this point in time i cannot elaborate as to what those details will be, but when i am able to articulate them, this blog will be the vehicle for sharing them.  i’m toying with the idea of some possible themes and also considering 2 retreats for spring –  one small and intimate as the others have been and maybe one a little longer/ larger (hence more expensive) with a guest artist or 2.  stay tuned!

P.S.  thinking of the last weekend in march 2011.  open to suggestion!!

7 is an Odd Number

so is it possible to bring together 7 women of very different backgrounds,  ages, lifestyles and experiences and end with a result that is filled with goodness, beauty, inspiration,  and love???  i am here to tell you the answer and it is a resounding YES!!

was it the constantly swirling mists with the light peeking shyly through ever so often?

or the white space between the swirling that our brains discovered following shiva nata practice?

was it the juicy conversations going on all day long with kindred souls who we felt really “got us”?

or the amazing variety of soul collage cards and their insights created and shared with the group?

was it the lovingly prepared, healthy and colorful meals?

or the interesting array of gourmet snacks everyone brought to share?

was it the intensity of the colors of nature muted by the flowing mists escorting the route on our hikes?

or the dilapidated barn we discovered and hung out at?

was it the cozy comfort of a rip-roaring fire in an inviting mountain lodge?

or the spirit woman stories shared amidst candlelight and said fire?

was it the lilting lines of soul-touching poetry filling the empty spaces?

or the insights being jotted down all through our days

 in each personal journal?

was it the vast smorgasbord of inspiring books available for our perusal?

or the excitement of making plans for the future

with friends we had only met 2 days before?

well, none of the above in isolation could produce the enchantment that we all were so fortunate to able to soak into..... but all of the above in combination..... well, i'm thinking that 7 is a MAGIC NUMBER!!!