The main object of the remaining retreat is to revisit all our accomplishment journal work and create a collective book for each one of us to take along home with us.

It’s almost sacred, flipping through each of our participants journals, listening to the experience and feelings that now accompany these pages. This is what I so love about journals, right there on that page is every connection, emotion and challenge present on that page’s developing moment. We laugh and are very near tears many times, remembering the details ~ if you were there, you know all the memories!

Next we each receive an accordion book, handmade by Elaine, with just enough pages for every other participant to create a “very personal memory” entry. The cover would show off our individually designed stamp (yep, the one we’d created earlier) and each uniquely designed page would reflect the positive impression we’d each experienced with the book’s owner. It was a heyday!!! Every technique and all imaginings were set loose. And – it took much longer than we’d planned as everyone got so into this delicious work! Even Izzy picked up a paintbrush and joined in the merriment! I mean, how on earth do I say all the joy, growth, pain and beauty not to mention the wisdom I’d seen in each of these women? Really now!?! Actually, we spent the remainder of the day finishing everyone’s book and even had to mail Marilyn her’s (she had to leave around noon) so that we’d get her’s completed. But here it is ~ in all it’s glory!

Well, we had to take a break for lunch, especially because we had a visiting Alumni from last year’s retreat coming up to dine with all of us! Our Izzy had prepared take-away sandwiches for all who had to leave at lunchtime and the rest of us got a Pesto-Pasta and Salmon Casserole. And alot of giggles too, as you can well see.

Our dear Nancy, the Alumni, volunteered to take a group photo of us wacky artists before anyone took off and ~ well, each photo just got goofy-er. But many thanks Nancy, great images!

We did finally settle down to conclude our books and of course, Izzy still prepares us a divine feast of left overs, even though her responsibilities have ended. The evening is a bit more quiet, with our dwindling numbers. I pause to get a magical shot of the waning moon and those who got enrolled in our early special (2 extra nights free) are anxious to get a good nights sleep. You want to be totally rested for a full day of free play, on the lake or maybe in your journal, right?