Leisure Day, Tandem Teachers Play

We all three awoke our usual early times. I did my morning yoga silently in the still dark room and longed for the crisp air where we usually did our "Sun Salute". This morn, our final participant was to be picked up by her hubby and whisked off for "Brunch". Jean and I waved her g'bye, returning to our coffee and thoughts.

We had a completely open, uncommitted day to play. Sigh . . .

Now what do you think we'd want to do? What a silly question!! Go PAINT.

We left our packing for later (one can always put things off in order to paint, right?) and bagged up our journals and painting materials. We head out in different directions . . . smilin' at the glistening day before us.

I head west . . . I'd been in love with these small ravines that we pass each morn on our way to the rocks where we'd done our yoga. I get all nestled at the corner of the pedestrian bridge in a spot of shade and start sketching. The blissful Saturday was a flurry with the nearby campground (the only remaining open one around the lake) and just as I start adding in watercolor, I hear a heard of children in the distance. I'm buried in pigment, merrily zig-zigging down the rocks, when I realize the boys are very near, and are using BBs to shoot chipmunks and squirrels. ARGH! I'm sitting there focusing on "acceptance" and was pretty much getting there, when, I notice the boys are aiming up at the quick lil' furry animals in the trees. And since they are down in the ravine below me, when aiming up - - they are also aiming AT ME!!! I shout down for them to move on and find targets below my range and I'm grateful they seem relatively obedient. So my vision for my first sketch is now kinda shot (sorry, no pun intended) and I stash things back into my pack. Besides I needed to find a bathroom.

After a quick visit to the Lodge, I point my paintbrush in the opposite direction, towards my favorite rocks on the lake, the Miwuk rocks. As usual, I'm delighted with the arrangements of rock, the patterns of shadows and the brilliant yellow turning foliage. I nest into a shady spot with a full view of a rocks, lake and some of that sprinkle of yellow. The warm afternoon whispers by, I can hear others over near and diving into the refreshing water. In time I can hear a class group nearby, with the teacher quizzing the group on the variety and characteristics of the various and numerous trees in this area. Shoot!! Wish I could hear better to take notes. Jean and I have been pondering what this and that tree is. HERE were all our answers!

I'd begun feeling like my dear sunny journal entry was complete and to my liking. I turned around, responding to a sound to my right and - POOF! - there was my dear friend and tandem-teacher, Jean! What a pleasant surprise! She'd completed her journal work and we commiserated with our days happenings.

I had an off the wall suggestion for closing our afternoon. So I sprung it upon poor Jean. I mean, that afternoon sun was comfortingly warm, the solar warmed rocks offered inviting resting places and the mountain lake water must be invigorating - - how about we go for a dip? She looked at me like I must be nuts. And most of us already know that to be at least partially true. But, again, I asked, "why not?" I'd heard these kids yelling back 'n forth how wonderful their "swim" was. "So, how 'bout it Jean?" She tentatively agreed to trot back, change to our suits and return to this warm sandy beach.

So we return, seeking out a shallow cove where the water could have been warmed by the sun. We poke and peek, sticking in our toes. Finally, we get brave and wade in. The water was refreshing! I dunked into my shoulders and Jean was the REAL brave one and dove in, swimming out a ways. I dog paddled along too . . . glad that we'd actually gotten brave - - and enjoyed it!

Eventually we wander back onto the beach, looking at the interesting artifacts washed up on the beach edge . . . I was inadvertently looking for a keepsake from nature. A warm breeze whispered by, and there, just up against a rock, I say a gossamer glisten. What was that!?! Gently I knelt down to find the remains of probably the wing set of a mayfly. It was a dainty set . . . and when I picked it up - SNAP! - the pair broke apart. What a perfect ending gift from Lake Alpine . . . one tiny wing for Jean and one for me. We took the remaining warm hours on the giant granite rocks, updating our journals and absorbing the final moments here.

We weave our way along the lake walkway, back to our cabin. Skipping the idea of eating out again, we just munched on leftovers in the 'frig as we reviewed the entire retreat. Going over each exercise, judging how successful we felt each was and popping in ideas/renovations for improvements for next year's retreat. It was great to do this while everything was fresh in our minds. And the part I so admired about Jean, as my Tandem-teacher, was her professionalism and willingness to honestly access our endeavor and relish thinking of better approaches/ideas! For me this review was just "icing on my cake" for this retreat!

The remainder of the evening we popped from pile to pile, packing up things for tomorrows departures. A silent sadness sat watching us chattering and working. Our amazing "Women's Journaling Retreat" was coming to an end.

Retreats First Full Day, Gathering

Most of us start to tumble our of our cozy beds and into the kitchen around 7am-ish. We bump around, pulling on clothing, sipping morning hydration and waking as the sun streams over the far ridge and into the living room. Well, we no longer call it a living room ~ with three tables all set up with permanent artist's work spaces, it looks more like a kids playroom. But it's heaven for us artists.

Spilling out onto the deck, with blankets and yoga mats in hand, we amble out, much like the quail do. Following in trusting order, down to the lakes edge, we start our mornin' yoga "Sun Salute". The air is clean, sun,warming and exercise, invigorating. Ahhhhhhh - THIS is how to begin the day!

Once back at the cabin, we have a agenda aimed at filling all our heads with the process of "Journaling". I have a "basics" flier and we go over it ... considering various aspects of what one needs to consider as they begin journaling and an introduction to page design.

Then after lunch on the deck, we move into the juicy part of dancing with process and technique! Jean leads off with her "Sketch/Draw" demonstration, culminating with this active and joy filled journal page. Jean's commentary,

"I couldn't wait to get started on my 'Page Design' as Elaine presented my
techniques she had used. The 'Sketch/Draw' discussion and demo encouraged us to look for the rhythms and movement and how we synthesize nature through our ideas. Truly a game of contrasts and dominance. Feeling of being
there, shadows, light, response, what you hear, smell, memories, dreams, describing the indescribable, nature provides the ideas-it's all there. What attracts your eye? This (color, shape, line texture, space) says (happiness, excitement, boredom) to me. What was your initial inspiration-go back to that gut feeling. Break the rules to get your point across. Relationships and connections, this against that. Molding paste - how fun to explore! Photo corners, beads, cut windows, matte medium - lots of avenues to help define our images."

I'm loving how Jean's words curve and flow around her images, showing how every person's journal is so different and so beautiful!

Our afternoon is packed with gobbling up "Tips & Tricks" for journal pages with further demos. We all finally got our fingers into the "goo" and had some fascinating results. We chatter and nibble and paint the later afternoon away at our tables.

Once the sun goes into hiding behind the large evergreen tree out the south facing windows we all begin turning towards closing the door and warming the oven for dinner. Jean has prepared an Enchilada Meal delicious and big enough to feed us for the rest of the week (yep, it did) and we tossed together a salad (salvaging the lettuce that hadn't gotten frozen by the refrig from whom we were still learning settings).

Conversations on creativity and more free time to privatize our journals lulled us towards bedtime. Like I mentioned ... a day spent in an "artist's heaven" ...