Fifth year on Vashon Island

Yesterday's view from Quartermaster Harbor

Yesterday, after the five of us arrived separately by ferry on Vashon Island for our fifth annual writers' retreat, three of us went for a three-mile walk. The three-mile loop takes us by the harbor, and the brilliant blue skies and fluffy white clouds made quite a spectacle, as you can see here. Then we went back to join the others at our wonderful Lavender Hill Farm to make ourselves comfortable in our respective rooms. I have always stayed in one of the basement rooms, until this time. I am ensconced in the suite, for the first time, and now everyone will have had a chance to experience it.

The large suite, my room for five days

The bed is huge, and the separate bath and sitting room are incredibly spacious. I felt a little swallowed up by all the space, at first. After having slept there last night and getting a great night's sleep, I can see why everybody wants to have that room.

Deb, our facilitator, making a bouquet

This morning we began the work. Deb has taken several courses to learn how to facilitate writing groups using the Amherst Writers and Artists Method. We just spent our first morning session using writing prompts and giving and getting feedback from our impromptu writings. Every year I learn a little more about the method, Deb's proficiency increases, and I get to enjoy the company of my fellow Vashonistas.

The living room

This is our writing area; and we are taking a two-hour break for lunch Three of the women went off to town, while I sit here writing this post and Linda is taking a nap. She stayed up rather late, and as usual I was the first to leave last night so that I could get to bed at a reasonable hour and feel quite rested.

Although the writing work is valuable, it is also quite intensive, so we will continue to have a few days more of writing and then for the weekend will explore places on the island that we want to know more about. We leave on Monday, so I will be here on Saturday and will post from Vashon Island once more. We've got rain moving in, quite a lot of it for awhile, but we three walking buddies will head out each morning at 7:00am for the three-mile walk. It's the best way to start a day of mental exercise, I think. More later.
:-)