18 October 2014

I would have missed... ~ Melissa

God how we get our fingers in each other's clay.  That's friendship, each playing the potter to see what shapes we can make of each other.  - Ray Bradbury :: Something Wicked This Way Comes


 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 





 


 
 
an Orenburg shawl made by Sirkku ~ sent to a daughter in Europe to wear in her wedding and now back in the states for another daughter to wear


Diane's hands...


a pillowcase stitched by Diane at eight years old...

 
and a sampler also worked by Diane, some 50 years later, and finished at retreat


...inspiring...



Kristi working on a Sue Spargo quilt...


an applique stitched square being worked by Kristi


needlepoint worked by Sandi, my new football buddy


...amazing craftsmanship...
 
 
 
 
the view from our outing to the country club to watch Sunday football
 
 
there is so much beauty in pattern and order
 
I was minutes away from cancelling my part in the retreat this year.  My husband did a bit of arm twisting and insisted that I needed to go.  He's a smart man.  I was feeling low and unsociable and I was running on empty.  I spent 3 days listening to stories and laughing like I've not laughed in months.  Laughter to that point of tears where you don't feel like you can take another breathe.  I did need this weekend, much more than I knew.
 
I watched a group of amazing women interacting with each other while they stitched and appliqued, knitted and crocheted, and there was even a spinning wheel whirring this year.
 
There was an auction, our sixth I believe, to raise money for Friendship House.  We donated our unwanted stash as well as some handcrafts (there were beaded shawls, hand woven baskets, handmade wooden needle holders and holiday ornaments) and then purchased each other's donations...new treasures for everyone and a final tally of $2,265.75 to donate.  An incredible gift from an incredible group of ladies.
 
We celebrated a birthday with specialty chocolates, saw a grandpa sweater for a first child completed, and took walks in the damp autumn woods.  I came upon a sleeping doe that I did not see until I was right upon her.  She stood startled, so close I could see my amazed reflection in her eye.  We stared at each other for what seemed like days, until she decided that I was of no consequence and folded her legs back under her, lowered herself back to the ground and returned to slumber.  I stood statue still for a lifetime in disbelief.  I almost felt that I could have touched her if I had been brave enough.
 
There were stories told of cruises and castles and far away places, grand hotels and lego kingdoms, grandchildren and new puppies, basket caskets and wee bears, jackalopes and shouts of HEIDI-HO!  There were twice told tales ~ where's mother? ~ and brand new ~ Joanne, what's new pussycat?  Notes were compared by type A personalities ~ yes, there is a right way to eat m & m's ~ with affirmation that we must be sane if there are so many of us!
 
I cannot wait for next year and I'm so glad that I went since I'll have these memories and many more to get me by until then.  And yes, Fran, you may have the cot next year...I won't fight you for it.
 
Thanks to everyone who was there this year for making the weekend such a special time.  Thank you, Linda, for being the organizer-extraordinaire once again.  I feel so lucky to be counted among this incredible group of women.  Thank you all so much for including me in this amazing fellowship.
 
See you all next October!
~ Melissa
(and yes, if you're wondering, there was some knitting done by me...I finished my Jared Flood 'Shale Baby Blanket' (ravelry link here)...pictures soon to follow!)

23 comments:

  1. Oh oh oh I may have to come read and view this post all year long! Well photographed and said! Now I can write down that great poem too!
    Thank you, thank you, thank you !
    Was so good to spend time with you~

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    1. right back at ya, sister ~ counting the days til next time!

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  2. and what is the right way to eat m&m's? i'm curious to know if i'm doing it right. :)

    xo mimi

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    1. step 1 : separate into piles by color and then count each color
      step 2 : eat only from the piles with more in them until each pile has the same number of candies
      step 3 : now you can eat one of every color, one at a time, til all gone

      isn't that how everyone does it :)
      (there's actually a little more to it than that but it's hard to put into words ~ the point is to finish all the colors at the same time)

      hopefully this twisted eating habit isn't the only thing that you got from this post!!

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    2. aw, mel! i have found my people! that is essentially how my m&m's get eaten, sorted by colors, with the 'm's facing up. only i tend to eat an entire pile of one color until gone, then start on the next. :)

      i'm so glad you went and had fun. thank you for posting these great pictures and sharing your time away with us. xoxoxo

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    3. haha ~ I can't eat 'em that way :)

      but I'm not saying your wrong...just doin' it mimi style!

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  3. looks like such a fabulous time, I'm glad your husband twisted your arm and you went!! Yay for finishing some knitting as well :)

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    1. hi, Karen :) ~ your trip to Boston looked fabulous and worth the aching joints!

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  4. What a lovely post and pics! Thank you for sharing, Mel! It makes for a comforting read, and it certainly comes from a deep place within. I'm so glad for you!

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    1. that's me, deep as a bottomless pit :)

      glad you enjoyed it (I thought you might) ~ looking forward to a peek at your day in Rhinebeck!

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  5. Oh I can feel the energy in this post. I am so glad you had such an amazing time.

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    1. hi, Andee! loved your hamming it up in Leanne's Rhinebeck post today ~ I'd love to hang out with you guys (and those funny boys of yours!)

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  6. one of my favorite lines from that book. :)
    and ohhhh I looooooove the needlework. I find this whole thing inspiring. I have some sampler plans for the new year, when I'm done with Christmas knitting.

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    1. that book is full of great lines ~ I'm almost to the end and won't wait so long to reread it next time

      I'm inspired in my stitching as well ~ I'm unpacking a sampler I haven't touched in ages and some other odds and ends stitching projects that just need some finish work

      and I just received a small Sue Spargo pin cushion stitching kit and stitch dictionary that I ordered while on retreat :)

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  7. hi melissa! how wonderful, your getaway sounds like a fantastic time. i loved your description of encountering the deer, what memories you have. so glad for you. xox

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    1. Hi, Lori! It was a perfect weekend spent with great people. It couldn't have been any better.

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  8. Such a beautiful post! I loved the doe story. What an unforgettable experience!

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    1. Thank you, Bonnie! Nice to see you here...I have finished my Streusel and will have some pictures to share one of these days soon!

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  9. Just a side-note... Dave's dad developed Sudden Valley. :)

    K... on to more important things -- LOVE how you have showcased works of art by others. How wonderful to take time to re-energize. Think about you often. Hugs!

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    1. I'll have to tuck that trivia away for next year's retreat ~ it was beautiful (at least from the nongolfer's viewpoint)

      hugs to you as well :)

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  10. I do believe those beginning pictures were of turkey tail mushrooms? They are my once-a-day-keep-the-cancer-away friends. What a wonderful retreat! Alittle bit of everything. I am glad you were able to get away. Rest. Relaxation. Does a soul good. :-)

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  11. Love that tablecloth! I did one with lilac sprays on it when I was 12 years old and my daughter has it now. I also won a competition with a drawn-thread traycloth when I was 7 years old, but the cloth was lost in a divorce move!
    Those were the day when needlework was taught at school...

    Penny
    x

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  12. I'm so glad to see you went to the retreat! (Sorry for being a bit behind on commenting...) There's nothing like being around fun, creative people to recharge your batteries and get your imagination whirring.

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