It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life."
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This past weekend, a group of ‘empty-nesters’ gathered at our church’s retreat center, in rural West Virginia. Let me share a few words and photos.
The retreat center is small, with one central house for meals and fellowship, and three adorable cabins. It accommodates less than two dozen folks overnight. This was my husband’s first time visiting the retreat center since it went through an extensive remodeling. I have had the joy of being here twice for women’s retreats.
The weekend had no agenda and no schedule, other than meals. It was a time to share stories and relax together, to connect more deeply than those quick conversations before and after church services. The retreat center is in a very remote area, with no cell service. Just before you arrive, you have to drive through a creek. We literally “Forded” the stream, in our Fusion sedan – and both of us agree that it may well be time to get a bigger vehicle.
We all took turns with the cooking. Tony and I were on the Sunday breakfast team – my task was vegetable frittata. The kitchen is large and welcoming, making for a wonderful community cooking experience. People were in and out of the kitchen, getting their morning coffee and tea, and making conversation while cooks prepared the meal. (Sorry, no photos of food to share. Trust me, it was a yummy breakfast.)
We went on an arduous walk, through the woods and up this challenging hill. This is one of those hills where I breathed a sigh of relief at getting to the top, and boasted “oh, that wasn’t so bad!,” only to find there was another enormous ascent, just around the bend. This second one took my breath away. That dang hill was new to me – not something we had attempted at my women’s retreat. I was glad I did it – the panoramic views of the surrounding countryside were well worth the unexpected exertion.
One friend found this enormous feather along the dirt road…it is some 20 inches long. She let me bring it home! (I love feathers.)
It was a weekend of conversation and connection, to ‘catch up’ on one another’s lives. Such a gift, to be immersed in nature, together.
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