Retreat Adventure

This is what it takes to go on retreat! It does not contain the kitchen sink, but close to it...

The time away went by quickly--but was a great break away. Even though the predictions had been for terrible weather this weekend, it actually was full of sun breaks & very little rain; what a treat!
The retreat is sponsored by the island quilt guild & has many of the same faces from time to time, but each gathering is a little different as the players change. This time we were 24 strong & seemed like more fun even than our usual (only shortcoming: my usual "roomie" Kate didn't come this time. She was home receiving her new long-arm quilting machine off the truck--how exciting!).

We go to Warm Beach--which is in Stanwood, the last 'town' before you drive onto Camano Island. Camano is the 'other' part of Island County--you can see it just over yonder, but it takes about an hour & a half to get there. The facility is owned by the Methodist Church; many acres of grounds with grass, woods, trails, plenty of wildlife & often many other groups 'retreating' like us. (There are often zillions of junior high or high school kids there when we are--which can be quite entertaining. Last time one little guy about 8 yr old held a sign up to the window that said: 'how many sweaters do you have to make before they let you out?') There are many buildings & lodging facilities on the grounds, so the only time we have to cross paths with other groups is at mealtime. We all eat together in one or two large dining rooms overlooking the tide flats & looking west towards Camano & Whidbey. It's just lovely. Otherwise--we're all together in our own living space--a big work room together, with a wing of dorm-type rooms off to one side. For a very reasonable price they prepare three hearty meals a day, offer help if we need it, or otherwise leave us alone.
To get to/from Warm Beach you have a very pleasant 'back roads' drive through the Skagit flats--much of which is along the water, through some of the richest farm land, and with many picturesque sites along the way. I love both the spring & fall adventure over there--for different reasons. Spring gives that feeling of hope for life & summer coming: the acres & acres of daffodils are just being harvested (meaning that the yellow hasn't quite become obvious to all of us, but the buds are fat & anxious!), the farmers are busy with machinery & activities, the Snow Goose Market has reopened by now--a farmer's market off the beaten path, but well known to the locals. And my favorite part: the snow geese flocks are 'in'.

If you've never seen the snow geese, here's a little description: you're driving along through the farmlands, and you notice what looks like a few plastic grocery sacks on the field. Then you notice so many that you think that the farmers must be putting some sort of covering on the newly planted starts or something. Then--if you're lucky--you round the next corner or two, and there is nothing but white as far as you can see across the next field or two--and you realize: it's all birds. Great big, beautiful, white geese with black painted faces and feet. If you open the window or actually are able to find a place to stop safely--the chorus of sound is overwhelming. I've often tried to guess as a number at any given time--but this weekend I heard a radio spot stating that during this peak time there are between 10-60,000 birds on any given day. If you're REALLY gifted, you might be heading through just as they begin to take flight (although there are many small groups on the wing at any time)--a truly awesome sight; overwhelming more accurately. They are never in the same place from day to day--one day you may see only a few groups of several hundred, vs the next day when you see more than you ever remember seeing before! It's spectacular!