A Relaxing Retreat – the South Valley Quilt Association

What a fabulous week! I taught a group of 12 from the South Valley Quilt Association at the San Damiano Retreat Center in Danville, CA. It’s been a while since my car looked like this and it felt great to be back at it! 

I wasn’t sure what all I might be teaching, so I brought the kitchen sink. The drive down was divine! It wasn’t until I began my drive that I realized that it was already spring. Of course I don’t have photos because…well I was driving. Trees were blossoming, the hills were velvety and green, the mustard was blooming its vibrant yellow and the weather was just. perfect.

The Center describes itself as an “oasis of peace” and indeed it was. Located on the top of a hill outside of Danville, the scenery was pastoral and the view from the top lovely. I didn’t hike around like I normally would have as I had given myself a foot stress injury – I was in no shape for hiking. At night the frogs took over and I absolutely loved the sound of the croaking frogs!

It was a little early for full blooms, but some of the daffodils put on a show.

I knew everything was going to be okay when this showed up on my table first thing:

I should have taken a photo of the snack table, laden with all the major food groups: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chips and candy. My caramels were well received.

We worked on all kinds of free motion!

And these were first time feathers!

Mama was proud of her newbie featherers!

I had so much fun, as did everyone else. Can you tell what a great group of women this was?

This group of 12 is part of a larger group whose main focus has been to put on the “Taste of Morgan Hill“, a popular culinary and entertainment event that has been going on for over 25 years. This group has been meeting for over 20 years,so there is some deep history there. The show has been cancelled for the last 2 years, but they chose to gather for retreat this year anyway. I’m so glad they did!

Whenever I go to any kind of class, I’m always on the lookout for clever gadgets and toys. Look at this assembly by Diane that raises your chair a few inches:

BTW that’s a furniture mover thingy plus a split tennis ball that you get for the legs of your walker. Isn’t that clever?

And how about this:

Is that not the coolest chair? It is super comfortable, compact for travel (easily fit in your back seat), and light weight – everything you need in a retreat chair. It’s a bungee chair from The Container Store. I must have one! But they no longer come in red, sigh.

I was flattered that Becca made one of these for me:

I have seen these before, but did not have one myself. They are so handy and I’ll fondly think of this group and the retreat every time I use it.

It’s hard to convey how wonderful this weekend was – the weather was delightful, the drive beautiful, the retreat center a peaceful and lovely place to land, and the women were just the. best. bunch! Lucky me.

Now it’s on to prep for Empty Spools and I have a LOT of work to do! This year is unusual – there is still time to join in.

I’ll be posting at:

Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday
and
Finished or Not Friday.