David Dark spoke to us about finite and infinite games, honest struggle, not holding to tightly to one’s identity. Sarah Dark and Matthew Perryman Jones sang and played all weekend. David and Sarah, and Matthew are very creative and talented. I’m really glad that they were there to share with us.

In the building called the Cody Center hung several works painted by Bruce Herman. They were done in warm colours and gold leaf. My photos don’t very well show the depth or  luminosity of the actual work.

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to be continued…

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continued from:  post 1, post 2

This is a photo of Steve getting his Chief Scout Executive Pin from Tim, the Deputy Chief Scout. Okay, so maybe it’s actually a microphone, but it should be a pin.

Steven spoke to us, telling us just to pay attention, slow down, be present for one another. Yep, he knew that he was talking to a room full of artists, and that anything more structured would be like trying to herd cats. He was in for a busy weekend, and totally up to the task.

Tim spoke too, and told us a story about a monk and a garden which led up to telling us to ask for what we need. Steve has been at Laity for ten years and he knows the ropes. If you want to hear the monk and garden story, you will have to ask Tim.

Reed, the english lit. grad. who grew up around Laity, was introduced, along with the very lovely and kind Ivy. Don’t let the loveliness of Ivy fool you, she is also very strong and smart; so watch out, baby.

Then Bruce Herman spoke for a few minutes.

This is a photo of Bruce listening. I didn’t get one of him speaking, but, he is good at both. One of the things he mentioned was for us to pick up things, like stones or feathers, and assemble them, make something. Also to look and be present. He talked about making and breaking and some things about the empty vessel.

After that, some people gathered at the outdoor fireplace room. My roommate went and had a great time. I was too tired and chose to sleep. I didn’t even hear her come in later, she was so very quiet.

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continued…post 4

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continued from post 1…

Well, now i’m not really sure if any of the buildings were stone or not, but, there were stone walkways edged with stones, and stone fountain with brass birds, and a stone fireplace in the great room, and the outdoor, covered area, with a fireplace, was made of a lot of stone. Along with a mountain of stone, the place was surrounded by trees. Not too tall, kinda scraggly, cool-looking trees.

There were a lot of people that arrived before me, as as travel took me most of the day. I went into the office to check-in and receive my room letter, not a number but a letter of the alphabet, and the name of my roommate… No key, no card key, no need to lock the door. My roommate was a very nice woman from texas who had her stuff spread far and wide, though there was a coffee table at the end of my bed that was left for me to put my case on. There was a radio-alarm clock in the room which we would use to know when to be ready for the first bell of the day; the breakfast bell.

Yes, a bell. There were posts with bells like a ship’s bell. Each bell was attached to a metal hangar at the top of a post and had a cord attatched for ringing the bell. There were no other visible clocks, that i noticed. I turned-off my phone, there was no service. I didn’t need my ipad, there was no wifi.

That evening we were fed a delicious meal in the dining hall, and then off to the great room for introductions of the Laity staff and a talk by artist/speaker, Bruce Herman.

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continued…post 3

the
frio river…road.

My husband and i got up at 4:30 am on Thursday October 11th. I gathered my case and my shoulder bag, and Peter grabbed his keys, and we were off to PDX in Peter’s huge truck, that is called “Big Blue.” He was on his way to pick up grapes from a vineyard way out east, down the Columbia Gorge, in Washington. Yes, harvest had started, and i was leaving to go to an artist retreat in Texas. Peter dropped me off at the long term parking, as he could not take his big truck up to the terminal. I waved and ran over to catch a shuttle, which happened to be waiting at one of the stops in parking. It was a very full shuttle and nice of the driver to wait for the last of the stragglers, one being me. It was still dark, and i didn’t really want to hang in the parking lot for the next shuttle.

After flying to Dallas and then to San Antonio with just a small bit of breakfast and no time for a lunch. It was time to find the car that i would rent for the two hour drive west, into  Texas hill country. I don’t know of any other place that calls the hills, hill country. I guess it’s just a Texas thing. I got the car and took a good look at the map, trying to get some kind of idea of how to get out of San Antonio. I did fairly well until i missed my first exit. But, eventually, i broke free of the spider web that goes around and around the city and was on my way. I don’t even remember, but i must have stopped somewhere for food. I drove down the highway, to a road.  I drove down the road, to a smaller road, until i came upon the turn onto the gravel road, and took the turn. The road led me down, around curves, and down, leading me to the river…into the river, then back up and out of the river, up and around curves, ending in an open space to leave my car behind. I got out of the car and followed a path to find a one story stone building with a small office to the side. I had arrived.

continued… post 2