Tuesday, June 7, 2011

It Snowed AGAIN!

View from our class room. Its snowing on the other side of the lake.

I have spent the last 2 days in my pink flannel (Christmas sock monkey) jammies.  No, I don’t have a cold.  It’s just the coziest outfit I have and it’s pink.  I am just resting up after a fun and busy week at my Flowers on the Lake retreat on beautiful Lake Tahoe.   

The water is so clear.

Pearl taking a break.

Helen and her vibrant clematis.
You know you must have had a good time even though your feet still hurt and you have slept 12 hours straight for 2 days but there is still a smile on your face.  At one point I did question if I had bit off more than I could chew as I tried to meet the needs of a room full of 20 panicky women on that first day. The first day of all classes you have a room full of big eyes with questioning looks.

Kathy's sunflower.

Gale's roses.

We had some exciting moments and I learned that I can’t do it all.  But I can’t wait to try it again next year.

Starting to snow on the lake.

We did have some exciting moment when one of the students got sick and we had to call the fire department for help. Nothing perks up a group of woman quicker than cute young firemen walking through the room. Makes you forget you where just in a panic.

The weather was crazy. But it seems to be crazy this year all over the country. Is God trying to say something?  So, of course it did snow the second day and the girls from Arizona got all excited.  
It's only June 1.  Why not snow?

Pat and Cathy in the snow.

The student that traveled the farthest to the retreat was Donna. She and her husband came all the way from Massachusetts where it was 95 degrees and humid. Thank God she brought a sweater at the last minute.
Thread Play on a coneflower.

Claire's hibiscus.


Jan's zinnia 

Linda working hard!

Joe and I talked and I am going to try it again next May.  I like the end of May because we have the whole place to ourselves.  It’s quiet and peaceful.  
View from above!


On the last night I stood up on the second floor and looked down at the class as they worked so intensely. I was pooped, but the room was filled with beautiful colors and you could feel the spark of creativity.  Some sat contently, admiring their finished flower. 

Donna's inspiration photo.
She's got it!

Kim's zinnia.

Dede working on a fabulous quilt she started in a Janet Fogg class.

Cheri's clematis from her own hand dyed fabrics.

Leila and her flowers.

Ruby's hibiscus from her husband's photo.
I felt like a proud mother watching the group.  I thought to myself, who would have predicted that the little dyslexic girl, who felt so retarded at one point in her life, would have a group of talented, dynamic women drive 100s of miles to take a class from her?  God is so good!  


Hope to see you next year! If not at Tahoe maybe in New York in December at the Hudson River Valley Art Rhttp://www.artworkshops.com/

3 comments:

  1. Your students are doing beautiful work. It must be such fun to teach and watch them.

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  2. Hi Melinda! How great to see the photos from Flowers on the Lake and the faces of my new friends! Thank you again for the fantastic retreat- it was wonderful! Sad to come back home again! (Especially to see the damage from the tornadoes that hit while we were away. Thanks for the good timing!)
    It was very inspiring and what a beautiful place!
    ~Donna (Miss Massachusetts!)

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  3. Thanks Melinda. I had such a wonderful time at Flowers On The Lake. The setting was wonderful, and the class so inspiring. I LOVE my Sunflower, and so does everyone I showed it to. My small quilt group is all excited about your techniques, so you might have some more Oregonians next year!

    ~~Cathy

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