Greetings and salutations.  I have returned.  I don’t know if you missed me, but I have missed posting!  The healing and recovery from surgery is progressing well.  Slower than I’d hoped and expected, but I’m heading in the right direction.

Today, I completed my first two mile walk.  It’s two miles from my front door to the entrance of our housing development.  It contains three gentle inclines which were pretty tough today, I must confess.  I preferred the declines (is that even a word?)  I trust it will get easier!

In other news, I returned from a long weekend retreat at a place called Laity Lodge in the Texas Hill Country late Sunday evening.  It was a blessing of a time – an artists’ retreat teeming with visual artists, musicians, song-writers, singers, poets, writers, actors and…did I miss anyone?  The weekend was full of good food, rest, studio time, inspiring speakers, a concert, an art exhibit, music by the outdoor fireplace and magical moments.

The featured speaker was a gentleman named Malcolm Guite.  He is a lecturer, chaplain, artist, musician, and writer from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire.  An entertaining, knowledgeable, talented, down-to-earth guy who can quote Shakespeare or any other poet at the drop of a hat.  Check out his blog site, http://www.malcolmguite.com, for more information.

All in all, a refreshing, rejuvenating weekend…exactly what I needed to put me back on track.  I’m full of new artistic ideas and plans for art projects.  I’ve made some new friends and connected with some old ones.  I’m back home and ready to take a close look at our belongings and clear out some more excess.

It feels like a new start and, in a way, it truly is.  I’m lucky and thankful to be here on this big round ball we call earth.  I’m grateful  for healing and returning strength.  I appreciate that I have a house that shelters us and that I can make into a home that enriches us.  I’m blessed to have a husband that works so hard to provide for our family and still has the energy to look out for me.  I’m happy that I have a modicum of artistic talent and the desire to create.  I love my family, my friends and the anticipation of who will next enter my life and become family or a friend.  I’m exited to make and share more art (see my other blog:  http://www.unearthedart.wordpress.com).

At some point, reality will no doubt rear it’s ugly head, but for right now…in this moment, I’m loving the mountaintop experience.  The view is great from up here!  Amen.