Dennis and Pam orchestrated a retreat that was peaceful, safe, educational, delightful, delicious and extremely filling. I am a newcomer to this type of creating. Both the mystery of the stone, and my intrigue with the people lured by the mystery of the stone have my thoughts whirling.

Who stands before the core of the earth with a chisel and tears? I listened as the veteran sculptors wandered through the stone garden. Ah, this soapstone has such rich red and browns!” “Umm, the alabaster has pink and peach hues, and white veins - Perfect for a torso.” “Wow, a block of marble, unscratched, with dent or chip, the goddess of the garden with the most secret mysteries.”

Each would stand holding the stone with a far away look in their eyes. I thought the stones pretty, impressive and heavy. I had never looked at a stone in that way; with the stone carvers’eye. Now I’ll never be able to walk by a stone without imagining a relationship with it. Perhaps I will be frightened by it, or eager to get my hands on it - I will never be quite the same.