It's a beautiful Saturday morning here on the island. The sun is shining brightly and I can see how much grit there is on Heartwood's windows. But washing windows will have to wait. I am delighted to see about 2 inches of emerging life on the iris and daffodil bulbs. We are moving toward the light!
Monday,February 2nd is Candlemas/Imbolc or Groundhog's Day of you live in the US. From my We'Moon calendar, "at Candlemas, awakening begins and the return to light seems assured. Energies within the earth, as well as the physical body, begin to gently pulsate as the days lengthen and out hopes turn to spring. Traditionally a time of transformation and initiation, Candlemas bring "big dreams" and a raised vibration. Sap rises, trees bud and agricultural people everywhere look to nature for the omens that might tell them whether to plant their crops early or late this year."
After the harsh winter weather Paul and I just experienced in Toronto this past week, I don't think I'll ever complain about the Pacific Northwest again. We were in Toronto for an Authentic Leader workshop and being up north, I was quickly reminded what growing up in Olean, NY was like. The snow begins to fall in late October, accumulating into high drifts along the road and parking lots, until the thaw begins in late March and the muddy season moves in. Life goes on...schools stay open and work continues. Here on Orcas, we may have an occasional wind or snow storm and life slows down for 3-4 days, then it blows out, melts down and disappears.
January has been a busy month for us on Orcas.
I have been a member of the Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce as a Realtor and with Heartwood House as a vacation rental. The Chamber puts together an annual map of the island and sends out a weekly Blast of events and activities.
It's really not an Either/Or...rather, a BOTH/AND. Island business people will benefit from participating in BOTH venues as our island economy relies on our communities and customers, clients and guests who come from across the world, and the globe.
Leadership San Juan Islands Class V launched with a retreat at Heartwood House last weekend. There are twenty in this cohort, our first full enrollment. What an excellent time we shared with a wide array of island leaders. There's a broad range of ages and experiences present, great diversity and enthusiasm. LSJI is about community leadership and as a learning community, this cohort is stellar.
Consider coming to Heartwood House for your next retreat. It's a great venue for business teams and boards to come together and do good work. Paul and I, through Process Experts, can design and facilitate convenings, visioning and team development processes for up to twenty in plenary and breakout sessions. Overnight accommodations are arranged for participants (private or shared) at The Outlook Inn, The Landmark Inn or Smuggler's Villa.
We are accepting bookings for Summer 2009 at Heartwood House. We will be renting for only 11 weeks this summer, beginning June 29th until September 14th, 2009. This year we are renting from Monday-to-Monday to make it easier for our guests hosting or attending weekend weddings and celebrations. If you are planning a wedding, anniversary or family reunion, we have the capacity to sleep 8-12 guests and entertain up to 30. We have tables, chairs, linens, placesettings, serving and glassware and onsite catering to make your intimate celebration special. There is an additional fee for events and we are delighted to work with you to make everything perfect. Call us at 360-317-8220 for more information.
Heading off to enjoy this glorious afternoon on Orcas Island. We are blessed to live among such amazing natural wonder. Looking forward to sharing more about our island life with you soon.
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