2019 CMEC Summer Retreat {Recap}

Have I mentioned here that I LOVE the Annual CMEC Retreat? Oh yeah, I have. Well, going back this year was a balm and a joy, to meet up with good friends and make new ones, to get a chance to brainstorm with like-minded moms about philosophy and education, to be inspired by living ideas at every turn.

All the work Amy and I put into our talks for this retreat (over six months worth of thinking and writing!) was worth it.

no filter -- just crazy blue skies until I hit the East Coast!

My flight there was delayed, but my mind was clear and I got a TON of work done so I almost didn't mind. :)

I flew in early again so we could had to the museum the day before the retreat -- it's a tradition! Last year we went to Cloisters in New York, and this year we went to the Philadelphia Art Museum.

I was so impressed. Their collection is fantastic.

And lunch after!

The Barnes Museum

Some of the best ladies I know. This picture is sadly missing Dawn Duran, who was taking it! (And many others coming next, which she very kindly shared. It is hard to take photos at an event when you are one of the ones running it!)

The retreat began the next morning. Our overall theme was the formation of character in the Mason model. The first day, Amy set the stage with the overall scope of a living approach to character. I covered how character is built through the curriculum. And Amy spent the afternoon on citizenship: how we might define character through citizenship, the components of citizenship in the programme, and an afternoon of immersion lessons and reflection time. That evening was our off-site dinner with Dr. Jeanne Schindler as our speaker. I really appreciate her as a thinker and as a person.

The second day we focused on habit training for younger children, for older children, and for mothers -- all offered from a living perspective. We also did a fun Q and A panel and offered some final ideas to close. A very full two days! I met so many wonderful ladies.

Interspersed were poetry recitations, Swedish drill, brush drawing, book binding, singing, and more!

They will be packaging the talks once again this year and offering them along with the beautifully-designed handbook on the CMEC website -- hopefully by early September! I'll update here when those are ready.

For now, I'll be missing these ladies and the wonderful work they are doing over on the East Coast. It is good to together every so often for refreshment and mind-food. I'm planning a trip back for another retreat in October and I can't wait.

Motherwell and More

First: I want to announce a couple upcoming retreats I will be at this summer/fall...

In July, I'll be back in Philadelphia with Amy Snell for the CMEC Summer Retreat! This is a very special event and I'm excited to start preparing my talks in earnest. I'll be discussing habit training for younger and older kids, as well as building character through the content and methods of the Mason curriculum. This event will also include immersion opportunities (from singing games to Plutarch!), a dinnertime lecture with a prominent scholar (who just happens to be a dedicated homeschool mother as well!), and hands-on instruction in handicrafts and brush drawing. I can confidently recommend this event both to newcomers and to very experienced moms; Amy and I aim to offer some inspiring ideas from Mason no matter what stage you are in. If you are on the East Coast, I hope you will consider coming. More information here.

And for my western friends: in September, I'll be speaking at CM West :: Retreat at Puget Sound. Even though this is a CM West event like we have here in NorCal, I am not part of the organization team. I'll just be going to give a talk -- and to share in all of the retreat goodness, of course! What a treat. :)  I went to the last CM West retreat held at Palisades and the site is so peaceful and beautiful. It really does feel like a getaway.

The team has come up with the fresh idea of inviting attendees to narrate, discuss, and reflect on the main talks of the retreat in small groups; the concept sounds inviting and friendly -- and oriented toward growth and really wrestling with rich ideas in community. I think this will be a great combination of principles-based talks and practical chat regarding the outworking of those principles in our homes and homeschools. There will also be a variety of hands-on activities: folk dancing, handicrafts, nature walks, and more. I am looking forward to attending! More details here.

If you'll be at either of these events, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below. :)

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And now on to a recap of my Motherwell adventure for those of you that might be interested!

I flew in on Wednesday night and Amy picked me up at the airport on her drive down from Princeton. This was a full day before the event, but coming from the West Coast, I always have to choose between flying in a day early or flying in late the night before the event -- and I find the latter to be a physical challenge. And so we took advantage: we spent the night with a friend in DC, then drove in to the city to visit The National Gallery for the morning.

What a wonderful time! This was my first visit to DC, and I felt like we spent it just right. Art museums are my very, very favorite. I just couldn't have been happier with the collection there. Breathtaking!

We were joined on our museum trip by my friends Dawn and Jessie -- whom I am sure you know if you are in the AO crowd! The four of us had such a nice time. Dawn had a plan to get us a great parking spot, and she came through: we literally could not have been parked any closer. Yes, that is our car, and no parallel parking required! She said she learned her ways from our friend Maria, so I guess we have both of them to thank. Either way, it made our trip so much easier. :)

I took pictures for my kids of all the pieces we have studied over the years. They oohed and aahed over all I got to see! (AO moms: how many do you recognize??)

A few other highlights: they have a Tintoretto exhibit there right now and it was stunning. Large scale pieces with so much movement and yet so much stability -- if you are in that area, I highly  recommend getting there before it ends in July.

After lunch, Amy and I made the two-hour trek to Charlottesville and checked into our little airbnb. We ventured out for dinner and for a walk about the UVA campus...and for a stop at Trader Joe's. (Priorities.)

The event itself began on Friday morning. The retreat team did a fantastic job. It was in held a fresh and airy meeting center right in the heart of the charming dowtown. The second-floor space looked out onto the pedestrian thoroughfare, lined with coffee shops, restaurants, and used bookstores. (We totally took advantage of all three!) They decorated simply and tastefully with lettered signs and flowers. Everyone was so kind and welcoming -- so much southern charm!

 

The schedule was organized into talks and breakouts. It worked out to two talks in the morning after a short introduction, split by a break and followed by a simple (delicious) catered lunch, then a couple hours of Mother Culture-oriented sessions, then a final talk for each day. The breakout sessions offered new skills like sourdough bread baking, flower arranging, clay modeling, lettering, herbal tincture preparation, and more. All of the mothers were so enthusiastic about the sessions they signed up for -- so many great conversations about how refreshing it was to try out these mama practices.

oganizer Liz Wetzel

Amy and I had a great time presenting and both of us got so many interesting questions and comments during the narration/discussion portions of the workshops. Liz Wetzel and her local friends included so many thoughtful details and demonstrated a heart for offering something beautiful to the moms of that area. I was happy to play a part in that and to experience the retreat myself!

And of course a BIG bonus was the time I got to spend with Amy! We had a blast exploring Charlottesville together. On Sunday, we packed up and with our good friend Lynda. went to Mass and visited Monticello before driving back to DC. Even though we woke up to a drizzle, the rain cleared and it was gorgeous by the time we got up the hill. The grounds at Monticello took my breath away -- what a perfect time to visit, when everything was in bloom! We took an excellent tour of the house and had some great conversations while we walked.

Another big highlight: I got to see a cardinal and a blue jay, two birds we don't have here in California even though they are so common everywhere else! My bird-loving son was particularly jealous. :)

And then it was time to head home. It took me five days to recover (who's counting?! LOL) but I am now easing into our summer schedule with fresh inspiration and lots of wonderful memories. Thanks, Motherwell team, for inviting me!