Retreat at the beach

Went to Saylor's Sandcastle this weekend for a retreat.  The Sandcastle is actually a huge beachhouse between Ventura and Santa Barbara in Southern California.  The house is right on the seawall just above the ocean.  Sometimes at low tide there is a narrow beach below the house, but most of the time, the ocean comes right up to the sea wall.  It's a wonderful place to come and sew for four days.  The sea air and the sound of the surf are all conducive to a lovely relaxing time.

 I took several UFOs and one new project to work on at the retreat.  I completed 9 things while I was there.  I worked like a machine, I must say, but I enjoyed every moment of it.  Here are a few pictures of the retreat and the locale.  This is the back of the house... or the front - depending on how you look at it.  This is the side that faces the sea... All those wonderful windows, the better to watch the ocean and islands (more of the same on the top floor too):

Here is the view looking up the beach from the seawall:

Our workroom... there were two main sewing rooms, one upstairs and one downstairs... This is the downstairs room where I was sewing.  There were 24 of us total, sewing in 2 main rooms plus a couple of side rooms as well.  It was a quilting madhouse... but in a fun way:

Here are a couple of visitors who came to watch what we were doing,  We had several of their kin who stopped by on the seawall from time to time.  Really, I think they were just looking for handouts:

And one of our lovely sunsets on the beach:

It was a wonderful weekend, but despite the fact I could live in that house quite happily (couldn't afford it probably, but if I could, I'd love it)... I AM happy to be home, with husband, cats and dog.  They are apparently all glad to see me too.

Pics of retreat finishes forthcoming as soon as I take some... right now, all my newly finished things are still packed away.  I am quick to pack up to leave... unpacking takes me some time... No pressure to finish anytime soon... just whenever I get tired of the chaos of bags and boxes underfoot.  I'm so glad my husband is easygoing about such things.... bless him and his tolerant nature.