GATHER ROUND THE CAMPFIRE

There is still time to reserve your spot around the campfire for the 2015 Ratcliff Retreat, September 18, 19, 20.  While no one would be turned away, it is a great help to know the guest count soon for planning purposes, so please confirm this week. Here is an idea of new and exciting activities the 2015 planning committee have in store!

Further north along our California Coast there may be water falling from the sky the week of September 14, which will be a welcome phenomenon at any time, but for the Gualala area the weekend forecast expects sunny and cool conditions.  This bodes well for a beautiful trip north on Friday, September 18 – an off Friday as you know, so a leisurely drive begun early in the day may yield light traffic replete with scenic wonders.  Stop along the way in Petaluma, Valley Ford, Bodega Bay and Sea Ranch for road-trip treats and photo ops.  Gates at the Ranch will open at noon.  Directions to the ranch can be found here.

Campers will want to choose a spot in the big meadow or along the property fire road, and there will be time in the afternoon for a trip to the beach, a game of tennis, non-stop ping pong, etc.  Or you may want to help Kit chainsaw a fallen tree on the property around 3:30.  Dinner will be ready at 5 o’clock and will be kept warm for late arrivals until 9 pm. 

Stargazing walk ~ Keep your fingers crossed for a clear evening, as we embark on a stargazing walk to the bluff Friday night.  It will be a waxing crescent moon, the better to see stars, planets and satellites.

New this year is a visit to Pt. Arena Lighthouse Saturday morning – at 115 feet it’s the tallest on the Pacific Coast.  The fog signal building dates from 1896 and the property covers 23 coastal acres.  We will have a guided tour of the lighthouse and can explore the grounds, museum and gift shop.  Carpools will leave the ranch at 9:30 am to arrive at the Lighthouse at 10 a.m.  Advance reservations are required!  Make sure and sign up at the kitchen bulletin board or let Liz know by Monday 9/14. 

Featuring Dr. Marco ~ Back to the ranch in time for lunch, we will engage our minds with a talk by Dr. Marco Meniketti.  Last year Marco described the anthropological history of the California North Coast.  Any topic he chooses for us this year will be fabulous. 

Nature Hike ~ After lunch we have the traditional Nature Hike with Kit, a 2-3 hour exploration of meadow, canyon, bluff and forest terrains comprising the ranch.  We always visit the adjoining property owned by Kit’s uncle Walt Ratcliff.  Walt and Lois live in the original home designed by Walter Ratcliff.  Remember to bring your water bottle!  We don’t stock the retreat with plastic water bottles but have a drinking fountain handy for refilling your personal water accessory.

So much to photograph!  Andrea Wooding is planning the first ever retreat photo contest to make sure we document the festivities, so make sure your camera phone battery stays charged.  Also sketch!  Dave Olsen is organizing a sketchcrawl for kids and will have sketchbooks to take along with planned stops along the hike, continuing back at the ranch, where watercolor paint sets will be available. 

Kids will also enjoy an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for largest soap bubble – Nina, Michelle and Ron have been working hard in the Ratcliff Test Kitchens to achieve the perfect formula. 

Mandatory Volleyball ~ It’s Game On in 2015!  Alex Matson returns to wear the whistle and keep the competition at a fevered pitch.   Dinner will be served at 5:30, preceded by appetizers by Nina and helpers – for the third year we will have oysters both grilled and served on the half shell.  Dinner will be catered this year and presented rather elegantly by Janet and company.  Do you have camp, foldable chair(s)?  Please bring with you for dinner and gathering around the …

Campfire!  We have a new take on the Saturday night show:  a campfire circle where everyone has a role, if only singing along to a corny camp song.  Recite a poem, play the guitar, tell a joke or a ghost story, do a magic trick – there’s a place for all kids and grownups to shine.  We will need to have enough “volunteers” beforehand to get things rolling, so watch for a call for the something special you can share.

Sunday and Etcetera ~ We eat very well at the Retreat.  Sunday brunch is a highlight and Lisa Meniketti is in charge.  There are also many, many things to do at the Retreat that are not called out here.  Did we mention there’s a beach?  Also:  tennis, ping-pong, horseshoes, beachcombing, poker, piano playing, eating, drinking, napping, reading, talking, enjoying. 

Did we mention chores?  There’s lots to do!  The chores list starts circulating to everyone on the signup list this week.  Everyone needs to have at least one job.  And did you know that Saturday September 19 is Coastal Cleanup Day?  We can each do our part to say thank you to Mother Nature and the Ratcliff family by taking care of the property and the coast.  The retreat is a Green enterprise and we do our very best to keep our footprint light and the property pristine. 

Still on the fence?  We hope this causes you to land on the side of attending the 2015 Retreat – the 36th annual!  The signup list is posted on the bulletin board, or let a committee member know.  A big shout-out to the 2015 committee:  Kit, Bill B., Ron, Janet, Lisa, Nina, Andrea, Dave O., Michelle, Liz.  Special thanks to artist Carol Aust whose painting, Campfire #9 we use with permission at the top of the blog.