Friday, October 7, 2016

Writing Retreat at Buck Creek - #SaturdaySnapshots

Have you ever been completely off the grid? Recently, I spent several days at Buck Creek with my Puyallup, Washington, writing group. We had an amazing weekend with no cell phone coverage, no internet access, delicious meals, hiking, and lots and lots of talking and writing in a comfortable lodge in the middle of the woods.

[Click on photos to enlarge.]

Our group came to Buck Creek to write, but we also wanted to enjoy the area's natural beauty. When we asked the facility's management for advice on walks or hikes, they recommended a nearby trail. Here's where we walked. 





Although our hike ended up being longer than we'd anticipated, and at one point, we thought we might be lost, we talked to a couple of other hikers and found our way. Now we have an entertaining story to tell about our trek through the woods.

This facility has been around for many years as a religious camp. Originally called Berachah at Buck Creek, it has recently been purchased by a different organization and is now named Black Diamond Camp at Rainier. [LINK]


Creekside Cabin (where we were housed) can accommodate up to twenty people, and each of us had our own bedroom.



The new owners have upgraded the facilities with new bunks and comfy mattresses. They have even more improvements in the works. 

 




The attentive staff took care of us very well. Retreat Coordinator Katy (black shirt) and chef Amanda, along with A.J. and Josh, served sumptuous meals, answered our questions, and made sure our retreat was everything we'd hoped for. If you ever need a facility for a family reunion or other gathering, I highly recommend Black Diamond Camp at Rainier. This would be a great place to stay if you're a skier because it's close to the Crystal Mountain ski area.

Here we are! 



Left to right:

Kathy Guimond - Has completed one novel (a historical family saga) and is working on its sequel. 

Sandra Nachlinger (me!)- Author of two romance novels. (Links to my two novels are shown above.)

Kelly Marshall - Author of two murder mysteries (with another one in the works), one post-apocalyptic novel, one sweet romance. [Website link]

Pam Johnson - Co-Author of The Jelly Jar Project, a book of money saving tips. Contributor to God Answers Prayers: Military Edition anthology. [Amazon Link]

FYI: I wrote about last summer's retreat at Buck Creek on the Smart Girls Read Romance blog HERE.

Click on the + or - sign to zoom in or out of the map.




Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.
To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, 
click HERE or on the box below.  

West Metro Mommy Reads
To participate in Saturday Snapshots: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) 
have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the host blogsite. 

16 comments:

  1. Great araticle, Sandy and photos. Reminds me of the Buck Creek up the Sauk River from Darrington only there is no lodge there. Looks like a fantastic place to get away from it all. Glad you and Pam and the others got to go and having your own bedroom is terrific!
    Colleen

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for stopping by my blog, Colleen. We had a great time on our retreat.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It looks like a peaceful place - perfect for getting creative!

    Love the pic of through the trees covered in moss. I could almost smell the woods:-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. That was a lovely snippet of your getaway writing adventure. I would love to escape there xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. How neat to have a retreat like that in a beautiful place with congenial friends. Definitely envious but glad you shared it to give those of us who couldn't do that a taste of it :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a delightful getaway! Sometimes we all need to "unplug," and what better place to gather...and enjoy the surroundings, too. Thanks for sharing...now I want to go there!

    Here's MY SATURDAY SNAPSHOT POST

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a great idea for a get away. Not sure I'd like the no wifi, but I can see why you'd do it. Your walk looks lovely. That green photo of the fallen trees is beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. How peaceful. This looks like the perfect retreat.

    ReplyDelete
  9. There is nothing like a retreat with friends to make your mind start clicking. What a beautiful spot!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, how beautiful, Sandy! This sounds like my kind of retreat. Hiking, thinking, writing, and a room of one's own.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a great weekend! Delicious food, beautiful setting, and awesome friends. Couldn't get any better than that!
    Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  12. It looks like you guys had a ton of fun on your retreat- I'd love to go there someday.

    Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Looks like a wonderful place for a rest and respite.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, what an exciting opportunity! I love the idea of the retreat and the facilities look fabulous! And, of course, your hike looks wonderful - I think you know how I love the outdoors!

    I didn't realize you were a novelist! Congratulations! I write all nonfiction, so novelists seem a bit magical to me :)

    Would love to have a writer's group like yours - how did you find each other?

    Have a wonderful week!

    Sue

    Book By Book

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sue, the members of this group met through a writing class at Pierce County Community College. After the class ended, a bunch of us decided to meet once a month at a local bookstore. Several people dropped out, so now we're down to five members. (One couldn't join us at the retreat.) Now we get together monthly in a meeting room at Starbucks and have gone on weekend retreats for the past few summers. We always have a great time.
    These women have become close friends who have greatly improved my writing. I don't know what I'd do without them!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow, that's great! Wonderful to have that kind of support...and friendship, too! Delaware has an active writer's community, but when I've gone to an event, it seems like everyone is focused on either fiction or poetry, and I write all nonfiction.

    Glad you found "your people"!

    Sue

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting "Writing With a Texas Twang." All comments are sincerely appreciated. Tell me what you think!