As is only fitting, we devote our first Talus Rock Retreat blog to Micheline and Shane Ryckman to convey to them our deepest gratitude.
The Ryckmans are recent additions to our ever-extending Canadian family and, as a blessing to Talus Rock Retreat, Micheline brought her graphic artistry as a professional photographer and publisher to help us to develop a blog.
As a seasoned blogger herself, Micheline’s fabulous blog Ordinary to Extraordinary featured Talus Rock Retreat in a recent post. You might recognize the artful Indian orphan montage creation in her post which is now predominantly featured on our website Mission/Goodwill page. I have to admit, it was not so much her suggestion of creating a blog (of course, what a great idea!), but it was her impetus and sheer follow-through that made this blog happen. Micheline, her husband Shane, and their 2 wonderfully talented children, Hunter and Hannah, drove just over an hour from Creston, British Columbia, last Sunday to tutor me in the way of blogs. While Hannah filled Talus Rock Retreat with joy and beautiful piano music, Hunter and Shane watched movies in the home theater and threw balls for dogs, Panda and Talus. Micheline, determined and intent to finish her intended mission, patiently walked me through the initial blog set up offering ideas, hints, wise media suggestions, and the hands on technological know-how to actually get this blog up and running. Her effort alone made the difference between another entry on a long list of things to do, and you reading this today.
We sincerely offer our appreciation to Micheline and her family, thanking her profusely for recognizing Talus Rock Retreat as a place and opportunity to contribute her considerable gifts. To our delight, the family will return in May to take new photographs of Talus Rock Retreat to best capture the property’s extraordinary depth and charisma. You will eventually see her photographs on our website that will no doubt help to attract even more guests to Talus Rock Retreat. We’d like to continue to offer this place as a love letter to those in need; our front door is open to you.
- Come in! Come in! Come in! (Front door carved by woodworking artist, Stacey Mitchell, Utah, inspired by Robert Bateman’s work “Clear Night Wolves“)
Thank you Ryckmans and to all of you who give your gifts of time and talent to your local communities and to those in foreign lands.
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