This July we made a short trip to Chicago. Focus was on Lake Michigan and the beaches.  My granddaughter wanted to go see what a beach was all about.  She's nearly  four and she would come over and play in the back yard occasionally in areas where the grass was sparse or non-existent. This would become her beach. Oh, the imagination of children. 

It was also an opportunity to take myself out of the normal routine, open my minds and I admit I did some writing but this past month was a period of struggle for my writing. I had to discipline myself to write even if it wasn't for publication. Even if what was coming out  left something to be desired. So, I wrote in spite of everything.

We had some rain and overcast skies part of the time, but regardless, the sky and water all came together at a seam in the distance and this expanse did give rise to a number of ideas for projects going forward. 

I can't exactly say that I returned refreshed and relaxed, but I came back transformed in some capacity. I'm still to define in my own mind how that is, a week later.