We are leaving today for a family vacation in North Carolina and, while I am really excited to spend a week relaxing and catching up with my family, I also can't wait for the following week.  I am enrolled in a workshop at Penland School of Crafts entitled "Steel as a Descriptive Line" taught by Kim Cridler, a metalsmith.  Penland is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in NC and, from the descriptions on the website, it  sounds pretty remote.  After we spend a week together vacationing, my family will drop me off and I will spend a week "off the grid" focusing on making art.  Usually I spend the majority of my studio time creating commissions, so I'm looking forward to the opportunity to be creative, to learn, and to be free from the structure of my regular world and the distractions of life.   If I can get an internet connection, I'll post some pictures to Facebook while I'm there, otherwise I will do that when I return at the end of the month.   Hope your summer offers some time for you to relax and refuel too!