Tempt

Here's another one of those spots I probably shouldn't tell you about.

At the foot of Bailey Canyon in Sierra Madre you'll find Bailey Canyon Park. West of the park is a paved road. Walk north, toward the mountains.

You'll pass alongside the Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center. You can't see much of the Center from this road. On your right is a dry reservoir, which I guess is the Grove Street Reservoir because Bailey Canyon Park is at the end of Grove Street.

When the road ends, if you continue north along the path you'll head up the mountain. But before the path, a little bridge crosses a wash and leads you to a quiet, sun-dappled clearing. The first time I found myself in this clearing, no swing hung from a tree.

I am tempted to remove it.

Not That Kind of Passion

When I need a break I go for a hike in the hills. But some situations call for drastic measures. When it gets that bad you need a complete departure from civilization.

I remember going on church retreats when I was a pre-teen. They were fun, like going to camp. On one retreat I had a crush on Brian. He put his arm around me during the educational film strip, then broke my heart when he put his arm around Darleen at the campfire. It was a stressful weekend.

I believe they're offering an entirely different experience at the Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in the hills above Sierra Madre.

Their lovely website makes a retreat look so inviting I'm almost tempted to leave my iPhone behind for a weekend. On the site there's advice about how to make the most of the experience, with ideas ranging from the ethereal (how best to use your spiritual time) to the earth-bound (wear comfortable shoes for strolling the grounds). And the price is very reasonable.

The virtual tour is a bit...busy. (You'll just have to imagine that the grounds are peaceful.) But from Bailey Canyon, where I hiked high above the Center on my own mini-retreat the other day, a big retreat at Mater Dolorosa looked like heaven.

Do you think one weekend would be enough time for me to get over the whole Brian-Darleen thing?