Hola dear ones.  I am sitting out on a patio in Boadilla del Camino population 140. I called ahead today to reserve beds in a private Refugio called En El Camino a family owned Refugio and restaurant. The grounds are amazing with an en closed Area complete withsculptures, iron art works, flowers, old trees and even a small kidney shaped swimming pool which has absolutely no appeal to me as it is chilly today.  There has been a definite shift in the weather and we now start our day wearing our fleece and our wool hats. Today it wasn't until 12ish that I removed my fleece.  This compound has multiple buildings and the one we are staying in is a renovated old barn with beams and a beautiful tile floor.  It also has a lounge area where we can sit and relax.  I've come to realize how much I need a bit of space around me. In the mornings when we get up around 6 or 6:30 I find I want to be in a small area to organize and ground myself before I start the day.  This morning back pack bonding ritual sets the tone for the day for me. The early morning hush, dark sky and stars is a gentle way to mark the beginning of the next adventure.    Yesterday evening after we got settled in our Refugio and I staked my claim on the bottom bunk And then went for tea and wrote my post for the day , I decided to walk down to the church we passed when we came into town. It is called Iglesias Santa Maria ex  collegiate Church of Our Lady of the Apple N.S. Mazano XIVth c with a huge beautiful rose stained glass window you could see from the outside.  What you could 't see from the outside were the treasures within.  This  church has recently been Renovated as a museum of sacred art specific to Mary magdalene. It was stunning with classical music softly olaying as I walked slowly around the church and the little side rooms.  There was a large old pipe organ that I was drooling over.  Many of you probably don't know that I used to be the organist for our little country church in Dudley and six mile run. An old pump organ in the one church that I played weekly when inwas in high school. Needless to say it did not compare with this one in any way.    Okay I digress get  back to the current story. It was a peaceful way to  end my day.  Although that isn't all. When you first walked into Castrojeriz and almost directly across from the church there was a private home with a magnificent flower garden with a palette of vibrant colors. Bright pink and  orange and purple zinnias and huge pumpkins still on the vine. There was a stone wall and  A wrought iron gate with fountain and ferns and an  old stone home with benches out front. Needless to say I took many photos and was quite pleased to see an elderly couple sitting on the benches as I  left the church.  In my very limited Spanish I told them how beautiful their garden was and thanked them for the gift of living art.  It seems that the elderly man did most of the planting and when I told them I was a peregrina we sat and looked at my guide book together.  These chance encounters with the gracious people of this country deepen my experience and warm my heart. Appreciation in any language binds us together. Another gift I'm learning from the Camino.  This morning was another  glorious morning with a kick butt hike from the bowl of this little town back up onto the Meseta. Some of the towns sit down in a bit of a valley and we hike down into and up out of them. This morning's climb gave us an awesome 180 degree view and a little rest area at the top before we continued our 11.9 mile hike which is close enough to 12 for me to say we walked 12 miles again today.     I am craving a very hot pot of tea. I had a cup today , but the cup was  too small for my liking and it was gone way too fast for me to enjoy holding the warm cup in my hands, one of the main reasons i love hot beverages. Tomorrow we might hike 25 kilometers to carron de Los condes or we might stop at villalcazar de Sirga  we'll decide after we get moving tomorrow. I am hoping for a clear night Friday or Saturday as Saturday is the full moon.  It would be glorious to see it on the Meseta. Okay now I'm sitting in the sun soaking it up. This  dance i am having with the duality of the elements is fascinating. I love the organic and raw relationship I am developing with the sun. Wind, rain, stones, mud, cold, hot, dusty , dry , clear. Stars , sunflowers, wheat, moon, pavement, plants, flowers. All of it.  I could go on and on. My senses are alive and serving me well once again I'm grateful.  Lu sent me a note saying I  signed off yesterday with Camille in the Camino. Have I shifted to  now being a part of the Camino.   Great question.  Thank you Lu. So for today love to you all from Camille in and on the Camino. Carpe Diem.