I was scheduled to open registration of Summer Soul Camp today, but I'm going to hold off until Wednesday afternoon. You see, my family is in a place of re-entry today, having spent the last week in staycation/vacation mode. I'm feeling so incredibly relaxed, and just need to sloooowly get back to it all. The opening day(s) of a workshop registration are always pretty high energy, which is super fun, but I'm just not ready to go full throttle yet. So, the workshop registration and all the details, will be here Wednesday afternoon.
In the meantime, care to visit Vermont with me? We made a trip up for a few days and it felt so good to get a dose of my home (you know, the one that I do not live in). Isn't that something? Of course, I am totally grateful and happy to live comfortably anywhere, but Vermont? That is where I breathe easy and feel most like myself. My spirit has lived there for twenty years... hopefully someday my body and worldy possessions will live there as well.
It's a pretty place, yes? I didn't take many pictures for some reason, but found these to share with you.
While there, we met with a realtor just up the road from Joe's Brook Farm to look at a sweet log cabin on ten acres that was for sale. But, we learned when she got out of her car that "another offer had just been presented this morning." My attempts at getting a foothold in Vermont have been failing for years... I have to laugh about it at this point because tears would just be too consuming. Remember last spring we went up to resume our land search? Did I ever mention here that within a couple of weeks after returning from that trip BOTH of our cars died on the side of the road? Let me tell you, very little takes a hit to your savings like having to replace TWO cars with something decent, safe, and reliable, at the same time. Ouch. That sure ended last spring's land search.
Anyway, we were talking with the realtor about Joe's Brook, which was just outside the door of this cabin (Joe's "Brook," by the way, would be considered a river by Connecticut standards), and I asked her if it was there for public use - could we swim in it and could my husband fly-fish until his heart's content? She looked at me sort of sideways, "Of course you can, it's there for you to use and enjoy at anytime!" I explained how great that was to hear because in Connecticut nature closes at sunset (seriously, you will get kicked out). The poor woman was speechless. I think the words "does not compute," were uttered. She then pointed out that all the farms along Joe's Brook practice organic farming methods so the water remains clean and safe. Imagine, an entire body of water protected because those who live along it simply feel it is the right thing to do.
Vermont. My spirit home, always and forever.
The rest of our week was spent lounging around here with either our noses in a book our our hands in the garden. And that was thankfully about it. I'm just about to finish Green Mountain Farm and absolutely love the simple memoir of life on a Vermont farm in the 1930s and 40s. My favorite reading is memoirs that tell the story of country/farm living in the 1920s, 30s, or 40s - particularly in New England. If you have any titles to recommend I'd love to hear them. There is a full summer ahead and what better way to beat the midday heat than with a book in hand and a tall glass of iced tea.
(Summer Soul Camp will be a wonderful pastime too... I can't wait to share it with you!)
