Going to the woods is going home.—John Muir
With little light left, we pulled up to a tiny house Saturday evening and I snapped the top photo. I’d seen images online, but nothing could have prepared me for our morning view (captured in the second photo). Simply stunning.
Trees remain peppered with yellows, reds, and oranges despite it being late in the season. Surrounded by the colors and musty smell of the forest, this two-day escape felt like rich soul balm.
Sunday’s chill ensured we stayed by the campfire after our morning hike. No complaints here. The pups huddled under faux fur blankets. Tim listened to podcasts and I read with a cup of tea in hand. This lasted for hours until the sky began to darken and the temperature dropped.
When Getaway reached out this fall and offered me an opportunity to try out their new DC location, I immediately reached for my Daybook to find an open weekend and told Tim to save the date. For two months we looked forward to spending time in the woods curled up in a tiny house.
Obsessed with details, the simple touches were a highlight. For example, a Getaway Guide and s’mores kit sat on the table to welcome us. Filled with tips on: building a campfire, forest bathing, identifying birds and trees, questions to ask your partner (ex. name three things you and your partner appear to have in common), how to meditate, yoga poses, poetry (ex. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowing Evening” by Robert Frost, “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein), the Guide provided ideas to help turn inward.
Before leaving Monday morning, I reached for an envelope labeled not to be opened until departure. Inside was a notecard offering tips to survive in the real world such as: always be chipping away at a great novel, put plants on your desk, try not to sit for more than 20 minutes at a time, snack like a squirrel (eat berries, nuts and seeds between meals), and turn off your phone and meditate for 10 minutes a day.
This weekend experience offered the perfect nature-filled recharge complete with cozy linens, a perfect library (ex. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and How to Stay Alive in the Woods), a campfire set up complete with wood, a hot plate for heating soup, making pasta or boiling water for tea, a full bathroom, and jaw dropping views.
As we head into the holiday season, let’s make time to connect with nature. Enjoy a long afternoon walk. Stargaze. Build a snowman. Ice skate. Collect pine cones to make scented pine cones. Sip hot cocoa by a campfire. It’s truly a dose of much-deserved therapy. Bisous. x
