our celebration of 5 years (10 days in advance) was a lovely escape from urban living. having lived in the mountains of colorado for almost a year in 1996 i know that i absolutely adore the country, but am a city girl at heart. however, getting out of the city to bask in open space, down time, and simplicity always does a soul good. a couple of friends joined us for two nights and we loved laughing, exploring the big city of martinsburg, indulging in a celebratory dinner, and relaxing in front of the fire. off to the studio to teach two classes (one being a pay-what-you-can class – so come one, come all) and get back to city living.

a few lessons from the cabin:

1. indulge in the simple things. reading by the fire is an absolute treat. noshing on steel cut oats topped off with banana, walnuts, and brown sugar is super-yummy.
2. make tiny changes for comfort. one night we slept in front of the blazing fire rather than retreating to the loft.
3. surrender guilt. sleep until noon. stay up until 2am. write in your journal with reckless abandon. buy the creative tool you’ve been eyeing (got my serger last night!). sleep in the same clothes you lounged in all day.