Thursday, February 28, 2019

Retreat! Retreat! A writing retreat: The highlights


One of my most favorite writerly things to do is to go on writing retreats. It's a luxury, no doubt, but one I need. I am the mother of three kids. Even when they're at school, I find it hard to just sit and write. There's laundry and vacuuming and errands and phone calls--all vying for my attention while I'm trying to compose. So once a year I disappear for a weekend and write. I've done this for four years now, but the last two years have been spent at the Highlights Foundation outside Honesdale, PA.

If you are a writer and you live within driving (or even flying) distance of Honesdale, PA, go to Highlights for an Unworkshop. For a $149 a night, you get accommodations and farm-to-table food. I repeat farm.to.table.food. You will eat like a queen and the food is prepared by chefs and not, you know, yourself.

This year I attended an Unworkshop with my two buds--Katie and ATB's own Mary. Mary and I were revising, Katie was drafting. And we were hella productive. I mean we left brain dead, or, at least, I did. When you work ten hours a day staring at blue light from your computer, trying make words go better, you eventually succumb to its effects. Let's just say that on Monday, I did nothing.

Anyway, don't just take my word for it. Let's see our awesome weekend in pictures!

The sign to my uber cute farmhouse room. All rooms have their own ensuite.



The farmhouse living room where we worked. You can see my laptop and blanket on the left.
A writing nook

The Farmhouse has a lot of cute antiques. Mary found a sword which was totally on brand.


Best tuna salad ever! I tried to recreate it at home but it didn't taste the same.

Cream of broccoli soup. This ain't no Campbells. And homemade sourdough from a 40-year-old starter.

Dinner! Those are garlic mashed potatoes. Salad! And roast chicken from a local farm.

Pavlova! I've never had this before but it's insanely good.

Blueberry pancakes and eggs and Black & Brass coffee and heaven.

This is a happy nourished author
It was Mary's birthday while we were there. She was adorably low-key about it.

 And there you have it. If have the opportunity to attend a Highlights Unworkshop, you should go. You'll leave productive and chubby. Both good things. I also left with a recipe for tuna salad and pavlova.








2 comments:

Brenda St John Brown said...

It looks like you had an amazing time! I would LOVE to go to a writing retreat one of these days. It's definitely on my list of #authorgoals.

Cheryl Oreglia said...

Wow! What an extraordinary experience. I'm signed up for a writing workshop at the beginning of March. I'm a little worried about what's expected of me? Am I a good enough writer? Will I be judged? I'm hoping it will be one of those life changing experiences, for the better I might add, one that knocks my writing up a notch? One can only hope. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and pictures. I feel soothed.

 
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