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!
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| The sign to my uber cute farmhouse room. All rooms have their own ensuite. |
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| The farmhouse living room where we worked. You can see my laptop and blanket on the left. |
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| A writing nook |
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| The Farmhouse has a lot of cute antiques. Mary found a sword which was totally on brand. |
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| Best tuna salad ever! I tried to recreate it at home but it didn't taste the same. |
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| Cream of broccoli soup. This ain't no Campbells. And homemade sourdough from a 40-year-old starter. |
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| Dinner! Those are garlic mashed potatoes. Salad! And roast chicken from a local farm. |
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| Pavlova! I've never had this before but it's insanely good. |
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| Blueberry pancakes and eggs and Black & Brass coffee and heaven. |
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| This is a happy nourished author |
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| It was Mary's birthday while we were there. She was adorably low-key about it. |
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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:
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.
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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