Observations upon returning from Squam

morning fog on Squam Lake, Holderness, New Hampshire

• My fight or flight instinct is stronger than I realized. I tend to want to jump ship as soon as I get frustrated. (Thankfully, my painting teacher talked me through it and kept me from ripping up my painting and fleeing for the safety of my cabin.)
• I loved being around so many artsy women and gleaning fashion tips from them. I want to start layering shirts, wearing dresses over jeans, piling on the necklaces, wearing my hair in pigtails (which I did), and being just as fun and funky as I've always secretly wanted to be been, without worrying that anyone will think I look "weird."
• Almost everyone deals with personal doubts and gremlins.
• New Hampshire is beautiful.
• I should take bug spray with me next time.
• Several of my blog crushes know who I am!
• I underestimate myself.
  
• I now know what matte medium is and how to use it.
• Getting a cold while in the middle of the woods is not pleasant, but neither will it kill you.
  
• Having your ears completely clog on the plane is very, very, very, very frightening, especially if you're claustrophobic.
  
• Being stuck in a tiny water closet in a cabin is also very frightening.
  
• Listening to your body is some of the best medicine.
• I'm ready for Autumn.

There's so much more I could -- and should -- say about my experience at SAW, but I'm still processing. Getting sick while I was there is making it harder than usual to jump back into life after being away. But I wanted to peek in and say hello. I'm back. I'm here. The rest of me is just trying to catch up.

Where (and how) are you?

Comments

[liz elayne lamoreux]

i am still processing too. i have said over and over, "it is so quiet. so very quiet." well, and i haven't left the house since sunday night...gotta love working from home.

i am so glad i got to meet you and spend pieces of time with you. you rock girl. you. rock.

[stacy kathryn]

It was blast meeting you! I had so much fun. Your post sums it up quite nice, I think all of us our taking some time to process it all, was a lot to take in.

[the camp]

hey there...yesterday - cried!
i miss it all.

[GailNHB]

I hope you are able to write many more posts about your time at Squam. What a blessing it must have been. It has been great to read the various accounts of the time there. How many people were there? How were your classes? So many questions...

[The Whole Self]

sorry you were sick...i didn't know! hope you're feeling better...

wish we would've gotten more time to connect (but my 9pm bedtime cut down my bonding time!) :)

you sparkle- rock those double buns!

xx
nina beana

[Lisa]

*so* glad it was an amazingly rich time for you. being with artsy women is such a treasure! and, yes, my dear - you ARE one of them!!!

Sorry about your cold. Hope this finds you healing and getting through re-entry okay.

I'm currently in Starbucks using my laptop because although our electricity is back on, we have no cable...thus no Internet access. This hurricane through the mid-west thing has provided a very strange week indeed. I'm doing my best to maintain my sanity and joy. "Listening to your body is some of the best medicine."...very true! Back on the yoga mat. Back to deep breathing. Back to lighting candles (even with the electricity back on!). Back to owning my stuff and working through it - regardless of anything or anyone else.

Keep in touch when you can :-)

[Jess]

i can't wait to hear about your trip. i'm so lucky that i get you the other 51 weeks of the year!

[Claire]

Hey chicken,

Glad to hear you're back, I've missed the blogs. I'm also jealous that you went on an art workshop and wish I was brave enough to do the same. However, I do wear dresses over jeans, layer and wear tunics and thick tights with long necklaces (I'm embracing my bohemian side) I guess I never wore such clothes when you were here, but it's kinda me...(except when in office attire :)

Brit Chick xx

[Anonymous]

me too, me too! on the let my inner wild dresser out-- I was SO inspired by people's style and feel like THAT's what I want to do too . . .
sorry you got sick and the bug bites-- that's no fun at all-- sigh

bisous, E

[melissa]

I'm with you...still so hard to process although i'm feeling an energy that is pushing my forward...in a great way! so glad we connected at SAW.

[Jen Ballantyne]

Dear Jennifer SAW sounds marvelous I would love to do something like it sometime and that cabin in the woods, oh, like something out of a story book. Good on you sweetie, I think you'd look wonderful in many layers of color and design just go for it till it feels 'right'. Huge hugs, take good care, Jen B xxx

[Kirsten Michelle]

oh i love this list and beautiful you with your adorable pigtails ;-)

i'm still trying to process how nothing and everything has changed.
i'm still missing it and you all so much.

hope you are resting up and on the mend.

love and blessings.
xo