bonjour from the catskills!

the retreat is going splendidly and the girls are AMAZING. a true delight. we've meditated, done yin yoga, written in our journals, received goodie bags, blended bath salts and bath scrubs, learned the benefits of various essential oils, shared something special for our retreat altar, danced to gabrielle roth's 5 rhythms, done the wheel of life, eaten banana splits and have been together less than 24 hours!

the drive up here on thursday was lovely and chill. hilary (my retreat assistant) and i arrived in time to do some set up and head to bed early to enjoy a good night's sleep breathing country air. on friday we journeyed into millerton (named among the top small towns by budget travel) to buy soy milk and flowers. we found the most beautiful narcissus' at this quaint, exquisite shoppe and they smell heavenly. it's all about the small touches! the girls arrived and the festivities have been non-stop. while they explore millerton during their break (i raved about the yummy cupcake i found at the local coffee shop), i'm doing some e-mail catch up and writing for next week's column.

it's lovely to escape for the weekend and to spend some much-needed time in the country. although i crave the city, i long for my country escapes. yay for fresh, crisp country air. may you find some respite from your routine this weekend. secure a few sacred moments for reflection and self-care.