who I would find


I arrived in the forest of New Hampshire



and then I noticed there was something different about these woods





so I took a walk down to the dock 




and set an intention to soak it all in



I looked around at each cabin with it's coordinating dock
and wondered which one was mine and who I would find there
I worried I wouldn't fit in or make connections



on the first night, I returned home late after classes and presentations 


to find a spinner-mama-of-four that inspired me with her tales of mothering, 
a talented blogger, a bad-ass photographing Aussie, one of the smartest women 
I've ever met who will hopefully someday be elected to the House of Representatives 
and two great friends (that are also very good at embroidery)  
we promised ourselves we'd go to bed before midnight, but it was rarely before 2 a.m.



each cozy cabin was historic and simple
a working ice box kept our drinks cold 
with ice harvested from the lake in winter, then stored here 





when I wasn't in class, I was on the dock with my knitting, new friends (although one of them was my bestie going back many years), and great conversation 




on the last night. glowing blocks of ice lead the path towards 
a magnificent Art Fair full of gorgeous wares




and then it was over



 like the luna moth that eventually flew away, so did I
looking back, I am left with


 the memory and luxury of endless hours of laughter
with the woman I feel most comfortable sharing my stories
from the past and the present
all of them and more
a very dear friend


 the surprising quirky humor from my sweater twin, Christine
 (who you may remember seeing here as the inspiration for knitting the antler pattern)


the moving poems of Sarah 
that will have me thinking and dreaming of that


the artwork by Colleen who encouraged me to work harder and more intensely than I have since my early art school days on an altered book project that pushed me into new territory


the delightful wise cracks and one-liners from Liv and Cheryl that continue to make me chuckle



as I sat on our cabin porch awaiting my ride to the airport, 
my last scene at Squam was full of love, friendship, tears
and the deep, calming feeling that a shift had occurred in my life

6 comments:

  1. Jennifer...so glad to be a part of this tribe. And a witness to your own personal art journey. Now I will have pieces of you in my altered book. So happy to know you and to have sat with you over breakfast...xoxooxox

    ReplyDelete
  2. all the goodness of my first "squam" year is swirling - reading through all of yours. the richness of the lake and the woods and all that elizabeth shares there, is simply a gift that i carry with me. this one looked magical.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ps. i met colleen attara two years ago, she is a keeper!

    ReplyDelete