photo credit: Gudrun Johnston  “That moment of recognizing a kindred spirit is a profound one indeed. . . a deep knowing that this was only the end of the beginning. SQUAM ISN’T JUST A BEAUTIFUL LAKE, NOR IS IT MERELY AN EVENT OR A GATHERING. IT IS A FEELING AND A SPIRIT THAT WE ALL BRING WITH US TO THAT MAGIC PLACE, AND WE TAKE IT BACK WITH US TO ILLUMINATE OUR LIVES UNTIL IT IS TIME AGAIN TO GATHER ON THOSE NEW HAMPSHIRE SHORES.” – OLIVIA WHITE Once … View Post

Seven years ago, I snapped the photo above and sent it out to a few people with my fingers crossed. I was inviting them into the wild woods of New Hampshire for an alternative arts retreat. It was my best effort to explain what the idea in my head looked like. When you are inviting people to join you on something you’ve never done something before, you are depending on their imagination and sense of adventure. But still, I didn’t have high hopes– it’s one … View Post

Is it just me, or is this a tough time of the year made even a bit more challenging with Winter still showing up on our doorstep?  Transitions are tough. That’s my thought for the day, the week, the month– this season. Change, even when it is wanted, it always disruptive and so perhaps a page out of the book of natural order is what we need here.  Go slowly.  And then? Even more slowly.  Change takes time to integrate. Of course, if we are … View Post

It’s a month of birthdays over here plus the lovefest that St. Valentine showers down on us this shortest month of the year, but February has also been something of a wild flurry (HA!) of delays, struggles and fatigue as winter, otherwise known as the snowpocalypse, continues to have its way with us. Whew.  Snow, yes — we see you.  Your presence has been made known. So you will understand how challenging it has been for me to express the wellspring of gratitude I felt … View Post

photo credit:  Christine Chitnis REGISTRATION WEEK.  Yes! My most favorite part of the year.  Crazy right?  You’d think it would be digging out twinkle lights or coming in to the dining hall to see the wildly creative projects every one has on display in our pop-up art gallery or one of the other thousand lovely traditons that have blossomed over the years. But this is really it for me.  What’s more, I hope I never lose the excitement of opening envelopes to see what classes … View Post