Tree house retreat

Where has November gone? It has flown right by, but not without some major ups and downs. The election? Well that was a serious downer, a very disorienting one at that. Still is. I mean, wtf?!

But November was also a month of some major high points for me. There was a really fun trip to Kauai, a festive Thanksgiving day, and a post-Thanksgiving yoga retreat in Ojai last weekend (photos below) that were pretty flipping amazing.

I had no idea when I booked these trips that I'd need them so badly. I mean who would ever think a Trump presidency possible? Not me, that's who. But somehow it's our current reality, and stepping away from the day to day has been helpful for me in terms of trying to get my head around it.

Full disclosure, I still can't believe it, head still spinning, but spending time with an amazing teacher and like-minded people last weekend did create some space and some perspective. I mean, really, there are millions of us all reeling together, and being in community and acknowledging that we all have a part to play in keeping the progressive momentum moving forward is important. There is work to do, and we all need to step up. The time to leave it to others has passed.

That said, there is however, time for rest, rejuvenation, and good advice. And I tapped into that last weekend.

The retreat was in Ojai at a lovely villa (full disclosure: first 7 photos stolen from the villa website),

which housed a gorgeous kitchen, where the chef turned out some mighty tasty vegetarian morsels.

Also a lovely outdoor space that included

a giant hot pool, a cold pool, and a super cold pool.

(Looking here from cool pool to hot pool to house beyond.)

And a well appointed stand-alone yoga studio with great natural light where we spent a lot of time. And...(perhaps the best part)....there was

A yurt/tea house just for Aquilino and me. Isn't it cute????

 Adorable even?

 Let's get a close-up view out those windows, yeah?

It was like living in a tree house for a few days.

It's hard to like anything more than the yurt, but I have to say, I really did enjoy these people too.

The Day After

After a rather epic Thanksgiving, I went back to work in the coal mines and left a certain mom and a certain husband home, with promises and plans to meet up later.

I offered to make them bloody marys before I left but they declined because they are as pure as the driven snow.

No, they had something else in mind . . .

. . . Hiking.

I know, right? How healthy and wholesome.

Their first stop? Ocean Beach, naturally . . .

. . . where they had the whole place to themselves . . .

. . . well, almost to themselves.

And then? Because they are tireless and indefatigable?
Harkness State Park.

It's a spectacular place, across Ale Wife Cove in Waterford, and they had themselves a Time.

Oh, hi Ledgie.

Look at Mom. Doesn't she look like Wyeth's Christina's World?:

I mean, if she'd been lying down on the hill instead of hiking up it?

Mistah, unsurprisingly, had Fun With Photography.

You think the Harkness Mansion is cool?

Yeah, well, get a loada this.

And the trees . . .

. . . don't they look like they're frolicking with eachother?

We enjoy statuary in New London, clearly.

 We are a stately, refined people . . .

. . . sort of.

But seriously, how cool is this?

But, let's face it -- Mom looks great hiking with any kind of photography capturing her in action.

And the leaves this Fall . . .

. . . don't they seem to have extra-vivid color this year?

. . . they seem to have taken on a life of their own . . .

. . . hey wait a minute. That's not Harkness . . .

. . . that's my Right-A-Way!

To backtrack, though, from The Day After to The Day. Because really, you don't want to miss this:

 The Bird.

The Gravy.

 The Stuffing.

 The Brussels.

 The Red Cabbage.

 The Sweet Potatoes.

 The Potatoes Gratin.

 The Bean Cake.

 The Turnips.

 The Gorgonzola Garlic Smashed Red Potatoes.

The Table.

The Most Illustrious Hosts.

The Crew.

And, naturally, Fun With Photography:

My favorite.

And to backtrack even further?

There is only one way to transport oneselves and onestuff to a destination one tenth of a mile away:

 Via pink wheelbarrow.

 And yes, of course . . .

 . . . our progress was duly noted and recorded.

And to return, finally, to the titular Day After . . .

. . . we luncheoned . . .

. . . we Local-Business Shopped . . .

. . . we posed at the end of what Mom considered extremely dark and dangerous alleys . . .

 (oh, how we miss you, Ernie's)

. . . and we drank up the Day After Love.

New London -- and Ledgie back there -- loved having you here, Mom. Won't you come back again soon?