'We should all find a quiet place, a peaceful space, to bury the chaos and rest for a while"
~Christy Ann Martine.
Worn down, drained, knackered, tapped out - completely the way we were feeling, truth be told. Our conversations as of late have mainly been - How many orders did we get today? We need more stain! Who's getting groceries? Bathrooms need cleaning again! And who is taking Bear to the groomers? But, I am not complaining, we created this life together and it's a good one. We just needed a day or two to check out and reconnect again, get away from the hustle, ya know?
We were given this off-the-grid retreat on an 160+ acres of private forest, from our children for Christmas; I guess they recognized that were looking a bit haggard and worn out. They knew they had to find somewhere where we would have forced relaxation!
It is funny really, when you think about it. We live in a society of modern conveniences, always looking for the latest gadget, product or service to make our lives easier. But, when we need to get away from it all, we seek refuge the exact opposite to that. Well at least I do.
There is something so blissful about taking a pause to the noisy, frivolous world, and soaking the tranquility that an off the grid dwelling can offer. That's precisely what did.
We packed our books, lounge wear, wooly socks, a cooler full of snacks, and yes - WINE and headed out to our home for the weekend. We were quite swept away by the natural beauty of it to be honest. Upon arrival a crackling fire in the woodstove greeted us as we entered the tiny A-Frame cabin, comfy furnishings, board games (I lost at checkers 5 times), and a squishy bed.
We took a tour around, the property to familiar ourselves with the surroundings. A double hammock ready for a snuggle and a swing, right beside a campfire area should we want to have an outdoor fire.
We welcomed this off-grid hide away in the woods, with no electricity available. No stove or fridge folks! Battery operated lights, no running water (a foot pump to bring water into sink), no bathroom (the cutest little outhouse though).
We cooked our food on the BBQ outside and heated our water for coffee on their little gas fired hot plate. We really didn't need anything else.
I guess we are somewhat used to camping, so this really wasn't a far cry from that. It's just the coziness of the idea, one with nature, kind to the earth experience. I recall sitting there in the quiet, sipping my coffee and listening to the crackle of the tin roof, contracting and expanding from the warmth of the inside to the cold of the outside. It almost sounded like raindrops falling onto it, making a soft popping noise. Every now and again I would look through a window, and count 6 white tail deer just bouncing around, almost for my enjoyment really.
The best part of going to an off-grid retreat, is that you can focus on your well being without the distraction and stresses that life can bring. I have been trying to read a full book for a 2 months now, without luck. We crawled up the ladder to our comfy bedroom in this tiny cottage, opened our books and literally read for 6 hours; took a little nap too. I finished my book.
Without slowing down or temporarily removing yourself from your daily stresses can affect your physical and mental health. It can also leave you feeling unfulfilled and unable to devote attention to the people and things you care for most. You may not need to do the off-the-grid getaway like we did, but finding time to decompress and unwind is so vital. I do think everyone should try to live without the modern conveniences we have today, and go off grid, even for only two days.
I promise 2 things will happen:
Make you appreciate what you have.
Make you understand that you can live and be happy, with a lot less.
Friends, what we really need to realize, is how little we really need. If I learned anything from our tiny cottage, it is that.
Be well,
Tracy x
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