Simple Joys of the Week, September 16th Edition

View from the dock right behind my cabin at Squam :)

Simple Joys of the Week, Squam-style! That's right, although I've only been here 2.5 days (so far) this week, I've already been able to indulge in a number of sensory treats during my stay. This trip truly feels like a getaway, and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to enjoy this creativity-fueled destination. Here's what has made me smile since walking into our cabin on Wednesday afternoon...

Hear: "Taste of Danger" by Jonatha Brook

Jonatha is an extremely talented singer and songwriter who's here at Squam. She performed for us the very first night and I absolutely adored her music. She has an amazingly folksy, strong, emotional, and animated voice and her lyrics are incredible. I felt so honored to hear her perform in such an intimate setting and am definitely a new fan. Another fun fact about her? She's currently writing some stuff for the Dixie Chicks (one of my all-time favorites) and Katherine McPhee (American Idol contestant). She is one gifted musician!
Take a listen to "Taste of Danger" below...

---

See: Life in a Day Documentary

Last night they showed this documentary for all of us Squammies. Despite the cold viewing conditions and loud wind outside, I found the film very interesting. Basic premise as summarized by wikipedia: "a  crowd-sourced documentary film comprising an arranged series of video clips selected from 80,000 clips submitted to YouTube, the clips showing respective occurrences from around the world on a single day, July 24, 2010. The film includes scenes selected from 4,500 hours of footage in 80,000 submissions from 140 nations." So the movie traces each hour over an entire day, pieced together from all of these various people's lives. It is extremely well-done and very interesting. I recommend it!

---

Taste: Rice Krispie Treat

So, I guess I'd forgotten how delicious Rice Krispie Treats are...and yesterday they had them at lunch. OMG they were good. Chewy, soft, and tasty--we had a long conversation about them that I swear could go on and on for days. Um, yeah. Have I mentioned that the food here is amazing? By the end of this week I'll basically have had two full weeks-worth of vacation-food. What a treat :)

---

Smell: Fresh Mountain Air

The picture to the right is the view from my window. Can you believe it? Amazing. Granted, a CRAZY cold front blew in yesterday and I slept in about 10 layers of clothing and three blankets last night, but the air is SO crisp and clear, I just can't believe it. There is definitely a healthy, pure smell to air in the mountains, and the land around Squam Lake is no different. Ahhhhh (Now if only I had packed appropriately for 28-degree nights!?)...

---

Touch: Scraps of Paper, Paint, Cloth & Glue

There's just nothing better than getting your hands dirty with art supplies, and that's all I've done since we arrived at Squam. I've literally spent about 14 hours over the past two days just working with these materials--using my hands to create--and I am in hawg-heaven (a little bit of the GA in me coming out ;) I can't wait for another day of creating tomorrow and am also eager to take what I've learned here and start working with it more at home. What. A. Treat. (!!!!)

---

On the agenda for tonight? Journal, book, and art supplies by the fire. I could get used to this life!

What brought you joy this past week?

Namaste,
Mary Catherine