It has been a rough and hectic summer, I tell you!! So when I got a call from my sister on Thursday requesting my presence lakeside in Maine, I was all too happy to oblige.  I finished the bittersweet task of packing up my old studio on Friday, packed up the car and drove to Maine with my mom and Zee.

It was a 3+ hour drive from Massachusetts and the sunset before we hit the windy roads of rural Cumberland County, Maine and turned into Round Table Lodge.  Walking into Hemlock Cabin reminded me of summer nights at camp as a kid.  The smell of the air and the old wood walls was nostalgic to say the least.  I was longing for a really good campfire with the scent of burning pine.

It was then I realized, I had no cell phone service and the wifi was all but non-existent.  I was completely unplugged with my hosting about to expire and no way to contact anyone about it. Finally I realized my mom’s AT&T service was superb and I was able to conduct business as usual.  So I sent what I needed to send and then I relaxed and enjoyed no sounds of notifications coming from my iPhone.

The next morning when Zee and I awoke as the sun was rising, we just threw on our shoes and walked down to the lake …we left our phones behind and spent the morning swinging on the beach front in a log swing.

Later we jumped on a boat and spent the day on the lake enjoying the water and the breeze and our family.  The water has emotions of its own as it went from smooth to wild in a matter of time.  Much like with our own, we carried on through its calmest and roughest moments and came out on top.

That night after we grilled and had dinner, we sat by that much longed for campfire, roasting s’mores and chatting it up with locals and other campers.  We were away and unplugged under all the millions of stars that hide from us in the city but shone in all their glory in this peaceful space.  We all wanted to stay way longer than we were able and what an amazing feat it was to watch my daughter enjoy the freedom and beauty of nature and forget to be engaged in online activities.

The gracious hosts, experiencing the beauty of the outdoors, and the relaxation factor of Round Table Lounge leaves me longing for summer to start again so I can spend another day there, peaceful, relaxed, and unplugged.