Signs you need a getaway to the Catskills (or another beautiful, serene spot) :

  • You can’t read one more news story about whatever crisis of the day is at hand
  • Technology is dismaying
  • General malaise and fatigue
  • Daydreaming more than usual
  • Needing a romantic and enchanted day with your honey

If you exhibit any or all of the above, I can prescribe a cure for what ails you.

For his birthday, I gifted my husband with a trip to the Catskills in East Meredith, NY to stay for a couple of nights in a yurt.  If you don’t know what a yurt is then know it is a structure in a treehouse that provides all the benefits of outdoor camping while still being indoors!  It’s lovely. I’m over camping in a tent and this fits the bill of being outdoorsy with creature comforts.

Yurt in the Catskills

Blue Yurt

I found Harmony Hill Retreat online and highly recommend it to anyone in need of a break. The retreat has great owners and service.  The yurt is hooked up with all kinds of amenities and they strive to recommend all kinds of activities depending on your interests. The Catskills offers horseback riding, kayaking, hiking, to name just three activities.

Both Matt and I wanted to relax so we kept activity to a minimum.  First, we explored a nearby town, Hobart. It is known as a bookstore village since it has five bookstores catering to all your literary needs. Heaven.

We had a quick bite at The Coffee Pot, which had good comfort food and lots of nooks and crannies to gaze at.  We spent hours strolling the bookstores before heading back to our yurt.

Coffee Pot in Hobart, NY

Cuteness at the Coffee Pot

Most of our weekend was pretty leisurely- listening to music, campfires, talking. We walked a labyrinth on the property that I hope you experience for yourself one day. I even experienced the meaning of ‘pitch black’ during a thunderstorm.  Country living requires a brave spirit!

We walked in the woods and smelled the gorgeous scent of earth after rain.  Being unfamiliar with the Catskills, I was delighted at the mountain ranges, lakes, and how much more secluded it feels than the Adirondacks.

One of the trails on the property leads to a circular meditation area where dozens of chimes hang from tree limbs.  It was peaceful to meditate there and just Be.

Peaceful Meditation Session in The Catskills

Meditation Corner

 

Often, life is over scheduled and crowded with nonsense. It helps to just Be Still and appreciate all that the world has to offer. I felt grateful and revived on this trip.

 

Our big adventure of the weekend was a farm to table meal at a pop-up at Stone and Thistle Farm.

Stone and Thistle Farm

Stone and Thistle Farm

Chefs Augustin and Constance were hospitable and made an elegant, textured communal meal- Fable is what they called the experience.  They were also accommodating to those of us who have food allergies. Everything was so fresh and interesting– from the poached egg on my salad, to the Boston butt with fennel, anise star, and allspice. We all ate well and enjoyed the ducks and geese peering in and walking by our dining area.

Stone and Thistle

First course salad

 

Decor in the Catskills

Decor at the Farm

I plan to return to East Meredith to explore more of what the Catskills has to offer.  I hope to go back to the  yurt in the woods for more peaceful and romantic adventures.