Schoolhouse Earth

While out on a search-and-uncover adventure around Deep Creek, MD last weekend ... we were meandering the rural routes when we followed a little sign down a country road. It led us to this amazing little place called Schoolhouse Earth.

It was the Llamas that first caught my eye. Apparently, I caught their eyes too--distracting them from a green-grass-lunch when I snapped my camera shutter. A man who was accompanying his wife on her shopping adventure came and stood next to me (with his camera) as I was shooting pics. Smiling, he struck up a conversation with me. "When we were here last year, we had our little Dachshund with us. All of the Llamas took one look at him and surrounded the baby Llama, protecting her." Repeat visitors from last year? I knew this place was special.

Here, visitors enter into an adorable garden courtyard with patio seating, umbrellas, benches and a beautiful naturalized pond--complete with fat, happy giant goldfish. Unique garden statuary and angels surround the porch and pond. Charming displays abound ... inside and outside. Enchanting vintage-inspired finds and seasonal decor are mixed-and-matched with everything from candles to jewelry, ornaments, gourmet foods and home furnishings.

I was greeted by one of the owners (I think) who asked if we'd visited before. He then pointed out the treasures in each themed room and building. We wandered from the Children's area to the Inspiration room to the Christmas room and into a garden room slowly, soaking up the delicious scents and visual magic. I wanted to camp out at the place for a while--then go shop some more! Apparently I wasn't alone--a group of ladies (all wearing purple hoodies and carrying large shopping bags) were having their picture taken together in front. Girls getaway haven.

In back of the store was a "farmyard" with tiny goats, chickens, kittens, more Llamas and a few donkeys. You could buy small cups of feed for a quarter from a gumball-like machine, above which hung a sign noting that all of the animals were rescued. Seems they'd been abandoned or abused, or both ... the donkeys had seen the worst of it. As I studied one of the donkeys, he wandered up to me. I rubbed his neck, stroked his ears and talked to him as he leaned in--eyes closed in contentment. (What kind of sicko abuses an animal ... especially one so gentle?)

The best thing that we found at Schoolhouse Earth was our farm dream (again). It reminded T and I so very much of the place we'd once envisioned. He talked for an hour after we left, painting a verbal picture of what our place would look like ... what I could do (create/sew/craft/sell/market/bake) and what he would do (tend the garden/animals/give tractor rides to kids/build fountains/grow pumpkins /make Santas again) ... on any given day.

I'm trying to pinpoint what makes Schoolhouse Earth so special. I think the owners have captured what people are craving today ... warm hospitality, a comfortable place that feels like your grandparents' home, the delicious smells of freshly roasted coffee and cinnamon, the glittering beauty of Christmas, hope, faith, inspiration, the patience of a garden, the nostalgia of a farm, cool toys (the non-electronic kind) and a place for lost souls (both animal and human). So very Past Perfect.

You Go Gain-y

We spent last weekend in Deep Creek, MD. I love to travel the Midwest this time of year to soak up some of the fall color, be outside and just breathe. Fall is my favorite season and I can't get enough of the vibrant, bold colors of the leaves, grass and cooler, deeper azure blue of the sky. Of course, I had visions of long walks in the woods (et al) and roasting hot dogs over the fire, but I should learn to quit envisioning how I think things should be and just appreciate them for what they are. Still, I found myself wishing we could all just "be" in the moment.

We all have different ideas of what will make us happy and it usually includes a few unspoken ... if onlys. "If only I had more money. If only we could do this or that. If only we had more time. If only candidate X would win the election, everything would be perfect." So, of course, contentment remains elusive.

On the way to MD, we stopped at the beautiful Youghiogheny overlook. I was thinking, had I interpreted this beautiful name with a crude phonetic pronunciation like "You-Go-Gainy" on Friday, then I might have sensed a little foreshadowing of the attitude-du-weekend. Seems like we (and I'm referring to my little family only, here) had this attitude that --- because we were in this affluent area of many people's second/third vacation homes ... we somehow deserve something like this too. (Never mind that we had to pack a cooler of food and charge the gas to even get there.)

So instead of enjoying, we were complaining about what we don't have. I think the mounting frustration over our lack of money and doom-and-gloom national economy had been building. The media's total immersion of political pea soup of late (and T's overdose of late night talk radio) haven't been helping.

So, in hindsight (and regret) for my whiny-ness, I think it's important to note what I did "gainy" this weekend:

• Some much needed family time together
  
• One really nice walk in the woods with T and one to the lake with K


• The ability to visit this breathtaking part of the country


• A free place to stay (courtesy of Genie B and friends)


• The opportunity to take some great pictures
  
• A really nice dinner out (also courtesy of Genie B)


• Time to watch favorite old classic movies like "Peyton Place" on cable from the luxury of a big, comfy bed
  
• The chance to see some gorgeous homes
  
• Inspiration for my dreams


• Time to discover cool new places like Schoolhouse Earth (separate post to come on this)


• Some time with my little Peeps & Sissy


• Some quiet, rest and relaxation (and time to read two entire magazines!)

Sooooo... the moral to this post? I'm assigning a new mantra to my subconscious: "You HAVE gainy-d."