photo from www.spicercastle.com

Recently, my husband and I went away over night for our twentieth wedding anniversary.  I wish that I could tell you it was a get-away that had been planned for a long time.  We talked about doing something, but as the day approached we were up to our eyeballs in busy which explain much about how we live life. Our original plans to go camping were thwarted by the rains of recent days.  Our thoughts for Plans B, C, or D trapped in the recesses of our minds while we dealt with day-to-day routines.

The night before, we were researching options ranging from a trip to the city to a simple dinner out.  Somehow,  we stumbled across a memory of the Spicer Castle Inn.  Taking a chance, we placed a call to learn they did have available rooms.  Perusing through the room choices, we delighted in what we saw – rustic charm – our kind of place.  A quick glance at restaurant’s menu confirmed we had found a retreat where we would be fed, watered, and rested.

Upon arrival, my first thought was peace-filled.  Surrounded by trees on the shores of Green Lake, the inn was buzzing with the sounds of nature only.  Gentle breezes swayed the trees.  Barely audible water lapped at the shore.  Bird song abounded. Walking in, we saw many family treasures as the inn is appointed with pieces from the Spicer and Latham families.  The aroma and warmth from the hearth of the fireplace invited us to relax and remove the chill chasing us from the damp air.  Two aptly placed chairs sat on the enclosed porch beckoned us to sit and reflect while having an incredible view to the lake.

We settled into our room to wait for our dinner reservations.  The first thing I noticed was silence. Complete and utter silence – save for the bird calls outside.

The remainder of the trip was the most romantically tranquil experience.  The food wonderful.   The stay serene.  The breakfast delectable.

As much as I enjoyed those things, the conversation with the grandson of the builder, who is now a great-grandfather himself was captivating.  He reminded me so much of our mutually beloved college chemistry professor I wanted to collect all the moments in my bottle of memories and savor them always.  The elder statesman had me spellbound with stories of his childhood, particularly his tales of being a mischievous lad.  We later held private audience with the gentleman, and it was then we realized how desperately needed this respite.  Gentle souls interwoven in one sacred moment.

A line from an old song played in my head:

You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone

This is exactly what I have been craving:  the joy of unplugging and being caught in the moment.

No agendas. No noise.  No television. No computer. No children (and we seldom do that).  No requests for our time or talents.  No interruptions.

Divinely present.

Much needed manna from heaven filled my soul as I was able to relish these moments with the love of my life.

This retreat was God’s gift of rejuvenation and relaxation – exactly the desires of our dreams.

History lesson (Once a teacher always a teacher!):  Spicer Castle Inn was not the original name of the property.  Built by John Spicer, the retreat and farm was named Medayto Cottage for the Dakota name Medayto, representing Green Lake.  After doing some research, I located the female version of Thank You (Pidamaya ye)  in the Dakota language – a beautiful oral language handed down by generation to generation.  I can only imagine the beauty the Dakota people found in the Green Lake/Spicer area all those years ago.