Settling in
Crazy to think that the first week of my four-week residency is gone. I’ve settled into a routine and am getting good work done. I’m really pleased with the way this new book is going. I can’t describe what a luxury it is, to have nothing to do but write.
I wake up each morning around 8, quick shower and a breakfast of yogurt and granola. Then three of us walk a mile or so into town for our crack…erm…coffee. I’m not a Starbucks fan, but the coffee here is absolute crap and Starbucks is the only decent thing going. It’s a nice way to start the day, a bit of a walk to see the fall foliage, some fresh air, and then we buy our crack and sip it on the walk back to Ragdale, and go our separate ways and get to work. My partners in coffee consumption are Christina Chiu and Phillip Dvorak. Christina is a former student of MC’s and a former classmate of Ernesto. Small world, hmmm? Or maybe it’s just that all of Michael’s students possess these strange homing beacons so we can find each other out in the wild. You know those really intense summer camp friendships, where you bond immediately and a week of knowing each other is worth months in the outside world? It still works when you’re an adult. Good to know, yes?
Picture, pictures. I promised you pictures.
The Barnhouse, where I’m staying and where we all gather in the evening to eat dinner together. Six of the thirteen of us are staying in this building:
Ragdale House, where five writers are staying. (Then we have two visual artists, including Phillip, in a studio building I didn’t snap a photo of yet.):
The back of Ragdale House:
A photo for Cassie. These handprints were probably made by a child who’s now died of old age:
Here’s my room. (I don’t make my bed at home. I’m certainly not going to make it here.) Please note the multiple beverages on my desk. Art-makin’s thirsty work, you know:
I’m getting a little bit of knitting done at night. Man, I really miss my swift and ball winder, though:
I write from around ten to three, with a break for lunch in there. Have a snack and some tea, take a walk around the grounds, then get back to work until dinner at 6:30. There’s usually some after-dinner conversation, and I bring my knitting for that, and then around 8:30 I get back to work for a couple of hours. Then maybe a bit more knitting or reading, and then sleep. It’s a lovely way of life, that much more special because it’s so temporary. The staff treats us so well. Imagine a bizarro universe where artists are thought to do truly important work.
On the way to get our coffee the other morning, Christina, Phillip, and I came across a dead sparrow. Phillip went into a nearby pizza place to get a bag for it, and he brought it back to his studio so he can draw it. (No, no one touched it directly. Yes, we know about birds and diseases and all that.) I love being in a group of people where that would be the impulse–to come across something beautiful and make something good and useful out of its death.
I love the last line of your post. Sounds like you’re in paradise.
Posted by: Sneaksleep
Thought I would de-lurk to say hello and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Ragdale and a continued restful, creative time there.
Posted by: amandamonkey
Thought I would de-lurk to say hello and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Ragdale and a continued restful, creative time there.
Posted by: amandamonkey
Sounds so heavenly…
a lot like Bard…
Posted by: melanie
Sigh. Beautiful. All of it. Even the unmade bed 😉
Posted by: Lee Ann
I noticed that the hand prints are two rights and that one looks smaller and the fingers are lighter. I’m thinking that they are of siblings, and not the same child. There’s also a cat print.
Posted by: LaurieM
I love the last line of your post. Sounds like you’re in paradise.
Posted by: Sneaksleep
Thought I would de-lurk to say hello and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Ragdale and a continued restful, creative time there.
Posted by: amandamonkey
Thought I would de-lurk to say hello and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Ragdale and a continued restful, creative time there.
Posted by: amandamonkey
Sounds so heavenly…
a lot like Bard…
Posted by: melanie
Sigh. Beautiful. All of it. Even the unmade bed 😉
Posted by: Lee Ann
I noticed that the hand prints are two rights and that one looks smaller and the fingers are lighter. I’m thinking that they are of siblings, and not the same child. There’s also a cat print.
Posted by: LaurieM
If I had even the smallest bit of creativity in my bones, I would DIE to go there…enjoy, lady. That is a great opportunity.
Posted by: Libby
I’m glad you’re having such a peaceful, lovely time at Ragdale. It looks beautiful. And that armchair looks just great for curling up and reading.
Posted by: Jenn
Wonderful. I’m getting all misty-eyed. I’m thinking, too, of Elizabeth Bishop, and the story of her being at Walnut Hill School (where my Abigail went to high school.) Story is that she was supposed to have gone home (for the summer? I’m foggy on the details) but they later found her back there, sleeping on the porch, declaring that THIS was home for her. No details about the unhappy part of her “other home” that made her go back even when it was closed, but haunting and poignant nonetheless. She went on to write some pretty decent poetry.
My little Cari, doing the same thing. So romantic.
Posted by: Norma
That looks like such a wonderful place. I’m glad you’re really enjoying it there and getting so much work done. We miss you though!
Posted by: jackie
What a beautiful spot! I can see how the creativity would just flow. Sounds like you’re having a wonderful time and doing loads of work.
Enjoy the luxury of it all.
P.S. How’s the food?!?
Posted by: Carole
If I had even the smallest bit of creativity in my bones, I would DIE to go there…enjoy, lady. That is a great opportunity.
Posted by: Libby
I’m glad you’re having such a peaceful, lovely time at Ragdale. It looks beautiful. And that armchair looks just great for curling up and reading.
Posted by: Jenn
Wonderful. I’m getting all misty-eyed. I’m thinking, too, of Elizabeth Bishop, and the story of her being at Walnut Hill School (where my Abigail went to high school.) Story is that she was supposed to have gone home (for the summer? I’m foggy on the details) but they later found her back there, sleeping on the porch, declaring that THIS was home for her. No details about the unhappy part of her “other home” that made her go back even when it was closed, but haunting and poignant nonetheless. She went on to write some pretty decent poetry.
My little Cari, doing the same thing. So romantic.
Posted by: Norma
That looks like such a wonderful place. I’m glad you’re really enjoying it there and getting so much work done. We miss you though!
Posted by: jackie
What a beautiful spot! I can see how the creativity would just flow. Sounds like you’re having a wonderful time and doing loads of work.
Enjoy the luxury of it all.
P.S. How’s the food?!?
Posted by: Carole
What a beautiful place. It seems like you’re really enjoying yourself and geting lots of writing done – and that is the point 🙂
Posted by: Stephanie
It sounds wonderful and I’m so happy you’re having such a good, productive time!!
Posted by: Deb
Can I come?
Ooops. I forgot. You need to have art-making ability. Never mind.
Stay tuned for pictures from beautiful Sonoma County.
Posted by: claudia
It all sounds and looks so wonderful. I’m glad that it’s such a good fit. 🙂
Posted by: Karen
Sounds wonderful. Thank you for giving us a peek!
Posted by: Kathy
Ok. I’m getting freaked out. Christina Chiu knows me. She took one of my quilting classes. She’ll remember me as Cassandra rather than Cassie, but I bet she’ll remember. Very small world. whoa.
Posted by: Cassie
What a beautiful place. It seems like you’re really enjoying yourself and geting lots of writing done – and that is the point 🙂
Posted by: Stephanie
It sounds wonderful and I’m so happy you’re having such a good, productive time!!
Posted by: Deb
Can I come?
Ooops. I forgot. You need to have art-making ability. Never mind.
Stay tuned for pictures from beautiful Sonoma County.
Posted by: claudia
It all sounds and looks so wonderful. I’m glad that it’s such a good fit. 🙂
Posted by: Karen
Sounds wonderful. Thank you for giving us a peek!
Posted by: Kathy
Ok. I’m getting freaked out. Christina Chiu knows me. She took one of my quilting classes. She’ll remember me as Cassandra rather than Cassie, but I bet she’ll remember. Very small world. whoa.
Posted by: Cassie
You sound blissfully content, and that means focus. And so very appropriate that the literary Clapotis came along too.
Posted by: Alison
Off topic, but I thought about you today–my dog stole a hank of recycled sari silk off my desk and was happyily chewing away for who knows how long before I noticed.
Posted by: Reb
Ahhhhhhhh.
Posted by: Rachael
Ooh, the door to the little closet!
Posted by: Reb
Oooh, you lucky (and most industrious) person! And to people being difficult about disease-ridden birds I say ‘fiddlesticks’.
Posted by: marrije
A place where artists are thought to do important work? And it exists in this dimension? Whoa.
Posted by: Em
You sound blissfully content, and that means focus. And so very appropriate that the literary Clapotis came along too.
Posted by: Alison
Off topic, but I thought about you today–my dog stole a hank of recycled sari silk off my desk and was happyily chewing away for who knows how long before I noticed.
Posted by: Reb
Ahhhhhhhh.
Posted by: Rachael
Ooh, the door to the little closet!
Posted by: Reb
Oooh, you lucky (and most industrious) person! And to people being difficult about disease-ridden birds I say ‘fiddlesticks’.
Posted by: marrije
A place where artists are thought to do important work? And it exists in this dimension? Whoa.
Posted by: Em
From where I sit, that looks like a little slice of heaven. I’m so pleased for you! I echo Jackie’s sentiment: we miss you!
Posted by: regina
thanks for the insight into your “time out” from the real world. i think you’re spot on with your sense that the fact that it’s temporary makes it all the more valuable. enjoy!
Posted by: heather
What wonderful spaces! And did you know Tasha Tudor keeps a bunch of little mice in her freezer, and takes them out as needed, to pose and draw them?
Posted by: Patti
Wow. Where do I sign up?
Oh ya, I don’t write that kind of stuff.
There must be a knitters retreat out there like this.
Posted by: Steph
What a great setting – I’m glad you’re enjoying everything!
Posted by: Shannon
Wow… it does sound like a slice of heaven on earth. And your room looks like a beautiful sanctuary as well. (I agree about the bed!)
Posted by: Janet
From where I sit, that looks like a little slice of heaven. I’m so pleased for you! I echo Jackie’s sentiment: we miss you!
Posted by: regina
thanks for the insight into your “time out” from the real world. i think you’re spot on with your sense that the fact that it’s temporary makes it all the more valuable. enjoy!
Posted by: heather
What wonderful spaces! And did you know Tasha Tudor keeps a bunch of little mice in her freezer, and takes them out as needed, to pose and draw them?
Posted by: Patti
Wow. Where do I sign up?
Oh ya, I don’t write that kind of stuff.
There must be a knitters retreat out there like this.
Posted by: Steph
What a great setting – I’m glad you’re enjoying everything!
Posted by: Shannon
Wow… it does sound like a slice of heaven on earth. And your room looks like a beautiful sanctuary as well. (I agree about the bed!)
Posted by: Janet
Nice. Veeeerrrrryyyy nice.
Posted by: Iris
I am welling up with envy right now. Not just that you’re there and it’s so beautiful and that such a place exists and people will cook and clean for you while you just make your art whenever you want, but also that you are writing your book and not frozen with the pressure of it all, which is exactly what would happen to me. I want to be like you. I will knit a little wristlet that says “WWCD?” 🙂
Posted by: bettina
Sigh! Lovely.
Posted by: alison
oh my…….how gorgeous.
Posted by: jacqueline
Nice. Veeeerrrrryyyy nice.
Posted by: Iris
I am welling up with envy right now. Not just that you’re there and it’s so beautiful and that such a place exists and people will cook and clean for you while you just make your art whenever you want, but also that you are writing your book and not frozen with the pressure of it all, which is exactly what would happen to me. I want to be like you. I will knit a little wristlet that says “WWCD?” 🙂
Posted by: bettina
Sigh! Lovely.
Posted by: alison
oh my…….how gorgeous.
Posted by: jacqueline