Relaxation Station

Greg and I were long overdue for a few days away. The last time we took off kid-free for an overnight was for our ninth wedding anniversary, eleven years ago. Within a few hours of arriving to peace and quiet, we wondered why it has taken us so long to plan a trip.

We craved solitude and sought a cabin rental in Brown County, Indiana that would be off the beaten path. The Relaxation Station did not disappoint. We passed through Gnawbone, cringed through Nashville and hoped we weren't in for that level of congestion the entire weekend before coming to Bean Blossom which was as exciting as one would believe a town called Bean Blossom could be. There was one small store, a tiny diner and several churches. After we crossed train tracks on Railroad Road (the names were amusing) and a one-lane bridge that makes our local one-lane bridge look like a fine piece of architecture, we found ourselves on dirt and gravel roads. We encountered one other vehicle on those back roads one time throughout weekend. It was glorious.

Our cabin was surrounded by thirteen acres of woods. The only noise we heard was the sound of acorns dropping. We called them scattered acorn storms because they happened in waves of noisy intrusion. It was hilarious at times as we had to convince ourselves no one was on the roof.

The light filtering through the leaves was beautiful. Acorns polluted the entire area and our kids were the lucky recipients of the only souvenirs gathered. We were pleasantly surprised to see areas already ushering in fall colors and drove around a bit to check out the scenery and also a few other local cities. We had no agenda beyond being together and relaxed. The area is lovely. We caught ourselves commenting on things the kids would enjoy and hope to someday take Kate and Ty to a similar location so they too and appreciate the wonder of nature.

We had access to a private pond and dock with inviting red Adirondack chairs. I found myself lingering by that pond often. It was so peaceful.

There was a clearing half way down the long driveway where we ventured with a flashlight late Friday night to see the stars. It was the most amazing night sky I have witnessed since camping with my parents as a child. The Milky Way was so predominate as were countless bright stars. It was stunning. Saturday morning, I wandered back down the lane to capture a view of sunrise while Greg slept in. It was the prettiest dew covered morning. I was later busted relaxing on the dock with a cup of tea and good book. And by busted I mean that Greg found his missing wife and commented that losing me in the middle of nowhere was not on the agenda. Smile.

The evenings were beautiful with incredible sunsets. God really does show off if we just take some time to notice. We ended each day in the hot tub but opted to not photograph those relaxing and wonderful moments. You are welcome.

As it turns out, Saturday night offered Greg an OSU football game. I planned accordingly. Life doesn't get much more perfect than a good book, a quilt and a fire.

We are so grateful to my parents who drove to our house and spent the weekend running our chaotic lives while we escaped. Ty and Kate enjoyed exploring a cave, checking out a local festival and lots of sweet treats in our absence. Grandma and Grandpa are awesome.