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| Arowhon Pines Resort resident fox, photo by Barbara Baker |
The road was gravel. It twisted through tall, leafy, overhanging trees
that created a tunnel-like effect. After the first kilometer, my cell phone
binged. I checked. No Service. Really? I tucked it away.
The next eight kilometers took us farther into Algonquin Park and
finally ended in a parking lot at the edge of the blue waters of Little Joe
Lake. I got out of the car and followed the signs on the walking path through
the woods to the lodge.
The initial shock of no cell phone reception was ... shocking. Add no
tv, radio, wifi or even a clock. How will any of us writers survive in this
archaic environment?
The reality of all that was not accessible wore off within minutes as
the beauty and peacefulness of Arrowhon Pines Resort encapsulated me.
I was taken to one of the many log cabins tucked away in the forest. A
giant bed with crisp white linens, private bathroom, a stone fireplace, veranda
overlooking the water, roomies to share the beauty of the setting and the cabin
(though certainly not my room), as well as the ups and downs of our writing
projects – how perfect! I only checked my phone two more times to make sure it
really had no reception.
Brian Henry, our writing mentor for the retreat, opened the session.
Cheerful, quirky, enthusiastic, funny – the list goes on to describe his
attributes but he’s probably already blushing so I’ll stop.
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| A cabin at Arowhon Pines, photo by Barbara Baker |
After the “fortune cookie” warm-up exercise, the room was a hub of
voices and chatter and excitement. What a variety of storytellers! The energy
flowed intravenously through the group and followed me back to my writing
corner.
Coming from Calgary, I thought I might get the prize for the furthest
distance travelled but since I only had to fly for four hours maybe the people
that drove seven hours would get it. But there was no Furthest Distance
Travelled prize. We were all winners.
Breaks from the writing sessions and private writing times were spent
kayaking, hiking to the 400-year-old medicine tree, early morning coffee on the
deck watching the mist rise, following the resident fox for photo ops or just
walking without a destination in mind. Pure bliss.
And then there was the food, the amazing food of Arowhon! Add the
camaraderie of all those writers in one location and you encounter unstoppable
laughter, encouragement, support, understanding, some very tall tales and so
many new friendships.
Another highlight of the retreat was the one-on-one mentoring session
with Brian to discuss individual projects. Intuitive, enlightening – Brian was
full of suggestions and ideas, offered support and encouragement and dished it
all out with honesty, in confidence and with sincerity. This man has a thing
about helping writers improve their voices and write their stories. How great
is that?
When it was over and time to go back to the binging of cell phones and
our normal lives, it was very hard to leave the hugs and the companionship of
like-minded souls and one of the prettiest places
to visit. Thank you Brian Henry for making it all happen!
***
To reserve a spot, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca
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| Barbara at Arowhon Pines |
Barbara Wackerle Baker grew up in Banff, Alberta, and spends
her free time racing up and down the Rockies trying to keep up with an active
family of outdoor enthusiasts. Her passions include writing, photography,
exploring landscapes and time with her grandchildren (the most beautiful
grandchildren ever).
Three of her stories have found homes in Chicken Soup
publications, a dozen others are in short story contest anthologies, one of her stories won the 2016 John Kenneth Galbraith Literary Award, and her short story "Life Support," initially published in the Globe and Mail, was made into a short film that premiered at the Totonnto International Film Festival (here). She's also published three YA novels: Summer of Lies, What About Me, and Jillian of Banff XO (see here).
