All over the US, spring-like weather in March spawned the necessary ground and air warmth that roots, buds and leaves use as their sign to yawn,

awake and grow. They quickened, then burst their bonds like Christ at Easter. The daffodils, quince, forsythia, plum, pear and redbud bloomed. People

who love the soil planted their peas, radishes, onions and tomato seedlings.

        Then came the bloom of wisteria, azaleas and

 dogwood--all of which were ruined by grinchy Old-Man Winter's last pass. In our deepest beings, we knew, despite the brouhaha over global warming, that blackberry winter had not yet visited. But, being hopeful--and foolish--we had plowed ahead just the same.

        Tuesday, April 10, I'd packed the Taurus for a 17-day stay in Eureka Springs, a four-hour drive from central Arkansas.

 Relieved by relatives of home and family

cares, I headed north with a car full of luggage and computer components.

        This trip would cover two events. The first, a 3-day Lucidity Poetry Retreat (tedbadger1@yahoo.com - a good poetry market), then I would spend two weeks (minimum length of stay) at The Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow director@writerscolony.org).

        Friday morning, secure with directions, I headed across the twisty streets that the resort town--sometimes called "Little Switzerland"--is known for, until I came in view of the Crescent Hotel. Turning sharply left on Spring Street before reaching the famous lodging place where I spent my first and second honeymoons (with the same husband), I hairpinned down, down, down to my next home-away-from-home, WCDH.

        Despite the fact that it was Friday, the 13th, raining and no one was on site to welcome me (at first), as I write on this, the eleventh day, I've had a thrilling experience.

        Fellow writers-in-residence (doesn't that phrase sound professional?) include Curtis, from Ontario, a seasoned young-adult author here for the second year, and for the entire month of April; Diane, from the DC area, a food writer, who left 3 children aged 2 through 14 with her husband, has a novel to finish; Debra, a young screen writer from Brooklyn, returned this year to work on developing several new projects. And I came with the purpose of finishing my novel, too, but spent the first week preparing contest entries for a state writers' conference, deadline April 30. Just today, Nora from mid-town NY moved into the next-door "kitchen suite" for the next 4 weeks. She, too has a novel to finish.

        The only scheduled "group time" are weekday dinners at 6. From food orders we'd sent in earlier, the staff laid in a supply of items for the other two daily meals, plus those during the weekends, which we would prepare ourselves on our own time.

        In the common area is a computer with email capability, a TV, a game table, and comfortable over-stuffed seating. The dining area is behind the sofa. Office and reception areas contain books and other

 media from former residents as well as writers' and cooking magazines.

     There are presently accommodations for 6 writers --three rooms near the street-side of Spring, and 3 in "the farmhouse," a good hike away from the main building. The empty house next door is being renovated as funds are available. WCDH is a non-profit organization; writers

"donate" their expenses using a prepared

 chart.

        My apartment, Spring Garden, is decorated in yellow, blue and pink. A former bed and breakfast, the house contains various pieces of old wooden furniture that add to the ambience of the refreshing air of the valley.

        Several short poems bubbled up as soon as I settled in. Curtis calls it the profound aura of nature and peace in this place that fosters creativity. Here are a few:

 

"After/ last week's lively/ Lucidity

retreat,/ I sequester myself to write/ and write." [Cinquain].

 

"removing/ the trappings of public life:/ earrings, dickey, bra"[Senryu].

 

"I sit/ and the chair rolls/ across the room. How can/ I write so far away from the/ table?"[Cinq.].

 

"April rain/ between me and the mountain~/ the snug writer's digs"[Haiku].

 

"clop-de-clop-de-clop/ soon brings into view a white/ touring carriage" [Sen.].

 

        After 10 days, I have logged 14,500 new words. I've studied Evan Marshall's THE MARSHALL

PLAN WORKBOOK: WRITING YOUR NOVEL FROM START TO FINISH (2001, Writer's Digest Books) and thought through his suggestions as they relate to my work-in-progress.

                I'm delighted I came to WCDH. I plan to sign up for the same time next year. If you email them for information, tell Jane that Pat sent you.