It was flukey, this little detour. My friend Lisa and I have a knack for never being in the same place at the same time, yet we move in similar enough circles that the rest of our families have been.  We have seen some of her clan at various camps.  My husband and son even had brunch at her Las Vegas home not too far back when traveling through.  Despite the fact both of us lived in Colorado for many overlapping years we were both so busy with homesteading and homeschooling and general child corraling that our paths only crossed online.  

That changed this month when she arrived back to her new heartland homestead (after marrying off a daughter in Denver) just as we were coincidentally passing right by.  Other women might have begged off but Lisa messaged me en route and urged us to stop on the way.  The difference between a 49 year old husband and a 29 or even 39 year old husband?  "Sure! Why not," says the 49 year old man. Yes, gone are the hurry hurry, stick to the schedule days.  We have every bit as much to do as we ever had but perhaps enough perspective now to know we really want to make the time.  

 We were greeted out front by Penny, the Wonder Dog, who was a modern-day Nana of Peter Pan fame. 

and strolled past the napping kitties…

to the place I had come to see….

Lisa is blessed with a bevy of ingenious and industrious offspring who had the vision and determination to refashion the old summer kitchen on the property into a mom's retreat, a writer's haven.  It is cute as can be and screams Lisa from the minute you approach the door.  

They had paid $75 to have a local electrician shore up the wiring.  Then came the brilliant part for me.  They found a local fence builder who happened to keep a large stash of old pickets.  They repurposed them for pennies a piece to panel the interior.  

Is this awesome or what?

There are whimsical Lisa touches everywhere you look. Just a feast for the eyes. She is all set up with coffee, wood stove, and enough reading to keep her out of trouble a good long time.  Are you jelly?  I am. : ) 

…and here we are finally, as we loaded up for the next adventure.  I'm so happy to have been able to steal away an hour with this wonderfully witty fabulous redhead.