The Hocking Hills is a state park in south-central Ohio made up of many trails and smaller parks. About an hour from my house this beautiful horizon of trees, hills, and caverns paint the border of the Appalachain Mountains.
October is one of the most beautiful times of the year to visit the region and so one of my closest friends and I made plans to spend a weekend in the hills during the height of the fall foilage. We booked a small cabin Airbnb and packed all the snacks, wine, and writing supplies needed to fuel a much needed Girls’ Trip and writing retreat.
Ashley from Science Plus Miracles is also raising young children and trying to keep her writing life afloat. She understands the internal balance needed in order to keep a passion project alive during a period where family demands so much time and attention. So, it took just about no convincing on either of our parts to schedule this weekend away to both rest and refocus on our writing projects and goals. (Our husbands get infinite thanks for booking the weekend and taking great care of our children while we were gone!)
Over the course of the weekend we hiked a few trails most notably Conkels Hollow State Nature Preserve and Rockbridge State Nature Preserve. Both of these trails were scenic and provided glimpses of peace. While walking the trails we stopped several times to capture the awe of the artistry. The colors of the trees, the angles of the caverns, the overlooks from the cliffs, all of the scenes were breathtaking. At times, we forgot that we were only an hour from home.
The Airbnb did not have a stove (in hindsight that may be something we look for in the future), so we ate all of our meals at local joints. My favorite spot was called The Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls. This was a quaint spot that served cocktails and brunch. The atmosphere was woodsy and really added to the aesthetic of the trip.
We also stopped at a local favorite–Hocking Hills Winery where live music was performed against the backdrop of trees and rolling hills. We enjoyed a bottle of a sweet red wine and talked the night away. The best coffee spot to fuel our writing sessions was The Coffee Emporium where we ordered seasonal Pumpkin Iced lattes with oat milk.
My writing goal for the weekend was to plan upcoming projects for The Ameri Brit Mom. I spent several hours journaling about my thoughts and feelings and getting to the heart of where I want to see this business expand. Over the next few months there will definitely be some changes to The Ameri Brit Mom. I am rounding out my first year as a solopreneur and have clarified a more specific goal for the future and decided on areas that were not serving the vision for the business.
Additionally, I ordered a new planner from Plum Paper to see me into a new season. Bullet journaling had not been serving me lately and you may have noticed that my calendar downloads have been absent for a few months. I am leaning into a new method for planning to save energy, creativity, and time to focus more on writing than weekly planner setups.
Getting away to the hills was good for my body, soul, and future planning. Not only did I enjoy the company of the trip, but the backdrop was every writer’s dream.
There is peace on the trails that I can’t find in an office or library space.
There is clarity.
There is beauty to inspire.
The Ameri Brit Mom
The Ameri Brit Mom 