Simplicity.

alternates: feather pen | fawn in a jar | bear rug

Ah, I just love this little nook.
Sunlight streaming through the window,
a simple chair, a simple table, a pen, and a candle.
The chair might not be so comfortable but I could spend days here
reading, writing, and gazing out the window into the forest.

I spent a few hours today touring a home from the 1800s that was built and owned by an American Naturalist. The house has been preserved and restored, with most of the original furnishings and [animal] collections still present. I loved how beautiful and simple everything was! While life was probably difficult 200 years ago, I walked through the house longing to go back in time. Thoughts of simple living and the words of Thoreau flowed through my mind as I took everything in. I didn't want to leave this place and return to my current reality. I wanted to stay in the forest and learn.

When I inquired about the lack of designated bathrooms in the house despite the outhouse and bowls used for bathing, I learned about chamber pots. While I had heard the term before, I didn't realize they were pots placed under the bed or nightstand and used as urinals at night! This set-up amused me - a chamber pot placed under a chair with a removable bottom for comfortable urination.

The grounds surrounding the house are gorgeous too: restored cabins, an old schoolhouse, another historic home, prairie and forest preserves, and a nature center. I grew up visiting this place and didn't discover half of the buildings until today! I'm anxious to return in warmer weather and do some more exploring.

Oh, and this is also where I am getting married! :)

(Psst: I've been here before to visit the animals.)

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a year ago: runway.