The Summer I'll Never Forget

I spent the summer in the country, I enjoyed nature and the animals. They offered a refuge to me as being quiet that I didn't get to experience in the city. The city was busy, hectic and bustling with activity. From the constant construction, noisy traffic, events and constant work life. I loved to seek quiet within nature just to bring back my overall mental health. It was a judgment free zone where I could wear old sundresses and sandals, with unpainted toes and unkempt hair. Just a place to be wild and free with our authentic selves. Just us alone with ourselves and nature, not another soul in sight that could judge me.

I usually headed out to the cabin for a two week period each summer, it had given me the time that I had needed to relax, detox off social media, destress and connect back to myself completely. During this time I took long walks in the forest, hikes, sat by the lake and enjoyed the starlit skies at night. It was a ritual, a time that I enjoyed spending alone with myself. My soul, body, heart and mind craved this solitude. Through this time I always felt like I gained myself back and de-stressed completely.

As I travelled down the drive with my car, I already felt the stress of the city far behind me. I felt the stress, nerves and uptightness vanish. I could feel the stress physically leaving my body and being replaced as I relaxed within the driver seat, I rolled down the window also to breathe in the less polluted air and lowered my sunglasses to protect my eyes from the UV rays and to give myself that "to cool for the city vibe". As I drove down the quiet country road I turned up the country music to get more authentically in the moment of the road trip. Yeehaw !

I rolled up to the cabin, exited my car and realized I didn't even have to lock it because who would be around to go into my vehicle. I walked to the back of my car and opened the truck up to reveal my duffle bag which would be the belongings that I would have for my stay at the cabin. Inside the bag contained everything I had needed to have the best two weeks at the cabin; sundresses, jean cutoffs, tank-tops, bikinis, sunscreen and a few novels to read. I also opted to bring a few jeans and a flannel shirt in case I wanted to make a fire and sit by it at night while watching the stars. Excitedly I had lifted the bag out of the trunk, ready for the most peaceful two weeks of my life.

I picked up the bag and closed the trunk, walking up the gravel path to the front door of the cabin. I loved how the front deck wrapped around the cabin so that I could sit on a chair or lay on a blanket and look up at the sky at night. Or sit peacefully during the day with a good book. It was the perfect little getaway place for me. As I walked up the wooden steps, they lightly made noises under my feet. I then walked towards the wooden door and turned the knob inside was a fantastic wooden cabin. All wood panels inside, furnished with rustic flannel blankets and matching rustic wooden furniture. The couch was worn red leather but it suited the interior of the cabin.

As I walked up the wooden stairs to the open loft bedroom that had my queen bedroom and ensuite bathroom which had a giant tub with a huge open window towards a tree. As I set the suitcase next to the bed, I felt the urge to go for a walk in the forest. I lifted the suitcase up to the bed and got out a pair of jean cut-offs, a white tank top and a red & black flannel shirt with my white Reebok sneakers. I quickly changed and threw my hair up into a pony-tail. Also using some of the all-natural bug repellant on my arms, legs and arms.

I grabbed a water bottle from the old style fridge, I loved how antique and vintage the place was. I walked down the stairs and looked right to left, but directly in front of me I saw some forest that I wanted to walk through. It's like all of a sudden I saw which way to go...so I started to make my way through the trees, there was a slight path for some reason. So I walked on it as my curiosity rose as to where this path led. I walked down and admired the bushes and flowers that were on the side of the path. I bent down and picked a pink flower and put it in my hair. I kept walking and could see ahead the pathway opened, but to what I hadn't been sure of but I felt I should go and look.

As I came to the opening I saw a large red barn about 30 feet ahead. I wanted to walk up to it. Not sure if it belonged to anyone, and I couldn't hear anyone as I had been walking. I walked around the barn and directly to the front door, the red barn showing slight wear. As I came to the main entrance of the barn, I saw a man inside working on something I couldn't make out what it was. I quickly got nervous, as if on cue he looked up at me. He smiled and waved a very handsome smile. So I shyly waved back and smiled at him too.

He stopped working on what he was doing in the workshop and walked over to me. As he was walking up to me I began to notice how handsome he was; dark features, dark hair, tall and great cheekbones. He stopped about two feet away from me and began to politely ask me questions; What was my name, what I was doing at his barn, and how long I was staying in the area. As we talked I could feel a warmth over my body and comfortable around him. I felt as if we had known each other for a long time. I couldn't help but stare into his amazing eyes when he talked. They kept me enticed the whole conversation.

He asked me if I was hungry, because he said that he had been working the whole day. I said yes that I had a long drive and I hadn't eaten the whole day until I realized it. He looked around the shop and apologized he didn't have food on him or a fridge in the barn. I replied that it was alright, and I had asked him if he wanted to come back to my cabin to check if there was anything good to eat. I told him that I wasn't sure what there was to eat, he laughed and replied that he had a simple taste. I laughed in response and told him I lived a short walk. He smiled and we started walking out of the barn.

We walked through the forest together talking more about our lives and our interests. He was into real estate and came into the forest the same as me to escape from his life and get a break for a few weeks just like I do every summer. The barn belonged to his family and he came there every summer because it made him happy and brought back memories. As the bush came open he smiled and said he knew the family that owned this cabin; they had been good family friends for a long time. I smiled back as we walked up the wooden stairs and I opened the door. We both walked across the wooden floor, and into the kitchen I opened the pantry and was shocked that the cupboards were filled with amazing food; pastas, crackers, breads, desserts, cooking and baking items also. In the fridge was fresh fruits, veggies and milk.

I asked what he wanted and we decided on a pasta dish and a side of steamed veggies. We began cooking and he asked about my life like if I had any siblings, or if I had enjoyed travelling. I liked the conversation with him. It just flowed, no pauses or awkward silences. It just flowed and felt easy, there was no strain or pressure. We enjoyed our conversation about ourselves and finished cooking. We then took the food out of the pots and put it onto our individual plates. We decided to open the bottle of red wine and to sit on the couch and talk more.

We sat, ate, drank and I was amazed at how hungry I had been. We sat and drank some more and talked. I began to look at him with lust in my eyes I suppose as he came in towards me for a kiss. I put my hand up for a sec, he blushed and then I grabbed his face and returned the passion. In the next few hours the couch led to the loft, then to the bedroom and back to the couch. It felt amazing and euphoric.....We both laid together after the passion on the couch, cuddled together holding each other tightly. It started to get darker outside, we'd been at it for hours. He said he needed to go home and do some chores but to come to the barn with him, he would come by to get me in the morning. I agreed and kissed him goodnight.

The next morning I woke up early, put on a fresh pot of coffee and then headed to the tub. Once I got out I grabbed a pretty sundress, applied a little makeup and threw on my white sneakers as I finished getting dressed I heard a knock at the front door. I opened it and he was standing there smiling at me, I walked towards him and he met me with open arms to hug me. It felt good to be hugged, he then kissed the side of my face and took my hand in his. We walked down the steps into the forest towards the red barn. And that’s the summer and how a Red Barn Changed My Life.