Hooray!
we are so glad that you’re joining us for the Summer SOUL-stice Retreat, a sacred self care weekend! The fireflies are out, the pond is perfect, and below you’ll find the final schedule and a few notes to help make your weekend peaceful, restorative, and absolutely magical!
Schedule: Click here for the schedule. Individual locations are rain-dependent.
Location: Blackbird’s Daughter Botanicals is located at 57 Lois Lane in Barrington, NH on Scruton Pond Farm, a 120 acre intentional community founded in the early 1970’s. We welcome you to enjoy our trails, field, community center (the Dharma Center), and private pond (swimming is clothing optional). At the end of Lois Lane you’ll find a trailhead at the far right corner of the field that takes you throughout the woods. We ask that you respect our home by parking in the marked areas on the side of the road, picking up any trash, and sticking to public areas.
Directions: From Portsmouth, NH: Take Rt 16 N/Spaulding Turnpike to exit 8W. Stay West on Rt 155 and take a right onto Rt 9 at the lights. Continue to intersection of Rt 125 at the lights and turn right onto N 125. In about 2 miles, turn left onto Scruton Pond Rd. Continue exactly 2 miles, then turn left onto Lois Lane (at the row of mailboxes with flowers). The Community Center is the first building on the right. Please park by the building and check in, and someone will direct you where to park for the weekend. Please note: GPS is still working on finding us!
Check In: Please arrive at the Community Center promptly (between 3 and 5 pm on Friday, and 8-8:30am on Saturday and Sunday). If you arrive while we are in Circle, please join us quietly.
Ceremony: Please remember that this is a weekend of ceremony, and as such is an alcohol, drug, and cell phone free event (you are welcome to take photos to post on the Facebook page, just please keep your phone on airplane mode). Feel free to bring something to decorate the Solstice Altar.
Staying Over and Camping: Camping is located in the field behind the gardens at the end of Lois Lane. Please set your tent wherever you’d like. Sorry, no campfires. There’s a port-o-potty at the barn and an outhouse at the community center. Several of our community members have generously offered to share their homes with participants, so if you are planning on staying over and don’t want to camp, please let us know as soon as possible so we can arrange a host home for you - first come, first serve!
Basketmaking: If you haven’t signed up for Alexa’s basket making intensive on Saturday, you can do so at the registration table. There is a $30 materials fee, payable by check or cash to Alexa Riviera.
Swimming and Canoeing in Scruton Pond are at your own risk, as we have no lifeguard on duty. Please come ashore if you hear thunder, and watch your step on the way in as the beavers have been hard at work and the water is high! (As per tradition, swimming is clothing optional).
Things to bring:
Camping gear (tent, mat, sleeping bag, etc)
Musical instruments if you have them (hand drums, rattles, flutes, etc)
Mug and water bottle for tea and water
Snacks (if you have registered for the full weekend 3 full meals will be provided)
Yoga mat
Backjack or comfy folding chair - regular folding chairs will be provided.
Flashlight/headlamp
Bathing suit and towel
Sunscreen, bug repellent
A good book, art supplies, or anything else you might like to relax with
Items for the Barter & Trade Fair (books, jewelry, handmade items, clothes, etc)
Something for the Solstice Altar (you can take it home when you leave).
