When I finally took 2 vacation days from LIME, I made the trip from my home in Queens, NY to the Catskills region to a house in Jeffersonville we rented for the weekend (check it out over there, isn't it a pretty spot?). The occasion: my friend's 30th birthday. The plan: a weekend away with just our closest friends. So, 8 of us descended upon this house amongst the farmland to celebrate.

And what did the weekend bring—well the house, which was built at the turn of the century, had no internet access but was well equipped with DIRECTV, a DVD player, and iPod docking station, and someone brought along their new wii—we certainly weren't in a primitive country house without modern amenities.

Sure, there was time spent playing Rayman Ragin Rabbits and rounds of bowling on the new toy de jour, but we actually spent the bulk of the 4-day mini vacation very differently -- let me recount the ways:

1) Swinging in an old hammock facing nothing but farmland and grazing cows—the air was a constant reminder of those cows

2) Playing makeshift softball using a log for a bat—yes, a log

3) Cooking a foodie feast from scratch: everything from homemade popovers to salads and fresh pesto to bbq delights and blueberry pie

4) Re-living the magic and wonder of shooting stars on a blanket in the backyard

5) Sunday morning beginners yoga for 6 + 2 dogs in the field behind the house

Along with the fun at our weekend home, we did take some time and headed to town for a look around. Nicole and I, taking a cue from my favorite t-shirt that reads "all those who wander are not lost" went exploring to check out what Jeffersonville had to offer. We spent hours truly wandering --- from visiting an antique barn with 3 floors chock full of both finds & junk (with the majority of items for sale under a dollar) to strolling through the few streets learning about and experiencing the german heritage of the area -- stopping every few feet to capture another image on my digital camera. I assure you that I took full advantage of 300+pictures that my memory stick allows.

On this day and throughout the weekend, we certainly lowered our group collective carbon footprint and spent much more time in nature than on a typical weekend in the city, with our cab rides, trips to the gym and eating out. We made memories that centered around nothing more than good friends, good wholesome fresh food, and the simple enjoyment and contentment that we sometimes need to escape our everyday lives to appreciate. To me, there is no better way to celebrate.

Monique Hartl

Queens, NY