Gell Residency for Writers 2017

Back at the beginning of March, Kevin won a one-week "Gell Residency for Writers with young children award." Writers & Books, an independent literary center in Rochester, NY sponsored the award. The purpose was for Kevin Clouther to work on his novel manuscript, Bermuda, while we stayed with our spawn at the Gell House in the Finger Lakes.

The Gell House is part of a larger creative retreat south of Rochester in Naples, NY. There's also the Gleason Lodge, which was closed while we there, and a treehouse for kids that was sadly under repair. The house was split into two suites, the rustic Suite A, which I renamed the kids' suite, and Suite B which was full of big windows with views of the beautiful property and lots of shelves full of old books.

View of the Gell House on Monday

The highlight for Kevin though was behind the main house, where was a little writing shed in the same dimensions as Thoreau's cabin near Walden Pond. Each morning, Kevin went to his writing cabin alone and wrote and edited his novel for hours. In the evenings after dinner, he went back to work in the living area of Suite B.

This way to Cabin! (Treehouse under repair)

Thoreau Cabin with Kevin's laptop

Kids checking out the cabin before writing begins

Kids inside the cabin before writing begins

Inside the Gell House living room/ "Typewriter Room" (Suite B)

The kids and I had a different routine each day, and we stayed away from the writing cabin. More on that in the next post.