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The Scotia Wind, A Rustic Retreat For Women & Women Writers * a work in progress
"Remember
always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation
to be one." Eleanor Roosevelt
ABOUT THE RETREAT How many times have you wished for a place to go, to just be left alone to
figure things out in your own way and time, in peace and quiet? A place where no one can get ahold of you unless it's what
you want. Maybe even talk to others who are either going thru the same thing or have been there. Take a deep breath and exhale because it's
soon to happen. What
does it for you? A soft winter snow, watching the ocean on a warm sunny day as diamonds dance on the water, sitting
under a tree with a nice cool breeze flowing over you with just your thoughts and maybe a good book? The
only interruptions are those you allow. This is your time, your rules, plain and simple. To be able to walk thru the woods,
smell the pine trees, watch the squirrels, the birds, to feel the peace, is magic. What a wonderful place
to just........ be. In
your cottage, you will have privacy, time to read, listen to music, (bring your favorite cd's and dvd's) time
for the bubble bath you always want but never get. What's up with that? (candles and wine will
be ready for you) Take a nap when you wish. Gather your strength in your own way and time. (I will have
CD's and DVD's as well.) No
one here is going to tell you how to do it, but I will be here to listen as I have been there. Can't say how many times
I wished for a place like this when I was going thru my stuff. You can eat in your cottage or in the main
house with me, no invitation needed just come on in. Hopefully this will be your home away from home, I want you to feel you can dress like
a complete slob, no hair or make up days and no one here is going to care. Have you ever wondered what it's like
to just NOT get out of your pj's all day and NOT even comb your hair? There are no words. No one is going
to tell you not to cry, I'll probably cry with you! One of my biggest objections in life is, those who tell us
not to cry; " Be Strong, Don't let them see you crying" Blah blah frikken blah! Oh Pooh! That's what
wrong with this world, no one cries or allow themselves to feel! Heaven forbid we should show any emotions at all!
Oh the drama of it all! Let's all just be robots! Those who do show emotion are looked upon as drama
queens. Burying our emotions when we need to let them fly is one cause of emotional and physical
problems. It's just as the song says, "it's MY party and I'll cry if I want to". Our life is OUR
party! The
retreat will be on my 27 acres in Deerfield only 15-20 minutes from town, a very pretty area in the country. The
property is right off a main road but doesn't parallel the road, it angles back which gives for privacy which I
take very seriously. I am making darn sure this retreat will not be seen from the road and there will be security.
There will NOT be a sign roadside, but there will be visuals which I will tell you about when you make your reservation.
Otherwise someone will just drive right by and not know this is here. If I come to get you from the airport you won't need
to worry about that. This is not going to be a high end
spa that is going to have you running from here to there for the manicure, massage or facial. Those can be
scheduled for you as they are available in town. This is the opposite end of that spectrum. This is peace
and quiet in it's truest form. This is the woods. All will be treated with respect here. One thing you will notice in Nova
Scotia, there are no class distinctions. This is part of the beauty here. This is a retreat in the woods,
everyone will be treated the same and this includes my staff. We are all alike in my book. I don't care how poor,
rich or famous anyone is, don't care about your skin color, race or sexual orientatons, in my world you
are one of the gang. If you disagree with this, you get to use the outhouse! Done, end of subject
Chat it up with new friends
Can't forget the important things! I will
also be creating the stomping ground. Oh you're going to love this! This is where we go as a group or alone to stomp the heck
out of the ground, scream, hollar and cry it out and then laugh at ourselves because we did and it felt ohhhhhhhhh so
goooooooood! How many times have we wished we could go out to the woods and do just that?
The future 8 housekeeping cottages will be for long or short term
stays which will allow for women writers as well, will be open year round. Come spend Christmas or any holiday. Don't
be alone. The cottages
will be totally self sustained with kitchens, bathrooms, hide-a-beds in livingrooms, bedrooms, front porch, and woodburning
stove. There will be electric heat as well. I will have them fully furnished right down to the silverware
and coffee pot. Bring your suitcase and toothbrush, but I will have those supplies as well if you forget. No over programming, no unsolicited
advice. This retreat is not based on religion or anything else that doesn't fit your need. It's based on what
you need. For those who wonder if their cell phones work here, yes. Mine works fine and there are several cell
towers around. There will also be internet. When
on a walk in the woods, to elimate any possible stress's of getting lost, getting tired, needing to sit,
or needing a washroom, there are going to be directional markers, benches and old fashioned outhouses. Yes,
I said it and there you have it! Sure I could've chosen a more politically correct word, but why? You might want
to bring your sense of humour because you are going to need it here. Don't have one? You will before you leave! There will be water along the way
as well. Also measures will be taken to protect against the wildlife you don't want to see. If anyone wants to donate money for this retreat, please contact me thru the email link
on this website. I will email you back with my phone number and I will give you any kind of confirmation you need.
Cape Forchu Lighthouse Yarmouth, Nova Scotia I will not tolerate anyone
being treated badly. Those who 'really' know me, know normally I am a laid back person with a killer sense
of humour. They will also tell you that when you meet me, you will think you've known me forever because I am blessed
to have that trait. You know you have a friend right away, but those who ruffle my feathers? Stand
back! So feel safe and protected when you are here because you will be!
I don't
like pictures to be taken of those who stay here unless everyone is ok with it. This is also to protect anyone
who comes here. I say this as I've already been contacted by some who need what I am offering here, to
be confidential.
ABOUT
YARMOUTH Yarmouth County is soothing to the soul it's so beautiful here, the lighthouse at Cape
Forchu, the Sandford Bridge and so much more. We have our own theatre, the Y'arc, the Cinema, the Mariner
Centre and so much to see. Plenty of fresh
Seafood, (can't get any fresher) Pizza, Chinese food, Canadian food and might just be able to find a hamburger
joint too. A good friend of mine has her own restaurant that really shows off the Canadian hospitality and her cooking
is to die for. www.hiddentreasuresfamilyrestaurant.com Also there is the shopping mall, Walmart, a library and the hospital is close by. But more importantly is the history of this beautiful town. We just celebrated
our 250th birthday in 2011. This is a fishing town with so much history it's mind boggling. Everywhere you look
here it's beautiful. The people are so warm and friendly you would think you belong here and maybe you do. Yarmouth
is the furthermost southwestern gateway into the Maritimes. I only have one thing to say about your visit here, hang
on to your heart.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Yeeeeessssssss!
ABOUT CANADA Bare in mind that once you enter Canada, all is in metric; speed
limits, milage signs etc. So when driving use that other set of numbers on your speedometer, the ones under what you
are used to using. But if you rent a car in Canada that won't be an issue. Use the top numbers then. Currency is the
same as far as the US denominations. We don't have one dollar bills here, instead we have the loonie which
is a dollar coin with the queen on one side and a loon on the other. We also have a toonie, which is a $2 coin
with a gold center and a silver outer ring. The rest of the coins are the same, quarter, dimes, nickals and pennies.
Our paper money is in different colours depending on the denomination, 5, 10, 20 etc.
Sandford Bridge Currently the smallest operating bridge in the world Wide enough for 2 people side by side ABOUT ME I am Juanita, owner-operator. I'll be living here 24/7-365 days a year. I am doing this to make our world a better place. I am not interested in becoming rich from this, but to help other women. I am a Canadian woman who was raised in the states and returned home to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Easter weekend 09. I couldn't have made a better move. I have lived in Lima, Peru, South America, Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi, Washington State, California, Georgia, Arizona, Maine, NewFoundland, Pennsylvania and New York. I earned my Private Pilot License in Arizona. I was adopted from Yarmouth by a well to do American family. They were seen as "intelligent, beautiful" people. We traveled alot because of Dad's flying career. We lived well and I never wanted for anything as far as clothes, food and money went. Even after my parents divorce I was never without the basic needs. My mother and I still traveled alot. I went to Private School, wore the best clothes, rode horses (a passion of mine) and went to fancy dances. What a life huh? Well................... Fast forward to 2011; I know more about abuse then I want to. With all the information out there, I'm amazed at the amount of ignorance about abuse. When a woman has removed herself from an abusive situation, the healing process can take years. It has been compared by mental health professionals, to returning POW's. Some just don't realize the extent of the abuse. As in my case, to this day, my family still doesn't believe my ex husband was an abuser therefore have little to do with me. They feel I've lied to them because he was just such a "nice" guy. Yeah, they usually are....... in public. I have been abused by my adopted father, 2 ex-husbands and certain family members. Not all abuse is physical, some is verbal, some is emotional, some is sexual. I've had it all. Abusers come in all races, colors, religions and social classes. You'd have a hard time picking one out of a crowd. An abuser can get you to believe you are worthless and don't deserve any better then what you are getting from him. When you love an abuser, they have a power over you that sneaks in without you ever realizing til it's too late sometimes. When I say it sneaks in I mean just that! Using myself as an example; when I met my 2nd and final abuser, I was a strong and independent woman, working and taking care of myself. I was not easily fooled (or so I thought) since I had already been in one horribly abusive marriage. Along he comes, totally gorgeous, totally charming, totally intelligent and totally everything a woman wants in a man. Guess I hadn't learned yet, if something is too good to be true, it is! I fell hook, line and sinker. He was not the first to come in my life in the 4 years since my divorce from abuser #1, but he was what I thought, the first intelligent life, he was that smooth. A year later, a month after the wedding was when I saw the first sign of trouble when abuser #2 got mad about some little thing and broke a mirror. I grabbed my purse and headed for the door, there was no way I was going thru this again and I was mad as hell at myself for not seeing it! There was nothing to see as he hid it so well. He met me at the door with the apologies and promises and I really didn't want another divorce, I thought ok maybe I can love him out of this. Ha! Abusers are very good at hiding this trait, very charming and can lure you in and you think you have died and gone to heaven. No one will ever convince me abusers can't help themselves as they can turn it on and off at will. Abuse affects everyone in the immediate family there is no doubt of that, but as I have already stated, the damage can extend out from there. Ignorance and non-belief by family members of abuse is just as damaging as from the abuser himself. Fifteen years later I was able to crawl out of that relationship, but it took several years of counseling to regain my emotional strength. Abuser #2 never hit me but he constantly belittled me and his anger issues ended up being worse then the physical abuse from abuser #1. First abuser drank up all the money each payday and if it hadn't been for his mother, the kids and I would not have eaten. He beat me constantly and walked on me with this logging corks. Think of golf shoes with longer and sharper spikes. I learned too late abuser #2 hated his parents and hated all the pretty blondes who rejected him. So maybe blondes aren't as dumb after all huh? As I left him, he said, my leaving him was like my leaving for another man, this was his attempt at a guilt trip aimed at me. I kept walking although my heart was breaking because he didn't want to fix the problem. This was not what I wanted but had to leave to stay sane. These were lightweight words compared to what others who have left abusive relationships have heard. I could tell you some things that would raise the hair on your neck but I think you get the idea here. I got fooled once again. I went along in life just feeling relieved I got out once again, went to stay with a girl friend in Florida til I got on my feet again. I found life very trying after awhile because I realized I didn't trust anyone, not anyone. I did manage one short relationship but removed myself quickly when he allowed his brother to be verbally abusive to me. This is something I am still paying for because a family member dear to me, who was my rock, chooses to believe there are no abusers in Newfoundland. Yeah I know, there isn't anything you can say here that I haven't already said or thought. It just blows the mind! I realized I needed more healing and help because I wasn't doing well on my own. I recall at that time the inklings of wanting a place of solitude and peace in the woods. The woods had always been a deep healing source for me, but I also had a travel bug in my system. Traveling is not only a part of my personality but how I was raised. I mention about traveling as I've had family members tell me I was wrong for traveling. So if anyone figures this out, email me and let me know ok? After 15 years of being told what I could eat, wear and so on, I was reveling in making my own decisions again. Also as an added note on this 10th day of Dec. 2011, 37 years after I got away from abuse the first time, it has struck my life again because of abuser #1. So you can see how it can either hang on or come back at you. I won't go into detail here about it because there are 4 people dear to me I don't want to hurt any more then they already are, but, I have been fighting writing about this subject and I can see it's time to do just that. I came home to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 2003, lived and worked here for a year. That didn't work out for lack of family support for anything. So back to the states I went broken hearted. I existed for the next the 3 years. I was laid off my job in summer of 07 and had also been sick from heat exhaustion. I finally had enough, packed up and came back home but with a plan this time. In the process of getting back here I ended up homeless for 7 months. It started out horrific for me but ended up beautifully. That story is saved for my book. I realized since I have 27 beautiful acres here, WHY AM I NOT ON THEM? Why am I not making my own retreat? Why am I not making a retreat for all women? I know I am not the only one who needs to heal. Even though I am fairly healed there is always room for improvement.
Resident Photographer You are going to see somethings on this website that look like sheer sillyness and that is because
I am done being serious (except when needed) and there is a reason for everything on here.  Some will say it's crazy that
I don't want women who have been here to tell about it. What about the commercial aspect of it all? Women
who come here can talk about it all they want, but I won't confirm they have been here without their written consent. This
retreat is not about making myself rich or famous off those who need a place to go for their own reasons,
otherwise the prices would be higher then they will be and I would invite the paparazzi. This is about helping women,
simple as that. Speaking of the paparazzi, fair warning, this is my private property and I won't
have it. Think I'm kidding, don't try me! There is a questbook at the bottom of this page and those who want to, can put their feelings
there about whatever you want, no one is going to see it but me.
WHY FIT IN WHEN YOU WERE BORN
TO STAND OUT!**Dr Seuss I will also have a choice
of books, cd's, dvd's, wine, candles for your rest and relaxation. When reservations are made online, I will be asking you to fill out a sheet with your likes and dislikes,
allergies of any kind and other things that I will be using to make your stay even more comfortable. I want to know your allergies
so I don't feed you anything or have something in your cottage that will make you sick. GETTING HERE Yarmouth
at this point in time is not the most easy place to get to. We had 2 ferries at one time, one from Portland, Maine that
was an overnight ferry with cabins, the other was the Cat from Bar Harbour, Maine which was a 3 hour trip. We are working
hard on getting a ferry back online to get here from the states. The choices are; fly into Halifax and drive back here
3 hours by renting a car or there are shuttles from Yarmouth to Halifax that I can arrange for you. You can rent cars here
in Yarmouth. You
can drive up thru Maine on 95 to Bangor, take route 9 to Calias, (about a 3 hour drive) cross into St. Stephens,
New Brunswick, drive another hour to St. John, New Brunswick to the ferry that will take you to Digby, Nova Scotia.
This is a 3 hour ride. Then it's about 45 minute drive to Yarmouth. I have driven this many times and if you like
to travel, this is a fun route. If you time it right, you can make this a day trip from Bangor to Yarmouth. The
ferry from St. John leaves 2-3 times a day. You can also drive around instead of taking the ferry which is also
a fun drive but add another day to that. So you see it wouldn't be advantageous for the papparazzi to even try. You can also fly into Portland Maine or even into Bangor,
rent a car from either airport and drive the rest of the way.
In the US: call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). 6/16/2010 Waiting 2 final numbers now so I can submit for my business plan,
6/23/2010
Have hit a snag with the Dept
of Transportation about approval for the 7/26/2010 This morning
I went to the land with Dot to mark driveway entrance for approval. 8/9/2010 Got the approval for the driveway this morning! Doesn't look like it's going to 9/1/2010 Just had surgery. Will recoup and get back to it. 11/25/2010 Had 2nd surgery to fix what the first
one couldn't. Uncle!!! No more surgeries please! 1/22/2011 Have not gone off and forgotten, alot
of work going on in the background. 4/15/2011 Still here working on this.
No one hates these delays more then myself. 6/4/2011 Still here and working on this. Sorry this is taking longer
then I wanted for sure 9/3/2011
Still trying to get this going. Factors in my way and trying to push thru. Transportation
to Yarmouth is huge issue right now. 11/20/2011 There might be light at the end of
the tunnel yet. There is some hope showing for a ferry going from Yarmouth to the states. In waiting mode now
to see. 4/7/2012 Still no ferry but still hoping for some sort of transportation to get here. 7/1/2012 Canada
Day! I want to thank those who have left messages in my guestbook. The kind words mean everything to me.
I built this website myself and continue to refresh it. It's my baby. It's only the one page now but it will grow
as soon as the building of the retreat starts. 9/7/2012 The Province of Nova Scotia announced today they are committing $21 Million Dollars towards a ferry
for Yarmouth!!!!! 9/12/2012
We have interest showing from a company in the UK for a ferry for Yarmouth! Hopefully this will be the one! 11/19/2012 We have a
new Mayor in town and it's my understanding, the first woman Mayor of Yarmouth! Very exciting! Also have more
female presence on the town council! There are other positive things happening here as well so here's to hoping. 12/22/2012 I want to
thank those who have written me wanting to know when this is going to happen. I am trying to put myself in a position
where it's all I have to focus on and then things will start moving faster for sure. I wanted this up 3 years ago but
nothing but bad luck since. I have not nor will I give up. I paid a high price to get back home to Nova Scotia
to do this. I feel it's something needed by so many of us. I need to do it and many of you need it, simple as
that. All the show of interest you are giving me is letting me know more and more how much this is needed. Thanks so
much for the show of support. 1/21/2013 I am starting to see it and taste it.
Yes, it's exactly what you think it is! |
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Cape Forchu & Dumping Day Video Click and scroll down Hidden Treasures Family Restaurant The Christmas House, a must watch!! The Christmas House Longer Version
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Juanita
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