Ithaca, New York-June 2023
By Su George
This was the second time I participated in Women’s Narrative Retreat, first time being a
volunteer and this time as a host. What a blast we had! The days went by quickly and we all felt
connected and inspired.
My small lodge was very cozy, comfortable and surrounded by natural beauty. We woke up to
the cheerful chirpings of birds with the aroma of newly brewed coffee and tea in the air. Then
we moved on to fill the day with healthy meals, quiet writing times and meaningful
conversations!
As a host, I found it amazing that all participants were so engaged and enjoyed sharing personal
stories and constructive feedbacks. I had been wanting my place to be a place where like-
minded woman friends gather to re-energize and form friendships. This is indeed what
happened.
The trips to local historic sites proved to be wonderful, too! The most fun one for me was the
trip to Elmira! It had been many years since I went to pay homage to Mark Twain at his old
octagonal study in Elmira College and Woodlawn Cemetery last time. So good that I went back
and learned that this literary icon was also an inventor who was a friend with Nikola Tesla!
Upstate New York has many hidden gem attractions. Mark Twain is one of them!
All in all, Women’s Narrative Retreat in the summer of 2023 was a big success! I would be
happy to host the next one in Summer 2024!
Trust me you will not feel like a guest, we keep things informal and we do everything to inspire you for writing. I must admit that like all the other participants, I too am inspired . I got many new themes, ideas, and motivation to write. Parveen Talpur’s morning talks were inspirational as she provided many creative ideas to think about stories.
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Ithaca, New York- July, 2022
By Emma Lou Shaikh
The Women’s Narrative Retreat took place at the Cayuga Lake summer home of Emma Lou Sheikh, that’s me. There were six participants: Parveen Talpur, Emma Lou Sheikh, and Su George hosts Lita Gregory, guest speaker from the Australian Archaeological Institute in Athens Greece Rayna Batool from Ohio University at Athens, Ohio Debbie Filipowicz from Lockport, New York The Retreat was filled with blast furnace heat and blissful camaraderie. The program followed this pattern. Thursday evening dinner was served followed by an informal discussion period. Our final participant arrived on the last flight into Ithaca that evening. Friday and Saturday following breakfast Parveen provided a short introductory talk to help the attendees with their writing. Parveen’s depth of knowledge and wealth of experience gave us inspiration and direction for our creative efforts. Three to four hours were then dedicated to writing. Lunch was served at 1:00 PM. The afternoons were spent visiting local points of interest. Friday afternoon we visited the garden of two local women dedicated to growing daylilies. The lilies were in full bloom and offered a lovely opportunity for photos. Saturday afternoon a photographer came to capture a full range of retreat activities to be showcased in our photo gallery. Later that day we visited the Cornell University campus and the Johnson Museum for its spectacular views of the campus, the surrounding countryside and Cayuga Lake stretching 38 miles to the north. A stop at Taughannock Falls left us somewhat disappointed as no water was falling over the 215-foot cliff. Following dinner each evening the group gathered in the great room to share our efforts at writing. The suggestions offered by Parveen were greatly appreciated.
Sunday was a day for fun and exploration. Seneca Falls, the site of the First Women’s Rights Convention held in 1848 is now a National Historic Site and preserved as a National Park. It was a moving experience to see and to be in the very place where the long arduous march for Women’s Equality in America had its nascent beginning. A visit to The Women’s Hall of Fame and the It’s A Wonderful Life Museum rounded out our visit to Seneca Falls. A short drive along Cayuga Lake led us to The Thirsty Owl, the winery where we had lunch on the lawn overlooking the vineyard and the
lake. A tasty time was had by all. Our anticipated boat ride on Cayuga Lake was waylaid when a rain storm caused the electricity to go off incapacitating the boat lift. Fortunately, just before dark, the power returned and we were able to watch the 1946 film It’s A Wonderful Life. It is believed that Seneca Falls provided Frank Capra the inspiration for the town of Bedford Falls where the film’s action takes place. It is a heartwarming film. Some of our party had never seen it
before whereas others of us have watched it almost every year at Christmas time. Monday morning found us all wondering how five days had passed so quickly. The general consensus as we each went our separate ways was that this inaugural Women’s Narrative Retreat had been a smashing success.
