Sacred Space- Josephine's Retreat

In 1924, wealthy Palo Altons Frank and Josephine Duveneck steered their Model T Ford towards the mountains and discovered a magical valley called Hidden Villa. Understandably enchanted with the place they purchased it and raised their family on the land where children could climb trees, race leafy boats in the creek, and chase chickens, goats, and pigs around the pasture. The valley looks like this:
With so many children, farm hands, house helpers and endless projects afloat, Josephine—a contemplative like myself- needed a place to hear herself think. So her ever loving husband Frank built her a small cabin on a hill overlooking the valley and dubbed it “Josephine’s Retreat”. It looks like this:
After decades of raising children, founding a school, and running summer camps at Hidden Villa, the Duvenecks donated the land to a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating people about environmental issues and sustainable living. The space is now a 1,000 acre organic farm, outdoor education program, hostel, and summer camp.

Most months Josephine’s Retreat can be rented by the public. It’s a 10x12 foot one-room cabin with a comfortable bed, a kitchenette, and a deck with spectacular views of the valley and surrounding mountains. This is the view:
Near the cabin there are heavy oak trees, fragrant bay trees, Adobe Creek, lupines, bunnies and deer, and occasionally an illusive bobcat and fox can be sighted.

At dusk, all the day-trippers go home and the only sounds are the rushing stream, hungry goats bleating their demand for dinner, and uncountable birds singing their unique tunes. And the frogs, oh the frogs… at night the frogs start up a blaring symphony chorus of “ribbits” and then inexplicably they all stop as if instructed by a mysterious froggy chorus conductor. They observe a multi-measure rest note, then resume.
In the cabin there are three guest books dating from 1995 onward, which is when the cabin was remodeled and opened to the public. Reading the guest book is like reading a novel full of comedy, tragedy, and fairy tale. People write of returning to Hidden Villa in middle-age after spending the summers of their youth there as campers or camp counselors. Couples write of meeting as staff at Hidden Villa and renting Josephine’s Retreat on their anniversary to reconnect and make love on hallowed ground. Women write about being in remission after a difficult battle with breast cancer. Writers and artists write of coming there for inspiration.

Hidden Villa and Josephine’s Retreat are sacred space for me. I’ve stayed at Josephine’s Retreat four times and the solitude, natural beauty, and peaceful spirit of the place is always the perfect setting for praying, recalibrating my priorities, and daring to dream about what I want my life to look like.

I envy Frank and Josephine for all they accomplished, as well as the legacy of Hidden Villa that carries on long after they have died. When I was there last weekend I found the remains of a blue robin’s egg on the deck, which I took as Josephine’s assurance that all of my ideas, desires, and dreams will also be hatched in their time.