Finally–give yourself to your writing for one delicious week! We will meet from 9am-4pm. Mornings will be dedicated to writing in my beautiful house, inside or out on the porch, or patio, or in the secret spot in the center of my labyrinth…or even on the second floor of my barn. This is a fantastic opportunity to delve deeply into an existing project, work on a phD thesis, start a children’s book, edit and revise, or just revel in the community of writers, the beautiful surroundings, the quiet, the on-going discussion of writing and literature, the delicious healthy food. Poets work on haiku; songwriters compose in private rooms; there are indoor and outdoor spaces to curl up in and write to your heart’s content.
Daily schedule:
We start at 9am daily. There will be coffee, tea and seltzer all day long. Nerissa will gather everyone in her front room for a short discussion and optional prompt. Writing time happens all morning until about 11:30 when we break for lunch around Nerissa’s large dining room table. We have a unified conversation about a different literary topic each day. Meals are served family-style, with attention given to the dietary needs of individuals. The focus is on fresh, local foods and delicious, healthy cuisine. After lunch, those who wish go for a short walk around the beautiful Childs Park across the street. We write all afternoon until 3pm when we break for an hour of sharing.
Summer retreat is like summer camp for writers. Take a week to exercise your muse, make some new friends and enjoy Northampton in the summer!
Focus Chorus is a high level singing group composed of 10-15 year old. An offshoot of the highly successful Local Chorus (kids aged 5-15), Focus Chorus is for advanced singers who are willing to work hard and learn 3-4 part harmony songs. (more…)
Local Chorus is a privately run chorus for kids aged 5-13. We sing a wide repertoire of folk, pop, rock and classical music in one-, two- and three-part arrangements. When possible, we incorporate strings played by the students, as well as guitar and percussion played by adults and students. (more…)
First ever Little Blue weekend retreat! Help Nerissa inaugurate the beautiful new writing studio! Retreat starts at 5:30 Friday with dinner, introductions and a short writing session. Then two days of 9-5 writing, with a delicious home-cooked lunch in between, walks in the local park, craft-talk and workshopping.
Weeding & Pruning is a manuscript group composed of six Writing It Up in the Garden writers. We have been meeting for the past 9 years, on and off, via teleconference. (more…)
On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, Nerissa Nields holds amazing writing workshops out of her home in Northampton. She created these groups in 2003 when, as a single woman, she bought a Big Yellow House that was a bit beyond reach. (more…)
Nerissa teaches parents how to bring HooteNanny home. In a warm, encouraging group setting, parents and grandparents strum together, learn chords, finger-picking patterns, rudimentary music theory, sing together, laugh, share their struggles with practicing after bedtime, and make amazing progress. (more…)
Join Nerissa for a three-day intensive writing weekend from Friday November 9 to Sunday November 11. We will start Friday at 5:30 with a hot dinner, after which we will gather for introductions and a first writing session. There will be time for sharing, and (more…)
By popular demand, we’re going to have a mini-replica of the Summer Writing Camp in the deep midwinter! Join Nerissa for a three-day intensive writing weekend from Friday January 11 to Sunday January 13 2019. (more…)
Come to Northampton MA and tap into your spring reserves for a weekend of writing, laughing, learning and growing. This yearly event is one of the favorites for aficionados of the Big Yellow retreats. Springtime is a great time to start a new project or go deeper into an existing one. (more…)
