It’s a strange thing to imagine a place for more than a year and then watch it come to life. Starting this May, Justin and I were able to see the things we’d visualized (and worked with a team to plan around for more than a year) start to be realized.
Maintaining a canopy of trees We shared earlier this year that a small subset of the many, many trees on the property were cleared to make room to nestle some structures into the woods. But I am floored every time I arrive at the property by how many trees remain.
And trees make a significant impact. On the great lawn (the circular clover lawn below in the rendering), the actual canopy of tree around the lawn is greater than can be rendered … because it blocks the buildings.
In real life, the trees create an immediate sense of serenity, but it’s also tangibly cooler under than canopy. Summer parties and ceremonies will have the trees to thank.
And, I’ll stand on my soapbox for just a moment. Wellness is built into everything we do at Petite Acres, and trees make an impact on our health as well . A study by the University of Michigan found that spending time in nature benefitted mental health. And adding even more to their calming presence, trees emit phytoncides that “may benefit the immune system and contribute to stress reduction,” according to the Cleveland Clinic .
Building walls
Our partners at A New Odyssey are capturing progress along the way as the buildings grow taller. My favorite to watch is Chateau Aster, the 4,700 square foot event space. I remember seeing the space staked in the dirt when Justin and I gave ourselves the impossible task of imagining the height and the space it would occupy.
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But as it grows taller, we’re in awe of the team that’s building it. It also gets increasingly easy to visualize the memories that will be built here in technicolor.
Meeting our first potential event hosts
We started to give tours of the property to prospective event hosts this summer. I joked with a few couples planning their weddings that I was welcoming them to “the land of make believe.” We’re truly asking hosts to picture the future with us at Petite Acres.
We’ve been delighted to see that our excitement and commitment to groups taking over the property for multiple days has been matched by those touring it. We’re talking to people who are in charge of major milestones - family retreats, weddings, birthdays, bar/bat mitzvahs, and corporate retreats - and we keep hearing them ask how they can make the experience more memorable and bonding for their guests. No question makes us feel like we’re on the right track more.
You can let us know that you’re planning something that might be a fit for Petite Acres here. We’d love to hear from you .
