This place is beyond compare. Often I was inclined to imagine that I was in the French countryside, being cared for by a family member (coffee! wine! eggs! soap! ... and books! and a beautiful bench, a beautiful garden, and the kindness of allowing us to take our time.) I really have never experienced such a space, and the feeling is so profound. How often throughout the stay, I was compelled to notice that the feeling of elation and "at-home" ness came from Stephen's thoughtful care and also from the sense that the space I was in was the work -- the daily work, in the humble devotion of a true master --- of a real artist. Being in this space and in Stephen's presence is a reminder back to what is most beautiful about living and being human. And, Oh! Those garden beds with mannequin heads and actual bed frames delight me to no end, along with the courtyard framed with doors, and the finding of glasses and mugs and silverware and salt at just the right time -- not to mention the beautiful hilltop bench upon which a couple might sit and breathe, watching sun rise or set or dapple though the leaves. Living is difficult; we go away to remind ourselves back when we are at risk of forgetting the best of ourselves. A space like this will remind you back.