Eva's Roost nestled in nature/Center For Lost Arts

Eva's Roost -a rustic zen-style cottage located on our property, Center For Lost Arts. Designed to be close to the earth, expansive windows allow a complete experience of nature: forest, pond, stars, moonrise, sunrise, birds & animals. Paul is the architect & designer of everything you see, including the forest which he planted on a former daffodil farm. Bonnie is a mindfulness meditation teacher who enjoys creating a welcoming space for all to enjoy year-round. We prefer that all guests of Eva's Roost and Tiny House of Paul, at Center For Lost Arts, are vaccinated, if possible, and use masks according to State & CDC guidelines while visiting businesses & venues in our area. This is to protect the people cleaning as well as the people in our communities who may be serving you during your visit. We trust that you are taking the pandemic and one another's health & safety seriously. Settle into your private retreat space, while having access to gardens, trails, & pond. Guests can completely unwind, unplug and reconnect with themselves, their companion or with nature. We cannot guarantee dependable wifi in the country, however, so its best to bring a hotspot if you're needing to work. The natural setting is perfect for writers, artists, musicians and anyone needing some time out from their regular routine. The cottage is simple with a woodstove, bathroom with shower, sitting area and double bed. A small kitchen includes: mini-fridge, toaster oven, induction plate, slow cooker, kettle, french press, kettle, dishes & basic cooking supplies and doubles as a storm shelter if ever needed. A small Weber grill is available outside(bring your own charcoal & lighter fluid). Electric heat is available for winter and a/c for summer. During the coldest part of winter (December -February) the heaters alone are usually not enough to keep the cabin toasty so the woodstove is a must. If you need assistance in learning to start and maintain a fire, Paul or Bonnie can show you how. You can also enjoy an outdoor fire pit with adirondack chairs facing the pond(guests collect their own wood for outdoor fires). Those who enjoy interesting architecture and naturally wild settings will love Eva's Roost, Tiny House of Paul and the surrounding property. We also have a main food garden, herb garden and greenhouse that guests can enjoy. We are a place of retreat for guests while enjoying the homesteading aspect of cultivating food both in the garden and in the forest. Paul usually has some kind of building project on the go and is hoping to find a carpenter apprentice for the winter to work on the dining room. During the pandemic we have not been hosting day retreats in the main house, but Bonnie is happy to set you up with some art supplies or meet for a Mindful Living session(for a fee). If you'd like a tour or have questions, we're happy to show you around. Enjoy the walking trails, gardens and check out our greenhouse. Paul and I are available as needed by the kitchen door, text, or if you see us around. Our onsite farmer & chocolate/chai maker, Stuart is also around and lives out behind the gardens. Becca has lived in Tiny House of Paul for a year while building a tiny home with Paul. She'll be around until fall 2021. Some like a tour of the main house, gardens or tiny home project while others are here for personal retreat or private time with another. We have no agenda & are pretty easy going. Make this time your own. Southernmost Illinois is a unique part of the State. Rock formations abound, the Shawnee National forest surrounds us and the rolling hills, small farms, wineries, orchards and quirky & quaint towns add to the charm and interest of the area. We are a few minutes from Cobden, ten minutes from either Alto Pass(Bald Knob, Quetil Trail), Anna or the now infamous town of Makanda. Carbonale is twenty minutes and Murphysboro about 30 minutes. Giant City Park is fifteen minutes one way and Trail of Tears is about the same distance the other. Many overlooks, trails, rock climbing areas plus not far to go kayaking or canoeing. Art and music everywhere whether it be at the wineries, The Old Feed Store, local galleries and other venues. We own Cobden Village Shops in Cobden where we sell local and handcrafted items(plus Fair Trade coffee beans, tea, chocolate, cocoa and nuts), vintage and antique wares,baking, art and more. The area has some very good restaurants we're happy to recommend. Let us know your interests and we can make suggestions or recommendations. There is a binder at the roost with lots of information. When you arrive at our driveway, you will see it is a long, steep gravel drive. You shouldn't have trouble driving up, but please let us know if you do. Once you reach the top, go straight and your parking spot is the last on the right. If someone is parked there, you can park anywhere and we'll give you your designated spot later. The main house is on your right. If no one is available to greet you, the cats probably will. Eva's Roost is to the right along the trail by pond. There's a wagon by your parking spot for help with transporting your luggage. If it's night time, we leave the outdoor lantern in the drive and twinkle lights or outdoor light of the roost on. We can pick people up at the train in Carbondale(20 minutes away) or the airport in Marion(40 minutes away) if arrangements are made in advance. Note: The driveway entrance has no sign(other than a Hate Has No Home Here sign) as we'd rather that people passing by don't drop in unexpectedly. We prefer giving directions to guests, clients & yoga/retreat participants for now. Most people find it easily, but call if you're having difficulty. The driveway is gravel. It is straight, steep & good to drive up under normal conditions. We have options when there are extreme weather conditions. There are two mailboxes at the entrance to our property. One black and one brown. One says Center For Lost Arts.