I woke up this morning at dawn, in the tiny but cozy guest room of an old-fashioned lakeside cottage. The window, barely a foot from the four-poster bed which filled most of the room, looked out over a small lake which was so calm, it reflected the rosy sky like a smooth mirror. A slight mist rose off the water but all was silent. I lay back against the pillows and just gazed out at the water before picking up my book. What a joy, to have hours of uninterrupted reading time before breakfast, in such a lovely place. I love these simple cottages: uninsulated, plain wooden walls, simple sleeping porches, kitchens no bigger than the small galley kitchen in my first city apartment. Old, faded, soft furniture. Simplicity now!