Thanks, Marsha. I can appreciate that pull toward aligning your work here with a specific purpose and desired outcome. There are several ways I’d like the stories I post here to serve readers … entertainment, enlightenment, inspiration, appreciation, connection … but over the course of my six months here I’ve grappled with doubts over whether what I’m doing will be enough to move people in ways that these times are going to require. A few days ago I wrote an introduction to my next story, informing my handful of subscribers that I was going to start putting up paywalls, but much of my logic for doing so, which I went to some length to explain in this intro, felt contrived, even to me. So the story sits as a draft, while I grapple with “business” decisions and questions of greater purposes, especially, regarding the latter, now that a new/old president is taking dead aim at protections, values and ethical standards very dear to me and millions of other Americans. This is all to say that I appreciate the effort and time you are putting into your work and mission here. I look forward to hearing more from you and enjoying some of the benefits of your guidance.
Thanks, Chris. It sounds like we've been working through the same questions. I keep coming back to asking how I can be of service during this time. That's going to look different for everyone. It helps me reset my course. There's a lot I don't like but I'm being cautious to not catastrophize, which only feeds the negative energy. There is a lot of growing light and energy in the world, but we won't see it if we're only focused on the darkness. Thank you for being here.
My time in nature for the last 15 years has been mostly tailored to massive amounts of time taking care of the orchard, and other Ag duties. Now that I am downsizing my orchard, I hope to get back to my watercolors and start journaling.
Your wonderful essay transmits an abundance of
Positivity and goodwill, so it is a place to start. Thankyou!
Watercolors and journaling sound like two wonderful things to do in an orchard! Working in nature definitely has its benefits. The open reflective time really allows the space for healing. Thank you so much!
Good to hear that your creative juices are flowing, Marsha. I hope that means you're moving down the recovery road from Helene. Your upcoming features sound great! Looking forward to those.
marsha…i love seeing the words grokking and sit spots in your essay. they remind me of a steve van meter seminar i attended in st. louis when i first started working for the national park service at ozark national scenic riverway. i used steves techniques for many years encouraging visitors to engage and immerse themselves in the outdoors. thank you!
Gregg, you're a Yooper! Welcome! I'm a Detroit native. Glad I hit on some sweet spots for you. I'm not familiar with Steve but I just found his books. Thanks for that. Please feel free to add on to the techniques I share.
also…good you know robert macfarlanes work and presume you have read nan shepherds books. i have old friends who have a homestead outside of marshall nc. they didnt have much damage at their place fortunately…g
I have read The Living Mountain. A wonderful legacy of wander and wonder. Glad your friends didn't have much damage. Did you know scientists are now calling Helene's passage through North Carolina a "geologic event" because of how significantly the hundreds of mudslides altered the landscape?
I appreciate your thoughtfulness in regard to your newsletter and your mission with it. It's the type of poke I need to get outside away from the computer and touch grass. Having a guidance in the way you plan would be a big help for me to be more intentional about embracing Nature.
There are other ways to monetize and help that you can add. Especially if you have a few books to share over on Amazon to suggest for resources. Happy to hear you found a balance that brings you joy and looking forward to the newsletters future!
Thanks, Marsha. I can appreciate that pull toward aligning your work here with a specific purpose and desired outcome. There are several ways I’d like the stories I post here to serve readers … entertainment, enlightenment, inspiration, appreciation, connection … but over the course of my six months here I’ve grappled with doubts over whether what I’m doing will be enough to move people in ways that these times are going to require. A few days ago I wrote an introduction to my next story, informing my handful of subscribers that I was going to start putting up paywalls, but much of my logic for doing so, which I went to some length to explain in this intro, felt contrived, even to me. So the story sits as a draft, while I grapple with “business” decisions and questions of greater purposes, especially, regarding the latter, now that a new/old president is taking dead aim at protections, values and ethical standards very dear to me and millions of other Americans. This is all to say that I appreciate the effort and time you are putting into your work and mission here. I look forward to hearing more from you and enjoying some of the benefits of your guidance.
Thanks, Chris. It sounds like we've been working through the same questions. I keep coming back to asking how I can be of service during this time. That's going to look different for everyone. It helps me reset my course. There's a lot I don't like but I'm being cautious to not catastrophize, which only feeds the negative energy. There is a lot of growing light and energy in the world, but we won't see it if we're only focused on the darkness. Thank you for being here.
My time in nature for the last 15 years has been mostly tailored to massive amounts of time taking care of the orchard, and other Ag duties. Now that I am downsizing my orchard, I hope to get back to my watercolors and start journaling.
Your wonderful essay transmits an abundance of
Positivity and goodwill, so it is a place to start. Thankyou!
Watercolors and journaling sound like two wonderful things to do in an orchard! Working in nature definitely has its benefits. The open reflective time really allows the space for healing. Thank you so much!
Beautiful words!
Good to hear that your creative juices are flowing, Marsha. I hope that means you're moving down the recovery road from Helene. Your upcoming features sound great! Looking forward to those.
Thanks, Jeanne. It does feel like a new start and new direction. Onward!
Lovely. Happy to see where this grows and happy spread the word. ❤️
Thank you so much!
Of course! ❤️
marsha…i love seeing the words grokking and sit spots in your essay. they remind me of a steve van meter seminar i attended in st. louis when i first started working for the national park service at ozark national scenic riverway. i used steves techniques for many years encouraging visitors to engage and immerse themselves in the outdoors. thank you!
gregg bruff
lake michigans upper peninsula
Gregg, you're a Yooper! Welcome! I'm a Detroit native. Glad I hit on some sweet spots for you. I'm not familiar with Steve but I just found his books. Thanks for that. Please feel free to add on to the techniques I share.
also…good you know robert macfarlanes work and presume you have read nan shepherds books. i have old friends who have a homestead outside of marshall nc. they didnt have much damage at their place fortunately…g
I have read The Living Mountain. A wonderful legacy of wander and wonder. Glad your friends didn't have much damage. Did you know scientists are now calling Helene's passage through North Carolina a "geologic event" because of how significantly the hundreds of mudslides altered the landscape?
Thank you!
rich in freedom!
I appreciate your thoughtfulness in regard to your newsletter and your mission with it. It's the type of poke I need to get outside away from the computer and touch grass. Having a guidance in the way you plan would be a big help for me to be more intentional about embracing Nature.
There are other ways to monetize and help that you can add. Especially if you have a few books to share over on Amazon to suggest for resources. Happy to hear you found a balance that brings you joy and looking forward to the newsletters future!