#NatureWriting

[sunnyanddumb98]

Don't mind me just quoting myself "In my dream, when turning, the bus tilts so much that I see directly at the sea. I love watching the sunset from that road: the ships full of containers, the sun shining over the sea like fireworks or champagne, the sea lions diving from the ruins of an ancient port, the teenagers on skates, teenagers with beer, teenagers on weed, everyone sitting on the rocks among seagulls, staring at the sea, like meerkats or sunflowers. Toddlers and shiny things "

[frnwhcom]

John Muir’s contributions to conservation and national parks are significant, yet his legacy is marred by his era’s racist views toward Native Americans and other ethnic groups. Notably, Muir was instrumental in the creation of the National Park system and co-founded the Sierra Club. His writings inspired many to value and protect nature, infusing the environmental movement with respect and stewardship philosophies. However, critical examination of his life reveals a complex figure with profound achievements alongside reflective prejudices of his time.

[wanderlustandwildflowersblog]

Source: Unknown

“We need the tonic of wildness...At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.”

― Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods

[fernycreek]

Garden Meditations

Out the window there are about 3 or 4 cute little Superb Fairy-wrens fluttering about and chirping away in the rain soaked vibrant-green garden. Such chipper little birds. The old beautiful pin oak watches over us, cooling the surroundings - nature’s airconditioner you could say. The setting sun to the north-west glows a warm yellow on the trunks of the mature eucalyptus across the road which have absorbed the wisdom of time. The window is open after the cool change has come through so I can hear the sounds of the wrens drinking and bathing in the bird bath. I like the delicate sound of them flapping and hopping in the water. It would be nice to record for a music piece. I love the calm sounds of nature. 

DM.

[mumbled-tea]

Take a glance at

Day night up downs are required in life, but can you also lift your head up sometimes? Take time out of your work you workaholic, and give it to mother nature time to time.

Just get up early one day and watch the sunrise, the birds will sing a good morning song for you. Stand in your terrace instead of staying in bed, you'll know what cuddles by the nature feels like.

A flock riding the blue and white sky, in different patterns that always amaze children. If you see a healthy plant with blooming flowers, the plant is greeting you a good day ahead.

Have you ever seen a swaying tree and rumbling leaves in a windy evening? As if floating in air, dancing every beat off, in contrast with the enchanting sound of wind.

See it with the view of a nature photographer, and feel the surroundings like a writer. Nature is the therapist you're looking for, it always have a cure to your stressful routine.

[thomasottio]

[capecodartandnature]

Finding joy in ordinary everyday things may be a good antidote for depression caused by our increasingly overwhelming world. My latest column is in the link in my bio. #greenheron #birdpainting #capecodchronicle #naturewriting https://www.instagram.com/p/CrGFztJu4jU/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[rogerrcoyle]

nature writes

when nature speaks… a cross, the light, the spirit!

[finishinglinepress]

NEW FROM FINISHING LINE PRESS: Resting Place by Theresa Hickey

On SALE now! Pre-order Price Guarantee: https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/resting-place-by-theresa-hickey/

Theresa Hickey is an award-winning poet, free-lance writer and lifelong learner. Prior books include Raising the Child, Sighs of a Gracious Nature and Shy, published by Finishing Line Press (2020). Shy was awarded a 2021 Poetry Book Award by the Catholic Media Association of the U.S. and Canada. Boston Globe Book Reviewer, Nina MacLaughlin, has praised her work and compared it to Mary Oliver’s: “The author focuses on life devoted to an ongoing search and questions of spirituality and faith . . . . ‘life lived in union with Spirit.’” Her work has appeared in Still Point Arts Quarterly, New England Memories, Halcyon Days, FaithND (Notre Dame), NatureWriting, Lifespan and other anthologies. You may contact Theresa at theresadhickey@gmail.com if interested in ordering books for fundraising projects, faith-education programs or gifts. Proceeds from sales will be donated to food banks or other nonprofits. #poetry #spirituality #Catholic

PRAISE FOR Resting Place by Theresa Hickey

” A sense of wonder in both the awe and questioning sense satiates many of these poems, reminding us of possibilities for change, for something new to crack everything wide open.”

–Nina MacLaughlin, The Boston Globe Book Reviewer

Please share/repost #flpauthor #preorder #AwesomeCoverArt #read #poems #literature #poetry

[valaofdreamsandvisions]

𝑮𝒐 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕... 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒔? 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 🌬🌫🌱

𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒕𝒐 𝑨𝒓𝒅𝒂'𝒔 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚

𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒔, 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒂 𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒔, 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒃 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔. 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓.

𝑹𝒖𝒏 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒕, 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒖𝒅. 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒆'𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒏𝒌𝒔, 𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒐𝒇𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒔. 𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍, 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒆.

𝑷𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒈𝒊𝒇𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉.

༆༆

[sunnyanddumb98]

he first time I hiked Carbon Hill, I realized my favourite cousin and I were drifting apart for the stupidest reason. It had always been there, and despite it, we became close. But I think the recession made it harder to ignore—our tax brackets seem farther apart, not just in what we can afford but in how we speak, in our hopes and dreams. Before, it wasn’t something we really thought about, but now, what I feel is an integral part of myself isn't something she even considers in her world. blissfully.

[sheilammyers]

What Would Rachel Do?

Get off Social Media

As famous as she was from winning the National Book Award for The Sea Around Us, Rachel was averse to public speaking and aggrandizement, much to the chagrin of her agent. When The Edge of the Sea hit the New York Times Bestseller list in the fall of 1955, she had numerous requests to speak at public events and declined most of them. 

She was a solid "NO" to the numerous requests from magazines to run a profile on her as well. Rachel didn't see her author life as a brand and didn't seek the attention. I'm not sure if she was afraid of the scrutiny she would receive by allowing the press into her personal life, or her natural shyness, but it doesn't mean she wasn't focused on the success of her work.

Indeed, The Edge of the Sea and another book about life at the sea, albeit, a non-scientific and philosophical take, Anne Lindbergh's Gift from the Sea exchanged places on the top ten list throughout 1955-56 on various news outlets. Rachel takes note of it in letters to her friend, Dorothy. 

"...I truly-even now-don't expect The Edge (The Edge of the Sea) ever to reach #1 spot, but I'd be happy that it is Mrs. Lindbergh's book and not something sensational or trashy."

Trashy included the book about a woman who under hypnosis discovers she'd lived another life decades earlier. After years of being at the top ten, Rachel doesn't hold back on her disdain for losing rank to Bridey Murphy (1956) which hit #1 on Chicago Tribune in 1956. "I think this silly Bridey Murphy thing is going to scoot right up and crowd Mrs. Lindbergh...The Edge by the way is No. 6- up one." And then weeks later,  "That wretched Bridey Murphy thing has displaced Mrs. Lindbergh! That is really a blow. "

Rachel didn't have to deal with today's social media spotlight that casts rays well beyond the reach of newspapers or magazines of her time. And she wasn't in a position to write anything with a pseudonym like Elena Ferrante, you don't get the chance to write a biography of the sea, and a scathing indictment against the chemical industry anonymously. Yet, her detachment from public scrutiny allowed her to write one of her most challenging work of all--Silent Spring (1962).  And then all hell broke loose. 

With that in mind, I've gotten to 7k words in this novel set in Maine that has Rachel as a 'macguffin' in the story. And I'm thinking with the holidays coming, this might be time to shut down my own social media, and detach myself from that public for a few weeks so I can keep writing. 

Happy Holidays everyone! See you in the New Year. 

Sources: William Souder. On a Farther Shore. The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson. 2012. 

​Always, Rachel. The Letters of Rachel Carson And Dorothy Freeman. 1952-1964. Edited by Martha Freeman.

[corrinnebrubaker]

How Nature Helps Me as an Autistic Person

How Nature Helps Me as an Autistic Person

Being autistic means I am often overstimulated by my environment. Sounds that are tolerable to neurotypical people are disruptive, distracting, anxiety-inducing, and even painful for me. A few conversations happening in a room at once, music that’s too loud, or sudden noises are some sounds that are triggering.  Other senses are also heightened for me. Flashing lights are disorienting, bright…

[fernycreek]

Western Port Bay Musings

There are many things I love about Victoria’s Western Port Bay. What first comes to mind is the interactions with this unique coastline through the practice of surfing. When the larger swells of Autumn and Winter make their way up into the bay, it’s not unusual to find yourself parked along a back street of Shoreham a couple hours before high-tide, pulling on a wetsuit with the ground damp beneath your feet. The stroll through the campground and down the little single track amongst the wet eucalyptus and out onto the beach strewn with seaweed, is always enjoyable. It’s a settling moment before paddling out into the liquid walls peeling along the reef with the aid of a grooming offshore NW wind. 

In a lull between sets at Honeysuckle Reef, I like to look up and down the immediate coast with the hilly farmlands rising above to the west and Point Leo to the east. The silhouettes of surfers at the various breaks bob up and down as they stare out to sea in a meditative state. This habit orientates or places oneself within this coastal landscape. 

There is a certain charm and character to this stretch of coastline - a comforting and familiar feeling which is always present. This favourite and regenerative spot continues to draw me back ever since I first surfed here many moons ago.

DM.

[mumbled-tea]

Green

What comes to every mind when they hear green? Something that enhances nature called greenery, but something with many variations and twist. This color "Green" alone can touch every keen. We call it the color of peace, freshness and renewal, and feeling of fur-like grass around, soft and serene. New leaf covered with droplet, as it always be, no one can deny the comfort and vibrant it gives.

But It can also be something no one heard or seen. As it goes darker, nature can also turn spine-chilling. What holds in darkness behind lushness and mist? A feeling of something creepy and unforeseen. Shades from light to dark hold different meaning. Sounds of creatures growling from the midst. Green have everything from calmness to thrill.