Writing about the natural world, life, and dogs.
Let the title be your warning! This post is about...scat. Wild scat. Left by wild animals in the wild, in the forest my dogs and I spend much of our time traversing. I first heard the term "scatological material" when a college professor, teaching English history, used it. I've searched for ways to use it… Continue reading Scatological Material, or, Much Ado About Poo
Writing, it seems to me, is a lot like running. It comes naturally to almost everyone (assuming an education that includes reading and writing), although abilities - and desires - vary widely and wildly. We're each of us an experiment of one. What helps me as a runner may or may not help you, and… Continue reading Insights: The Writing Process
I think of myself as a runner. Always have, since I first started “jogging” in 1975. Running is a key part of my lifestyle and sense of well-being. I say “I went for a run this morning.” I keep a running log which details how far and where I run, how I felt. I look… Continue reading Sauntering
This past week, I've been far more open and revealing than normal with my posts about introversion and empathy. That's not easy. Although, I admit that once both pieces were posted, I slept better. For balance, I made sure my dogs and I got plenty of time in nature, walking in the valley or running… Continue reading Letting Nature Heal
In my last post, I wrote about being an introvert. It’s estimated that roughly one-third of the population falls somewhere on the introversion spectrum, so I’ve got lots of company. Introverts are also often “highly sensitive people” or HSPs. Highly sensitive individuals make up approximately 15-20% of the population. HSPs have an oversensitive nervous system… Continue reading I Can Read You Like an Open Book
A couple of my recent blog posts have mentioned finding the world a bit too peopley lately, that I needed time in the forest, in nature, to feel balanced again. People wear me out. Nature charges me back up. It’s that simple. I joke – in a serious way – that I prefer dogs to… Continue reading Don’t Knock! An Introvert Lives Here.
I needed a break from peopling. The only creatures I wanted to talk to were my dogs. I wanted to breathe and be in nature, without interruption, without stress. I also needed to go to a place where I could feel the dogs and I were safe from hunters/killers now that it's rifle season. Knowing… Continue reading Just Breathe
It's said that writing is like a muscle; one needs to keep flexing it regularly, daily if possible. I would add that, like so many types of exercise that keep our muscles strong - in my case, running - writing must become a habit so that when you do miss a day, you notice. You… Continue reading Flexing Muscles
This morning was a glorious one for running mountain trails with my dogs. Crisp frosty air, blue skies, the early sun rising above the trees and ridges to the east casting a warm glow through the tall pine tree branches. Huckleberry shrubs are bright red under the trees and the aspens are turning a vibrant… Continue reading What Mess?
Some runs, that’s exactly how I feel: like a kid in a candy store. Happy. Awestruck. Stunned by what I see all around me. Following fluff butts Conall and Finn up through early-season snow to a scree field where the morning sun's rays have yet to reach. This morning was one such run. Fresh snow… Continue reading Like a Kid in a Candy Store
