Appreciating the natural world

I have a distinct memory of writing a post on Natural Gardening some years back about the forests, streams, and green landscapes of the Southern Appalachians and how they were anchors to my sense of place in the world. 

I couldn’t find that post this evening (I’ve written a lot of posts and the usual keywords didn’t help…). I was remembering this as I finished what must be a 5th or 6th editing pass through my book narrative yesterday about our first 2 summers and winters in Quebec.  I’m done with my editing for now, I think.  My gardening companion will read it, and maybe I’ll ask some of my writing friends to look at it, too.

I’ve selected photos now.  They’re numbered for populating a Blurb book layout automatically, then to be following by threaded text.  Then tweaking, I suppose.  Laying it out page by page seemed way too onerous, bringing up work images of working in InDesign (my version expired with an updated OS, without regret some years ago.)

Here in the Northern Appalachians, I am always thinking about sense of place, as I channel my youthful love of forests, mountains, and streams in walks and bike rides.  Of course, that was what pulled me through my working path;  the green thread of teaching, research, gardening, and appreciation.

I look out the living room window and see insects reflecting the late sunlight as they hatch and swarm.  I hope they’re not all black flies!  Just good hummingbird food, I hope.

My favorite trail in Parc du Bic encompasses forest, rocky beach, and expansive skies.  Quite wonderful.