The slim path is about to turn in toward jack pine forest. Over the edge, the lake is an aqua shimmer. A crow flies on silent wings into the sun. I remember that grizzlies dig roots from the earth or take down caribou and moose. Hold still, I command my legs.
Congrats on your 1yr anniversary! Beautiful sensory details. I listened with my eyes close so I could better picture it. I'm glad you were okay. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, thank you, Colleen. I very much appreciate you reading and sharing your thoughts. I love to know, too, that you're listening. I never know how many people enjoy the recordings vs. reading the piece.
Yours was the first audio I listened too! You did a great job. I was wondering if people would like it for movie reviews. My dog barks a lot, so recording could prove challenging. I have quite a few reviews that are almost done. I hope to have them up soon.
I find the recording fun and don't take myself too seriously around it. Mostly, I do it in a single take. I also think it's important to offer for the sake of people who may need it. As far as the noise, I listen to anyone who I normally follow who offers a recording. And I for sure don't mind certain "intrusions"--especially when people incorporate them, explaining that we're getting a glimpse into their lives via what we might or do hear. I could for sure see audio working for the reviews. Nice work on getting a few close. I was once working ahead, and it was marvelous! Fingers crossed to getting back there. 🤣
Beautiful evocation of the sense of losing self in the other. And the thread of the Jeep accident tightens the tension almost unbearably. May your foresight always be something you honor and respect, and my your ability to be part of the wider, wilder world always bring you joy and inspiration!
Thank you, Susan! What a beautiful comment to receive. This was a rewrite of a former post. I added the Jeep in (and changed some other stuff). It's part of me becoming more confident as a writer in following what my brain says works here. I do believe one of the reasons we most tend to fall in love with or follow specific writers is it's interesting to see how someone else's brain works--what did this fellow creature make of this thing that happened? So, I really love hearing that the jeep piece worked for you.
And yes, to foresight and connection with the wilder, wider word! I'm guessing that's something you know much of ;0).
Memoir is such an interesting genre, asking us to learn to use narrative arcs and increase tension and develop characters as one does with fiction, and at the same time asking us to write from both beginner's mind (evoking who we were then) and to be able to offer the insights we have learned as who we are now. It's a fascinating and compelling puzzle. :)
And yes, I do know a bit about connection to the wilder, wider world. I've been practicing that connection my whole life, both as a scientist and a lover of wild plants, who are more my people than humans are, I think! Foresight too, as I have my Scots' ancestors' ability to see through the layers of now into other streams of time and space....
Breathe! Oh, how I found myself forgetting to exhale, Holly. The car accident from which you all walked away unscathed? A near-touch encounter with a 500 (+) lb elk. The connection to your own intuition. And the poetry of your words. Just mesmerizing!
Dah!! This is a WONDERFUL comment, Elizabeth. It's one of those I'll add to my "compliments" file--which Rona suggested creating for times when you need to be reminded of ways people have appreciated your work. Thank you very much.
Yes, we all three (me, my friend, and his girlfriend) walked away from rolling off that canyon completely unscathed--which is honestly wild. Another friend and I went back to the site of the roll the next day, as I had somehow lost my purse. There my stuff lay scattered on the snow right where we went over--my driver's license, a lipstick tube, maybe my wallet. It's only the license and lipstick I see in the photo in my mind that serves as memory. It'd be interesting to call my friend now and see what he remembers of that day and the evening before (he was following in another vehicle and watched us go over). Anywho, the other thing that sticks out is how sparse the landscape was--how if we'd gone over just a bit earlier or later, there wouldn't have been a tree to catch us many feet above that river. Ha! I should tell this as its own story someday.
And the elk encounter was indeed a really special moment. Thank you ever so much for enjoying it. :)
Ooh, a compliments file. Smart Rona! I missed that tip somehow & might take up the idea myself. I'm honored to think I might land in yours, which I hope is already bulging at its digital seams. You should most certainly tell this as its own story someday, and call your friend for his version.
I remember reading some research about how certain memories are formed and why versions can differ wildly between people who experienced the same event. From a neurological p.o.v., it's fascinating. From a criminal justice lens, a little terrifying. Suffice to say, I'm glad you and he are both here and can compare notes!
And right?! The criminal justice perspective when it comes to memory is truly terrifying. For a long time, the way memory works very much tripped me up when it came to memoir writing. How could I know I was getting it “right”? What I’ve come to realize through study and practice is that’s not the thing. I’m telling my version through my lens, not any sort of true or singular version. For me, that knowledge needs to be very present in my heart and fingertips as I render any telling, as well as on the page by way of how deeply engrained that knowledge is. :)
The further into this piece the more I started to remember it from last time. I was just as impressed by the writing this time as I was last time — and it was also interesting to notice things I didn’t notice last time. Very enjoyable, as always, Holly :)
Thank you, thank you, Michael. I did a rewrite. So those bits you didn't notice before may have been additions. I haven't yet been able to bring myself to just straight repost something from the archives. I always read it and think, oh but I would write that differently now. This one is the closest the original of any rewrites I've done though.
I've kept meaning to ask you. I suppose here is as good a place as any. How was the time away from screens? Did it rejuvenate? Was that even the goal?
I haven’t reposted any old pieces as of yet, but I imagine I have a similar experience haha
Yeah, it was good. I actually really enjoyed it. I liked the release of the self-imposed pressure I put on myself to have things ready to post. I enjoyed writing some stuff I don’t intend to share. And yeah the goal was sort rejuvenation and sort of just breaking the habit of using the phone too much etc. It is something I will probably do again from time to time. But it’s also nice to be back. Thanks for asking Holly :)
Love your writing. Plus this is a great description about how our intuition keeps us safe even though we aren’t consciously aware that our brains have registered danger.
Thank you!! I much appreciate you reading and commenting. Isn't it kind of wild how this works--how much we register about what's going on around us in a non-prefrontal cortex way? I'm guessing you've had some experience of this yourself on your walking journey, yes?
Mmmm...yes. I've had the pleasure of sitting for hours in the midst of a heard of elk in New Mexico. Majestic creatures. To know what they sense and feel from the earth, the sun, the seasons. What a gift that would be. I've been thinking of you and your physical challenges, which must lead to emotional challenges, my dear. Hang tight.
Thanks, Heather. Sitting in the midst of a herd? That's a story I look forward to hearing more about. I always appreciate you reading and commenting. It's so lovely knowing I'm writing to a fellow adventurer and communer with beings like elk.
And thank you for keeping me in mind. Yeah the emotional piece is kinda wildly interesting. I mean in that I've been made keenly aware of how much of a perspective "game" I'm in. Yes, there are these physical things happening. And they exist. And they're not fun. There's no denying that. And at the same time, what I make of them is absolutely everything. And so then there's the challenge of knowing what I need to do to keep myself in a place of being able to make a choice around that. Does that make sense? Ha. Not sure. I should maybe write about it.
I've also thought of you and your upcoming move you recently wrote about! Exciting.
That definitely makes sense. I've spent so much time injured this year and having to constantly rewrite the narrative of "who I am" if I'm not bike/traveling/adventuring at the level I desire to.
I think maybe what you are speaking to is this: we can both adapt and accept our current situation, find joy, live in gratitude, and also mourn the loss of other parts of ourselves/lives.
Your beautifully articulated narrative left me seeing, feeling, hearing every detail and hanging on every word. Great way to start my Sunday! Thank you!
We often talked about taking that trip up to and through Alaska in one of our RV's and never quite made it. We did make it all the way the other direction to Newfoundland a couple of summers ago. Now that are sans RV, I appreciate and enjoy your narratives from the road even more. Thanks!
Thank you, Gary! Newfoundland, wonderful. Haven't made it that far north on the eastern side of things. What a journey. I did hit Montreal some years back and loved it much.
I very much appreciate you reading and commenting.
Yes, I will! I still kick myself for not going to Quebec. I thought about it. I meant to. But I was young, and back then I thought of zipping here or there or wherever as far easier as I do now and easily dismissed it with a Quebec City next time. Seventeen years later ... It does remain on the list though. 🤪
Congrats on your 1yr anniversary! Beautiful sensory details. I listened with my eyes close so I could better picture it. I'm glad you were okay. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, thank you, Colleen. I very much appreciate you reading and sharing your thoughts. I love to know, too, that you're listening. I never know how many people enjoy the recordings vs. reading the piece.
How goes your movie reviewing?
Yours was the first audio I listened too! You did a great job. I was wondering if people would like it for movie reviews. My dog barks a lot, so recording could prove challenging. I have quite a few reviews that are almost done. I hope to have them up soon.
I find the recording fun and don't take myself too seriously around it. Mostly, I do it in a single take. I also think it's important to offer for the sake of people who may need it. As far as the noise, I listen to anyone who I normally follow who offers a recording. And I for sure don't mind certain "intrusions"--especially when people incorporate them, explaining that we're getting a glimpse into their lives via what we might or do hear. I could for sure see audio working for the reviews. Nice work on getting a few close. I was once working ahead, and it was marvelous! Fingers crossed to getting back there. 🤣
Beautiful evocation of the sense of losing self in the other. And the thread of the Jeep accident tightens the tension almost unbearably. May your foresight always be something you honor and respect, and my your ability to be part of the wider, wilder world always bring you joy and inspiration!
Thank you, Susan! What a beautiful comment to receive. This was a rewrite of a former post. I added the Jeep in (and changed some other stuff). It's part of me becoming more confident as a writer in following what my brain says works here. I do believe one of the reasons we most tend to fall in love with or follow specific writers is it's interesting to see how someone else's brain works--what did this fellow creature make of this thing that happened? So, I really love hearing that the jeep piece worked for you.
And yes, to foresight and connection with the wilder, wider word! I'm guessing that's something you know much of ;0).
Memoir is such an interesting genre, asking us to learn to use narrative arcs and increase tension and develop characters as one does with fiction, and at the same time asking us to write from both beginner's mind (evoking who we were then) and to be able to offer the insights we have learned as who we are now. It's a fascinating and compelling puzzle. :)
And yes, I do know a bit about connection to the wilder, wider world. I've been practicing that connection my whole life, both as a scientist and a lover of wild plants, who are more my people than humans are, I think! Foresight too, as I have my Scots' ancestors' ability to see through the layers of now into other streams of time and space....
Wow. I’m rendered silent with this sacred encounter.
Thank you, Kimberly. It was a truly beautiful moment I am so grateful to have had.
Breathe! Oh, how I found myself forgetting to exhale, Holly. The car accident from which you all walked away unscathed? A near-touch encounter with a 500 (+) lb elk. The connection to your own intuition. And the poetry of your words. Just mesmerizing!
Dah!! This is a WONDERFUL comment, Elizabeth. It's one of those I'll add to my "compliments" file--which Rona suggested creating for times when you need to be reminded of ways people have appreciated your work. Thank you very much.
Yes, we all three (me, my friend, and his girlfriend) walked away from rolling off that canyon completely unscathed--which is honestly wild. Another friend and I went back to the site of the roll the next day, as I had somehow lost my purse. There my stuff lay scattered on the snow right where we went over--my driver's license, a lipstick tube, maybe my wallet. It's only the license and lipstick I see in the photo in my mind that serves as memory. It'd be interesting to call my friend now and see what he remembers of that day and the evening before (he was following in another vehicle and watched us go over). Anywho, the other thing that sticks out is how sparse the landscape was--how if we'd gone over just a bit earlier or later, there wouldn't have been a tree to catch us many feet above that river. Ha! I should tell this as its own story someday.
And the elk encounter was indeed a really special moment. Thank you ever so much for enjoying it. :)
Ooh, a compliments file. Smart Rona! I missed that tip somehow & might take up the idea myself. I'm honored to think I might land in yours, which I hope is already bulging at its digital seams. You should most certainly tell this as its own story someday, and call your friend for his version.
I remember reading some research about how certain memories are formed and why versions can differ wildly between people who experienced the same event. From a neurological p.o.v., it's fascinating. From a criminal justice lens, a little terrifying. Suffice to say, I'm glad you and he are both here and can compare notes!
Yeah, Rona’s pretty brilliant. ;)
And right?! The criminal justice perspective when it comes to memory is truly terrifying. For a long time, the way memory works very much tripped me up when it came to memoir writing. How could I know I was getting it “right”? What I’ve come to realize through study and practice is that’s not the thing. I’m telling my version through my lens, not any sort of true or singular version. For me, that knowledge needs to be very present in my heart and fingertips as I render any telling, as well as on the page by way of how deeply engrained that knowledge is. :)
The further into this piece the more I started to remember it from last time. I was just as impressed by the writing this time as I was last time — and it was also interesting to notice things I didn’t notice last time. Very enjoyable, as always, Holly :)
Thank you, thank you, Michael. I did a rewrite. So those bits you didn't notice before may have been additions. I haven't yet been able to bring myself to just straight repost something from the archives. I always read it and think, oh but I would write that differently now. This one is the closest the original of any rewrites I've done though.
I've kept meaning to ask you. I suppose here is as good a place as any. How was the time away from screens? Did it rejuvenate? Was that even the goal?
I haven’t reposted any old pieces as of yet, but I imagine I have a similar experience haha
Yeah, it was good. I actually really enjoyed it. I liked the release of the self-imposed pressure I put on myself to have things ready to post. I enjoyed writing some stuff I don’t intend to share. And yeah the goal was sort rejuvenation and sort of just breaking the habit of using the phone too much etc. It is something I will probably do again from time to time. But it’s also nice to be back. Thanks for asking Holly :)
Love your writing. Plus this is a great description about how our intuition keeps us safe even though we aren’t consciously aware that our brains have registered danger.
Thank you!! I much appreciate you reading and commenting. Isn't it kind of wild how this works--how much we register about what's going on around us in a non-prefrontal cortex way? I'm guessing you've had some experience of this yourself on your walking journey, yes?
Mmmm...yes. I've had the pleasure of sitting for hours in the midst of a heard of elk in New Mexico. Majestic creatures. To know what they sense and feel from the earth, the sun, the seasons. What a gift that would be. I've been thinking of you and your physical challenges, which must lead to emotional challenges, my dear. Hang tight.
Thanks, Heather. Sitting in the midst of a herd? That's a story I look forward to hearing more about. I always appreciate you reading and commenting. It's so lovely knowing I'm writing to a fellow adventurer and communer with beings like elk.
And thank you for keeping me in mind. Yeah the emotional piece is kinda wildly interesting. I mean in that I've been made keenly aware of how much of a perspective "game" I'm in. Yes, there are these physical things happening. And they exist. And they're not fun. There's no denying that. And at the same time, what I make of them is absolutely everything. And so then there's the challenge of knowing what I need to do to keep myself in a place of being able to make a choice around that. Does that make sense? Ha. Not sure. I should maybe write about it.
I've also thought of you and your upcoming move you recently wrote about! Exciting.
That definitely makes sense. I've spent so much time injured this year and having to constantly rewrite the narrative of "who I am" if I'm not bike/traveling/adventuring at the level I desire to.
I think maybe what you are speaking to is this: we can both adapt and accept our current situation, find joy, live in gratitude, and also mourn the loss of other parts of ourselves/lives.
Your beautifully articulated narrative left me seeing, feeling, hearing every detail and hanging on every word. Great way to start my Sunday! Thank you!
Awwww. thank you. I love hearing this.
We often talked about taking that trip up to and through Alaska in one of our RV's and never quite made it. We did make it all the way the other direction to Newfoundland a couple of summers ago. Now that are sans RV, I appreciate and enjoy your narratives from the road even more. Thanks!
Thank you, Gary! Newfoundland, wonderful. Haven't made it that far north on the eastern side of things. What a journey. I did hit Montreal some years back and loved it much.
I very much appreciate you reading and commenting.
If you ever get back to Montreal, go on to Quebec City and Ile d'Orleans. Both fabulous places to visit.
Yes, I will! I still kick myself for not going to Quebec. I thought about it. I meant to. But I was young, and back then I thought of zipping here or there or wherever as far easier as I do now and easily dismissed it with a Quebec City next time. Seventeen years later ... It does remain on the list though. 🤪