The New Year
Welcome to my latest project, Writ Wild! My intention for this space is to share photos from my life in the piney woods of east Texas but also short personal essays of my observations of the nature here. I have been documenting my life through social media for over a decade via Instagram, but that no longer feels as satisfying for a number of reasons, not least of which is the character limit that prevents longer posts and often forces brevity.
With Writ Wild, I am aiming to focus on rekindling my love for writing, a process that has often led me to a greater understanding of myself as I formulate my thoughts on what I observe during my time outdoors. I believe in active observation as much as possible when I am within the woods, meaning that I do my best to pay attention to all that surrounds me: birds calling from the tree canopy, fallen leaves and acorns and hickory nuts turning into earth, the tiniest of mushrooms silently alive between bark shingles after a rain, the sounds of water from the creek flowing over rocks and roots. In these moments, I let myself relax into what I believe is the “real” me, the core of my being that exists no matter where I am.
Active observation as I describe it does not necessarily mean going on long hikes through magnificent forests at the base of majestic mountains (though what a gift such hikes are!). Oftentimes, I will stumble upon a small spot that offers up everything I need to feel engaged with my core being. How many times have I returned to a cut in the trail that exposes the roots of trees and shrubs growing on a hill, providing the perfect growing conditions for ferns, mosses, and liverworts, and welcoming the tiniest of spiders to build their invisible webs? Or sat among the wood betony overlooking the creek, surrounded by farkleberry shrubs, red maples, and American hornbeam? I know these areas well, but each time I visit them there is something new to learn and observe.
The story of our woods, and the natural world in general, is found in these active observations. And within this story is our story, the one that connects our lives to the natural world even when we feel disconnected from it and from each other. In Writ Wild, I hope to put into words and images ways that I still feel that connection.
I will be sharing photographs from our woods with these posts, and I plan to eventually offer some of these photographs for sale. My essays are available to anyone who wishes to read them, though I may consider adding a subscription option for certain essays in the future that are more in depth than typical.
I hope you enjoy!
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