WALKING IN THE WONDER OF AUTUMN…
There is a delight in every step when you walk in autumn's wonder... As the world transitions from the warm embrace of summer to the gentle chill of fall, the beauty that unfolds beneath your [...]
WHAT’S SO SCARY ABOUT THE WOODS?
Why have the woods traditionally been portrayed as a dark and scary place? Timeless fairytales of old often feature the deep, dark forest where who only knows what is lurking around the corner. Throughout history, [...]
WHEN THE WILD WOMAN ROAMED FREE IN THE FOREST…
When the Wild Woman roamed free in the forest without fear… bold and in her power, she was at peace in her mind and with the outer world. Her sacred rituals kept her centered, [...]
WALKING AS A SACRED PRACTICE IS A MAGICAL PORTAL
Walking as a Sacred Practice… The Art of Slowing Down My pace quickens as I make my way to the trailhead. And the very moment I step one foot into the forest… whoosh! I am [...]
MAGIC ON THE FOOTHILLS TRAIL… Walking as a Sacred Path
I held the intention to walk the length of the Foothills Trail, present, and intuitively… choosing a place to camp each night based on how I felt and where I wanted to travel… feeling fully [...]
A STROLL THROUGH CUMBERLAND ISLAND, GA…
Cumberland Island, Georgia, is a barrier island off the coast of southern Georgia. It is home to a herd of wild horses, armadillos, bobcats, coyotes, deer, and the most enchanted maritime forest you could ever [...]
THE MAGICAL CURE FOR SEASONAL “MULLIGRUBS!”
Do you ever get the “mulligrubs” on the gray, dismal days of late fall and winter? This was a word my grandmother used to say. Even without defining it, I think the word mulligrubs perfectly expresses [...]
40 MAGICAL MILES IN THE UWHARRIE MOUNTAINS!
The Three Rivers Land Trust, the Uwharrie Mountain Trail Club, and many wonderful volunteers make this 4-day backpacking "thruhike" a truly spectacular event! They truly spoil us with cookouts, snacks, cold drinks, [...]
YAY! I AM OFFICIALLY A LEAVE NO TRACE MASTER EDUCATOR!
I am delighted to announce the completion of my Leave No Trace Master Educator Course! Since finishing my trainer course several years ago, I have contemplated furthering my Leave No Trace (LNT) education, and I [...]
TICKS: AWARENESS & PREVENTION IS THE BEST REMEDY
Life will always be full of legitimate hazards. The only thing we can truly control is how we prepare for and respond to the myriad of everyday perils. When we practice growing our sense of [...]
THE ART OF SLOWING DOWN
The Art of Slowing Down People ask me all the time, “What is WildWood Magic?” And although I have at least a thousand things to say about it, the phrase “The Art of Slowing [...]
THE WALKING AS A SACRED PATH WILDERNESS RETREAT WAS A HUGE HIT!!
Combining the Magic of the WildWood and practical skills has been my goal for as long as I can remember. I have created my own version of "Leave No [...]
ARE YOU READY FOR A HAPPY & HEALTHY 2022!
Well, we made it. It’s New Year’s Eve 2021, and many cannot see the dawn of 2022 soon enough. Me? Well, I am thrilled to be here, in this time and space, no matter what [...]
FINDING THE ORDER IN CHAOS!
I just returned from a three-day backpacking trip in my all-time favorite wilderness area. The weather was absolutely stellar, I got to hike with a dear, old friend, and I had some new, cool gear [...]
LEAVE NO TRACE, PRINCIPLE #4: LEAVE WHAT YOU FIND
“Leave only your footprints” or, “Take only pictures” are common LNT messages you may have heard. Take photographs, observe, and learn all about the area you are visiting, but please leave anything you find [...]
WHAT IS WILDWOOD MAGIC?
What is Wildwood Magic? The Wild Wood is an enchanted place where we take our physical body for a simple walk in the woods and are, in turn, gifted with nothing less than a most [...]
A WALK IN THE WILDWOOD… [A COASTAL N.C. EVENT]
A Walk in the WildWood is an intimate, wilderness adventure complete with a powerful Fire Ceremony and homemade Chai in the enchanted forest… $47 per person *A half-day, Guided Walk in the WildWood, [...]
3 STEPS TO BEING FULLY CALM & RELAXED WHILE HIKING ALONE
Have you wanted to experience the peace and solitude of an enchanted forest but have been too afraid to go by yourself? Many people are conflicted about this, but there are simple ways to move [...]
WHICH SCENARIO SOUNDS LIKE MORE FUN?😜
This is a short video contrasting the differences in outdoor experiences when we plan ahead and prepare (LNT principle one) vs. when we do not. Enjoy! Leave No Trace (LNT) Center for Outdoor Ethics is an educational [...]
HIKING THE 288-MILE BENTON MACKAYE TRAIL!
I did a thing! I just completed a 288-mile hike on the Benton MacKaye Trail! My journey on the BMT has been a full and magical lifetime, in and of itself. A lifetime filled with [...]
BACKPACKING ON THE BENTON MACKAYE TRAIL
Hello Friends! I am getting so excited about my next backpacking adventure! I am currently preparing for a hike through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), on the Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT). It is [...]
THE BLESSING WITHIN CHAOS…
“EVERYTHING IS CANCELLED.” I have been hearing myself say this repeatedly, in awe actually, as I process what is actually going on in the world… Or at least my perception of it, anyway. After a [...]
SHINRIN-YOKU: THE JAPANESE ART AND SCIENCE OF FOREST BATHING
Have you heard of Forest Bathing? Shinrin-yoku means “taking in the forest through our senses,” according to Dr. Qing Li, Chairman of the Japanese Society for Forest Medicine. He goes on to say that, [...]
SELECTING A TENT SITE: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!
I was out hiking the other day, and I hear the tell-tale “crack” first, and then approximately 1-2 seconds later, I hear it lumbering through the branches making its way toward the ground ...and then [...]
AN OVERNIGHT HIKE IN NATURE CURES ALL THAT AILS…
These days, rarely do we walk away from our regular day-in-day-out experiences feeling strong, empowered, and knowing we can accomplish anything. But I have to say, my favorite past time, backpacking ...really a fancy [...]
HIKING ETIQUETTE: HOW TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE EARTH AND OTHERS ON THE TRAIL
Sometimes it can feel like the world is getting smaller...or maybe there are just a lot more people on the earth sharing the same spaces! It has never been more important to be good [...]
“LEAVE NO TRACE” MEETS THE “4 AGREEMENTS” ON THE TRAIL…
Last weekend I got to spend a couple of days with a great group of people, from all over, learning the foundations of “Leave No Trace” so we can implement and share these “principles [...]
BACKPACKING ON THE COOSA BACKCOUNTRY TRAIL
This was a really intense hike for me! Of course I would probably say that after every backpacking trip, but rarely do I walk away from a backpacking trip… in a beautiful forest…in the colorful, [...]
EXPLORING EARTH MAGIC!
Mom and I always have a wonderful time up in Boone together. We usually go hike the Boone Fork Trail/Mountain to Sea Trail in Julian Price Park. It might be my favorite trail in the [...]