I grew up in the city. No one would have described me as the outdoorsy type. I liked to play outside in the back yard, but that was the extent of my nature experience. I saw my first cow in person when I was five. I wasn’t impressed.
We had a small yard that my parents worked on a lot; it seemed like every day. My job was to help - trim along the fence, sweep, and rake. It seemed endless, and I hated the work. The clippers were dull. My sweeping was not satisfactory. Raking was only fun if you could jump in the huge pile of leaves and not have to rake them back up again. I still dislike yard work.
So how did I end up loving nature and writing about it? I married a guy who grew up on a small farm and loved the outdoors. Many dates before and after we were married, involved hiking. At first, I didn’t notice the small details around me. He had to point them out. Now, I point them out to him.
Those hikes became times of discovery. What treasures could I find on those hikes if I really looked and listened? Then those hikes became times of self-discovery. What could I learn by observing nature? My book, Nature’s Quiet Wisdom, grew out of those experiences.
Walking and hiking in nature became a “must” instead of a “nice to do.” If I didn’t get out into green spaces or see water, I would become restless, tense, and twitchy. I remember one time after a particularly trying day at work, pulling into a park, just so I could sit quietly and look at the trees. It was so restorative.
Nature is my walking meditation, prayer, refuge, a place to think. During this pandemic and cold, rainy, icy winter, it’s been difficult to get out to walk. But spring is nearly here, and I’ve been walking on the warmer days.
While I’m still not fond of yard work, and I was never into gardening, this year will be different. Last year, my husband had a few pots of herbs. I fell in love with the fragrance of just picked rosemary and basil. So this year, I’m planning my own small herb garden. The seeds just came. So excited!
On Facebook, I talk about nature, poetry, and the life of a writer.
I’d love for you to follow me there!
Lynn H. Wyvill grew up in Washington DC where her favorite activity was sitting under a Japanese red maple tree, watching clouds create pictures in the sky. As a writer, she finds peace and inspiration when hiking in the woods, strolling on sandy beaches, and observing nature’s show in her backyard. Those experiences are captured in her first book, Nature’s Quiet Wisdom. Before writing books, Lynn worked as a radio/TV reporter and writer for the US Department of Agriculture and owned a consulting business that trained professionals on the creation and delivery of effective presentations. She is a lifelong learner, avid reader, small town explorer, and dedicated theater attendee who lives in beautiful Virginia with her husband.