The Nature of Blogging
I grew up a Southern California city kid surrounded by surf and astroturf. “Being out in nature” meant driving 90 minutes to an overpriced resort town to stroll through souvenir shops and strip malls. We didn’t go to the mountains in winter because the “no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing” philosophy hits a little differently with the working poor. The most protected wildlife I ever saw was from the safety of our VW Beetle at the Lion Country Safari in the outbacks of the OC. So when we had to relocate to the high desert of Bend, Oregon in 2019, I was like a deer caught in the headlights. We saw forest animals without paying the price of admission! We didn’t even have to leave home — we shared a backyard with bucks, does, and fawns (and a weasel, which I thought only existed in cartoons). I also spent a lot of time Googling how to de-escalate an encounter with a bear or bobcat (memorize the tips or else it’s happy trails to you). I loved the wide open space, yet felt lost in it, too.
East of Oregon’s Cascade mountain range is a bit extreme in many ways. It always seemed we were made to feel like an invasive SoCal transplant. We also felt that way about ourselves, never getting past the perception we were simply passing through. So when a series of fortunate events unfolded last year that allowed us the opportunity to pack up and literally move to greener pastures, we didn’t hesitate. Priced out of returning to our roots, our search instead reached from the cinematic coastline to the idyllic islands of the PNW. In the end, on a whim, we drove three hours west over country roads and rented a house in a small town we’d never visited until that very day. And we truly found the “heart of the valley” in Corvallis, Oregon.
One of our first ventures out was in October to the Jackson Frazier Wetlands on a bright, sunny day. Emilia was learning about animal habitats, and having environments to study right down the road makes for a great classroom! Imagine my shock, though, when we got there and saw that a wetland isn’t always, um, wet. I mean, what is a wetland without water? Turns out, still a pretty cool habitat. As I was feeling blissed out among the fall fauna and flora, I turned to Mike and Emilia and remarked, “I love when we get out to find new places.” My boyfriend immediately stopped walking, started chuckling, and replied, “Oh, really?” I’d been rightfully called out. “Well, I love the thought of doing it in my head.” And I realized that’s my thought process when it comes to blogging and getting out in nature. I have endless ideas of what to explore, but getting myself “out there” is the hardest part. But once I am, it’s exhilarating!
We’ve recently been picking places at random and making priceless memories — all without spending a penny. It’s a privilege to have abundant nature free to enjoy, and we don’t want to regret not taking advantage of its easy accessibility. We returned to Jackson Frazier Wetlands in February on a misty afternoon. A completely different world welcomed us. Moody, mysterious, the perfect movie set for our adventurous fellowship. I was totally mesmerized by the transformation. Again, I found myself comparing communing in nature with creativity, whether it be art journaling, blogging, or crocheting. If your first go at it wasn’t quite what you had in mind, but it nevertheless lit a fire in your soul, give it another chance by being open to where it takes you, surprised by what you discover farther down the path, and expect the unexpected to be your guide.
