It’s Write Out time; October 12-26 this year. Let’s all get outside and write often! It seems to be more important than ever this year–nature and writing, especially in community, can be so powerful.
Six of us, ages 4-70, started out on this 2.5 hours wandering and wondering adventure. After the first hour, I had to take my sister’s four-year-old granddaughter back to her mom. Then the five of us continued.
Travis Puglisi and I led the event. Travis is a naturalist and local hiking guide. He taught us so much about the flora and fauna of the area. We also stopped at different times to write. I based my prompts on Kim Douillard’s “Let’s Go on a Wonder Walk” from this year’s Choice Board. Before the first leg of the hike, I read a short poem and asked them to think about and notice their senses. The second time, I did a reading and asked them to focus on colors. The third time would have been, a reading and a focus on questions, but we were running out of daylight due to our slow start, so we skipped this one! Our hike went from bright afternoon sunshine, through the golden hour, and into darkness. We talked and laughed and got to know each other, along with the learning, writing, and sharing. It was a great event.
Here are the things I wrote while out yesterday:
I am celebrating Write Out with some desert lovers, and I am delighted.
The mosquitos are hassling me now as I Write Out on this gorgeous fall day. October rain has brought mosquitos to life.
I smell the cuminy yellow flowers and the sagey chia.
I see Ashley’s magenta hair trekking through
the desert greens and browns coming to pick up her girl.
I hear deep breaths and soft fly buzzes and earlier the crunch of gravel underfoot. It’s much quieter now that Indie’s gone.
I touch the creosote and breathe deeply, remembering the petrichor of last week.
I taste the cold water in my bag and say thank you for the life-giving
refreshment of hydration.
If I were green
I would be just one
in the desert neighborhood
of greens—silvery mint, dusty,
sage, yellowish, olive, army,
hunter, foresty pine or juniper.
How many green neighbors are there?
Standout greens dotted
with apricot mallow
and yellow sunflower highlights.
Today, I am part of this desert painting.
Denise,
I wish I were there with you hiking and writing in the desert. I feel the warmth of community and the glow of nature in your words. This must have been a completely cathartic experience, so necessary in this time. Your poetry is lush and verdant. These images will accompany me as I rest tonight.
So intrigued by this experience. Do you do this yearly?
Hi Julie, it was my first time organizing something for the community. In past years, I’ve just gone out alone.
The national Write Out even is annual if you want to join us! More here: https://writeout.nwp.org/ (Signing up for newsletter is the easiest way to connect.)
Your merging of nature in her fall-infused-desert beauty and words with all their eternal wonder is a special blend of wonderful. I wish I were closer. If I were to write outside right now, I’d have the words washing away!
Thank you! I have been away from the sol community for a month and this was the perfect slice to come back to. I appreciate your invitations and the sharing of words and images. I live in a city, but our school is so green- I need to take my students outside more- to be and to write and your slice has inspired me!
Yay! I live in the city too (Philadelphia) and there is a lot of green around me – rivers too – once I start to pay attention. Enjoy writing outside and share with us using the hashtag #writeout
Good for you, starting and hosting this event! Like others, I would sign up in a minute. I also love that you provide “junk journals.” Did you make them? I love so much about this, and when you see the magenta hair approaching, and all your greens as you become part of the dessert painting.
I did make the junk journals, Fran. I added lots of prompts in pockets and envelopes so people could keep writing when they got home.
Do you have a post about how to create these junk journals? What a cool idea.
Christina, what a good idea. I hope I have to make more for our next event, so I will definitely make a post about that and share it!
I love this idea. I’m new to “junk journals.”
Write-Out in community, nothing could be better. (You have spurred me to actually give this creative outlet a try. There is a wealth of resources online, so…) I love your lines,”…the desert neighborhood/of greens…How many green neighbors are there?” You, in the desert, and I on the Oregon Coast are so very lucky to be “part of the painting.”
Denise, we were on the same page today and this weekend. On Saturday, I led a poetry-writing bird walk and that’s what I wrote about today. I love seeing the similarities in our experience — nature, building community. Love the idea of the junk journals! Wish we could have been together to go on each others’ walks and write together!
What a wonderful communal experience! I love how you write about all those desert greens–so foreign to me! Also, I want to know more about “junk journals”!
Denise–there is so much to love about this event. I am in love with the “If I were green…” writing and the list of all the other greens nearby. And it is so cool to hear that my Let’s Go on a Wonder Walk resource was an inspiration! Love this community event–something I aspire to organizing one of these days!
Yay, I’m glad you saw this, Kim. I was going to tell you thank you for the great resource! Thanks!
Denise, this is such a great idea! I loved that you had all ages out there to see such gorgeous scenery and to write together. I’d gladly sign up for an adventure like this one! Do you think this could become a regular experiences for those around you?
This is so cool! Thank you for sharing with us!
I hadn’t thought about it being a regular experience, but two of the people are coming back for the next event. I think it would be something special to do it more regularly.
Like others, I wish I could have been there. I’m hoping to do a Write out event with kids, but so far haven’t had many interested. It’s not until the 25th, so there’s still time. I love the junk journals. Thanks for sharing your writing and giving us a picture of the desert, so different from the bayou.