OUR SEPTEMBER FOREST THERAPY RETREAT is in the books, and what a fine time we had. A wonderful group of folks, connecting with pines and maples, red squirrels and chickadees, with stones and streams and breezes, with all the natural world, and with each other. And along the way, with certain things deep inside themselves—important things that time spent in
OUR ROAD SCHOLARS—folks of a certain demographic who love to live and learn and experience—have had a grand week exploring the North Woods and Canoe Country. In the context of an imperfect world, the anxiety and sadness of ‘the news,’ we take a small break. Not to escape from the world, but to reconnect. With woods and waters. With the
AFTER A WEEK unplugged and virtually off the grid, exploring the North Shore, the edge of the Boundary Waters, and Voyageurs National Park, I return with my Road Scholars. To what we sometimes call the ‘real world.’ But there is something very real about trees and stones and rivers, islands and waterfalls and showy pink ladyslippers. About an ancient snapping
AT THIS PAST WEEK’S FOREST THERAPY RETREAT, each participant received an embossed journal, and a special earth-toned-ink pen, the better to keep track of earth-toned thoughts and earth-toned feelings. Of which there were many. Here is one from the end of our Forest Therapy Retreat: ‘I hope the vision of so much green space does not leave me for a
IMPORTANT NEWS: Beautiful Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center, one of my favorite places on Earth (and where my son Bryan Wood happens to be Executive Director) is asking for support. They need help in their vital work of connecting kids to nature. And grown-ups, too. They are in the midst of their annual Benefit Week, raising funds for scholarships, classes,
IT IS AUGUST and Fall appears on the horizon. A good time for a reminder about our upcoming ‘Writers in the Woods’ Workshop, October 8-11. We’re looking to fill out the last few spots! A follow-up to last year’s delightful gathering (people are still staying in touch) which featured a warmth and camaraderie that was lovely and empowering, this is
WOULD YOU LIKE to hear a great story? Full of fate, adventure, and happy serendipity? Okay, go grab a cup of coffee, I’ll wait… There. Ready? So it’s 1987, and after years of guiding in the Boundary Waters-Quetico region, I’m leading my first big expedition—520 miles on northern Saskatchewan’s Churchill River. We are paddling this route to retrace Sigurd Olson’s
OUR ROAD SCHOLARS have had a great time exploring Voyageurs National Park and environs. A last evening in Ely overlooking Shagawa Lake. Then two days of lovely weather (after a tough stretch.) A Park Boat cruise to Kettle Falls in the heart of the Border Country. A fine meal at The Dam Restaurant in tiny Orr, MN. Then paddling among
FOLLOWING A GRAND sunset on the shore of Gitchi-gami, our Road Scholars awoke to a drizzly morn. The drive to Ely remained foggy and misty, and with arrival at Sigurd Olson’s Listening Point the thunderstorms and torrential rains began to roll through with a vengeance. But we enjoyed the old cabin and the writing shack, with stories and mandolin music
A BEAUTIFUL DAY to start our June Road Scholar North Woods trip. Heading out with rain in the morning, we drove out of the bad weather and by the time we reached Gooseberry Falls the skies had cleared (mostly) allowing a grand view of the falls and a lovely hike out to the tip of Shovel Point in Tettegouche State