This beautiful weather has me thinking of my favorite things. Spring has sprung and my garden is planted. I enjoy being outside more than in. As you all know my favorite place of inspiration is to be outside. My Wednesday Wisdom this week is all about getting outside and getting inspired.
The Girl on the hill....I always wondered if anyone could see me sitting on that hill.
My mom reminded me of something the other day. She reminded me of "my hill." Of course she called it her hill and I insisted it was mine. Funny how we become attached to places that legally do not belong to us, but in our hearts they are home. In my life I have several places like this. I seem to find one every place I have ever lived. I would pick my spot and that would be where I would sit and think and sometimes sing to myself. It must be genetic because I have noticed this same behavior in my children as I watch them play in the yard. My daughter is the one who sings mostly, but my son does write creatively in a journal.
For as long as I could remember I have been writing things down. Things that I wanted to remember, or things that I felt. I really liked being alone to write and early on I found easy inspiration in being outside. I had a couple of teachers in Colorado that would take us on hikes for a writing exercise. We would start up the trail behind the school and each of us would choose a spot along the way. We would sit quietly and listen to the sounds of the forest. We would then write what we could hear, smell, feel, see and even taste if there was snow. Of course we were warned to never eat yellow snow. When we would hear the whistle blow it was time to head back down the trail to the school. Back in the classroom we would take what we had written down and write a poem, paragraph, or story. This is pretty much how I now gather my inspiration to open a writing block that I am having. I have heard as well, that several writers break up there writing blocks by taking a walk or doing simple chores outdoors.
When I moved back to my Mom's in Los Alamos, California, I would escape to my hill every chance I'd get. It was just a short walk down the street from my house. Then I just had to cross the creek, maneuver through a pasture and a short hike up the hill. The hill was distinctively split almost directly in half by the trial going up it. Right at the top is where I would sit. I then would pull a peace of paper and pencil from my pocket and write.
Although, I do have to admit that sometimes I would just sit and take in the view. I would wonder about the people on the 101 freeway. Where were they off to? I missed my Grandparents and Santa Barbara. I thought of going to see them and how to work that out. I would watch the animals in the field below and think of how much fun we had there with them. More than once, my friends and I had tried to ride the horses bareback and got bucked off. We didn't get hurt, but did have a real good laugh and of course we got right back on too! (It being so close to Easter now as I write this, I can't think of that property without thinking of my bunny "Spiffy," that died there with the many other rabbits in a heat wave one summer. I loved that bunny!) On top of my hill, I would gaze at wild life, farms, ranches, the freeway, more ranches, and the houses of our little town. (My husband now tells me this is called glassing. However, I never had binoculars and I was not hunting.) I was just lost in my thoughts waiting for the sun to set. I still enjoy watching the sunset. I watch it almost every night for just a few minutes.
I have been asked why I write. I have several writings and I haven't done much with them. When I was pregnant with my son I sent one of the books I wrote for children to a publisher. I got a letter back from them that they were happy to publish it for me if I would pay them and then promote it myself. I really felt the timing was off and I also felt that wasn't the way I wanted it to work. So, I put it away for a later time. Being involved with my kids and more, I have sense been asked, "If you're not planning a big career as a writer, and if you're not getting your work published, then why do you bother with it?" My answer is this: "I call myself a writer because I know without a shadow of doubt that it is the one thing I must do. I can not go a day without it. I do not write to become famous or rich. The main reason I write is for my own peace of mind. I write to express myself and calm my soul. I will start out by writing anything that pops into my head and then work into something else. I often have to be careful when texting friends because I end up regretting what I have sent in a text. Sometimes I'm too mushy or write too much! Thank God for the limits, but I do seem to rework the wording and work around them! (i.e.: "lol!") I feel that text messages, just like chatting online, can be taken wrong because it is different than hearing the spoken words and being able to see or hear a persons reactions. With text messages and the like, it is too easy to be misunderstood.
(music link for this post: Uncle Kracker~ Writing It Down: ~ ENJOY!~)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01OAE5kk-dQ&feature=player_embedded )
I do have my favorite places now, and I hear from my friends that they like them as well. I often here them talk of hiking the trails that I enjoy with my kids. I am sure in their mind these hills, mountains, and beaches belong to them. Rightly so, I don't mind sharing. We all have a right to enjoy the outdoors. I only have two main rules that I tell my kids other than watch their footing. One, like my Grandpa used to tell me when I would want to bring home every rock, stick and flower that I found.....He would say: "That there is a leaver-rite!.....You leave ..er' ...right there!" Then two, as my parents would tell me every time we would hike or camp...."You pack it in ...YOU....Pack it out!" This way we all enjoy our outing.
Happy Spring! Get out there and enjoy! Keep it bubbly! xox~Jeri
