I love this. "Other topographies, mountain ranges, oceans, thick forests do not produce in me the same heightened sense of possibility as does this broad landscape shaped by buttes and bluffs, ravines and coulees. As I stand on the trail, the expanse comes to take up occupancy in my body." I've been to Montana and the Dakotas and I've experienced the sense of possibility. I get to high places on my runs, but it's the taking in of the expanses that I crave the most. This weekend I've got two long runs to the top of the mountain and it's the expanses that excite me. Thank you for this, Emily.
Thank you, Steve! I’m so glad you get it. Yes, crave is a great word for it. When I have to leave these spaces, I mourn as I feel the natural world close back in around me. Enjoy those runs!
Thanks, Emily. I love these response conversations I have with people especially with you. Really gets my mind thinking and I really resonate with the responses. There is scientific research that says that we feel more empowered and feel our agency when we are high and overlooking an expanse. Research is being done that shows that animals, especially birds of prey have this feeling also which is why they're always going high. Might be food for writing😉
I agree about these conversations. They are so uplifting and really stimulating for me. I love the idea of agency and high places! I had no idea, but I certainly have that experience. Thank you for sharing it with me. Yes, it’s all food for writing😁
As lovely as always, Emily. Especially love the image of you and your family enjoying the night sky, and then you lying back on the picnic bench. I really felt like I was there. “…as we gaze longer, the ordinary became the infinite.”
The way you write about place is sensory and breathtaking, really feels as though I’m there with you. And this was a striking line: “The wind blows with a tenderness that surprises me in such a high, exposed place.”
I was IN Nebraska with you. Thank you for sharing with attention to embodied detail. The flowers in your moveable garden this week look like they are growing, even inside my screen! Something so living about the way you've captured them. And--Columbus is my favorite big city! Only an hour north of my home. Let me know if you need any recs! (You MUST visit the North Market, and partake of Jeni's ice cream there; you cannot come to Cbus and miss that. Also, pretty much any of the metro parks are solid picks, but I could give you some beautiful spaces outside of Cbus too.)
Thank you for this Christianna. I am so glad you were there with me! My husband grew up in Columbus, but it has been a long time since he was back. When we lived in Atlanta, we visited Jeni's ice cream regularly. It is SO good. Thanks for the offer of recs. My very good friend lives there, and she has a list. But I am curious about bookstores. Do you have a favorite? We are staying in the Short North and my friend lives in Bexley.
Bexley is lovely! My husband graduated from Capital. The library there is nice. The Book Loft is in German village. Absolute must. It’s quite the experience. There’s a lovely coffee shop next door called Stauff’s and other little deli’s in the area if you have the munchies or want to sit and read all your new treasures.
I saving to read this in depth when the weekend ends, but before I forget I wanted to recommend the memoir “Shadow Migrations,” largely set in Nebraska.
I love this. "Other topographies, mountain ranges, oceans, thick forests do not produce in me the same heightened sense of possibility as does this broad landscape shaped by buttes and bluffs, ravines and coulees. As I stand on the trail, the expanse comes to take up occupancy in my body." I've been to Montana and the Dakotas and I've experienced the sense of possibility. I get to high places on my runs, but it's the taking in of the expanses that I crave the most. This weekend I've got two long runs to the top of the mountain and it's the expanses that excite me. Thank you for this, Emily.
Thank you, Steve! I’m so glad you get it. Yes, crave is a great word for it. When I have to leave these spaces, I mourn as I feel the natural world close back in around me. Enjoy those runs!
Thanks, Emily. I love these response conversations I have with people especially with you. Really gets my mind thinking and I really resonate with the responses. There is scientific research that says that we feel more empowered and feel our agency when we are high and overlooking an expanse. Research is being done that shows that animals, especially birds of prey have this feeling also which is why they're always going high. Might be food for writing😉
I agree about these conversations. They are so uplifting and really stimulating for me. I love the idea of agency and high places! I had no idea, but I certainly have that experience. Thank you for sharing it with me. Yes, it’s all food for writing😁
As lovely as always, Emily. Especially love the image of you and your family enjoying the night sky, and then you lying back on the picnic bench. I really felt like I was there. “…as we gaze longer, the ordinary became the infinite.”
Thank you Don! I’m glad you could picture it. That’s what I’m after:)
Such a beautiful trip you’ve taken me on with this post! Thank you! I’ve longed to see a night sky like that. Someday.
Oh thank you, Anne. Yes, it’s amazing!
Thanks, 🙏 I love it 🌹
Thank you, Raed!
The way you write about place is sensory and breathtaking, really feels as though I’m there with you. And this was a striking line: “The wind blows with a tenderness that surprises me in such a high, exposed place.”
Thank you Stephanie! I want you to feel like you’re there. I’m so glad you did. Yes, the wind has many moods:)
I was IN Nebraska with you. Thank you for sharing with attention to embodied detail. The flowers in your moveable garden this week look like they are growing, even inside my screen! Something so living about the way you've captured them. And--Columbus is my favorite big city! Only an hour north of my home. Let me know if you need any recs! (You MUST visit the North Market, and partake of Jeni's ice cream there; you cannot come to Cbus and miss that. Also, pretty much any of the metro parks are solid picks, but I could give you some beautiful spaces outside of Cbus too.)
Thank you for this Christianna. I am so glad you were there with me! My husband grew up in Columbus, but it has been a long time since he was back. When we lived in Atlanta, we visited Jeni's ice cream regularly. It is SO good. Thanks for the offer of recs. My very good friend lives there, and she has a list. But I am curious about bookstores. Do you have a favorite? We are staying in the Short North and my friend lives in Bexley.
Bexley is lovely! My husband graduated from Capital. The library there is nice. The Book Loft is in German village. Absolute must. It’s quite the experience. There’s a lovely coffee shop next door called Stauff’s and other little deli’s in the area if you have the munchies or want to sit and read all your new treasures.
Yay! Thank you. We had wanted to visit German village. I’ll put it on the list:)
I saving to read this in depth when the weekend ends, but before I forget I wanted to recommend the memoir “Shadow Migrations,” largely set in Nebraska.
Thank you, Joy for the recommendation. I’ll take a look.