Ooh I loved this Ruth, I really am a fan of numbered pieces. And thank you for the writing suggestion, I shall give it a go. One owl, or two, love that. I love hearing other peoples’ shared languages. We had a fan heater in our first van that we named Wilson, after the Castaway football, and all heaters since then have been Wilsons.
Thanks Lynnne! Is there anything better than a numbered piece? A numbered book is one of the things I want to write most in the world; my earliest book wish and really where it all started. But got changed. Haha. Still time! I love you had a fan called Wilson and now all fans are Wilsons :) this is great!! Xx
This is such an elegant takedown of that dreadful phrase. Thank you! I've been meaning to write a review of 'Weathering' but it had such an effect on me that I must read it again before I can do it justice. However I'll leave something brief on the place that must not be named, which is apparently important for sales
Oh Joanna! A comment packed with generosity. Thank you! An elegant take down. I love that. But more so, I'm so glad Weathering had such an effect on you! 🥹
Love part 3, the surprise of “I am.” It’s a holographic world. “I think I am supposed to be sure of more, because knowing affects the outcome. Except I don’t think it does.” Yes, just so. Thanks, Ruth, for this thoughtful piece.
I guess naming and categorizing is our way of making sense (or trying to) of chaos, but as you note, it can also be restrictive and limiting. It seems no other animal group needs the same systemization. They mostly mate with members of their own species, whether they lived in community or emerge as individual larvae after spending 17 years underground. They consume the plants and animals they prefer to consume and avoid those that are threatening. The rest is just present moment -- or appears to be. There I go imposing my own ideas on others.
At any rate, I appreciate this read. I also wrote a numbered piece this week and, somewhat ironically, enjoyed how it separated the parts into individual stories.
You are an explorer who shares your discoveries with words. You explore nature, humanity, time, relationships, and more. You are you, thank goodness.
What a lovely thing to say at the end there, thank you so much.
Yeah. Categories can be great and useful. Bringing order to large data sets and ideas is so helpful. I think we just have to be wise about how that can be exploited for exclusion, don't we? It frustrates me that I always imagine I will arrive into some sort of group and find it is egalitarian and welcoming, only to find it never really is. There is always an underbelly of some sort. But this too seems to be human nature. Perhaps we just take everything too seriously ;)
Beautiful. I never feel I can call myself a nature writer because I feel I do not know enough, that I will never know enough, because my mind seems to have difficulty holding onto names. I love the way you focus instead on the experience of being in a space!
Absolutely. I strongly rail against the idea it's about names and 'knowing stuff'. The genre has a lot to answer for in this regard. No one has special entitlement.
Your writing sings to me! "feeling part of things isn’t a common experience for me (once I’m in, I tend to want out). Except for at the most abstracted level of being a human animal scratching out a living in the environment in which I’ve landed." yes yes yes. So glad I've found your words! A gorgeous post.
Ooh I loved this Ruth, I really am a fan of numbered pieces. And thank you for the writing suggestion, I shall give it a go. One owl, or two, love that. I love hearing other peoples’ shared languages. We had a fan heater in our first van that we named Wilson, after the Castaway football, and all heaters since then have been Wilsons.
Thanks Lynnne! Is there anything better than a numbered piece? A numbered book is one of the things I want to write most in the world; my earliest book wish and really where it all started. But got changed. Haha. Still time! I love you had a fan called Wilson and now all fans are Wilsons :) this is great!! Xx
This is such an elegant takedown of that dreadful phrase. Thank you! I've been meaning to write a review of 'Weathering' but it had such an effect on me that I must read it again before I can do it justice. However I'll leave something brief on the place that must not be named, which is apparently important for sales
Oh Joanna! A comment packed with generosity. Thank you! An elegant take down. I love that. But more so, I'm so glad Weathering had such an effect on you! 🥹
Love part 3, the surprise of “I am.” It’s a holographic world. “I think I am supposed to be sure of more, because knowing affects the outcome. Except I don’t think it does.” Yes, just so. Thanks, Ruth, for this thoughtful piece.
Thank you Julie :) a little experimental prose always feels good to me xx
"Except I don't think it does..." These were the lines that stood out for me as well, Julie!
I love it. The score is so enticing!
thank you! :-D
This was really helpful as I learn my voice in my writing, musings and other various thoughts on the natural world. Thank you thank you!
Oh you are so welcome Amber, thank you! :)
Absolutely love this, Ruth!
Thank you Shannon!
I guess naming and categorizing is our way of making sense (or trying to) of chaos, but as you note, it can also be restrictive and limiting. It seems no other animal group needs the same systemization. They mostly mate with members of their own species, whether they lived in community or emerge as individual larvae after spending 17 years underground. They consume the plants and animals they prefer to consume and avoid those that are threatening. The rest is just present moment -- or appears to be. There I go imposing my own ideas on others.
At any rate, I appreciate this read. I also wrote a numbered piece this week and, somewhat ironically, enjoyed how it separated the parts into individual stories.
You are an explorer who shares your discoveries with words. You explore nature, humanity, time, relationships, and more. You are you, thank goodness.
What a lovely thing to say at the end there, thank you so much.
Yeah. Categories can be great and useful. Bringing order to large data sets and ideas is so helpful. I think we just have to be wise about how that can be exploited for exclusion, don't we? It frustrates me that I always imagine I will arrive into some sort of group and find it is egalitarian and welcoming, only to find it never really is. There is always an underbelly of some sort. But this too seems to be human nature. Perhaps we just take everything too seriously ;)
\rx
I think your last line is everything! I'm working on relaxing my grip.
Beautiful. I never feel I can call myself a nature writer because I feel I do not know enough, that I will never know enough, because my mind seems to have difficulty holding onto names. I love the way you focus instead on the experience of being in a space!
Absolutely. I strongly rail against the idea it's about names and 'knowing stuff'. The genre has a lot to answer for in this regard. No one has special entitlement.
So true. It can feel very excluding.
Beautiful. And resonant. 🙏
thank you :)
I’m looking forward to trying this for / in the places I go to photograph, and that inspire my writing here. Thanks Ruth.
Oh great. A lovely way to use this! Thank you Michela!
This one made me smile 😊 So simple...
Thank you Hilda... :)
Your writing sings to me! "feeling part of things isn’t a common experience for me (once I’m in, I tend to want out). Except for at the most abstracted level of being a human animal scratching out a living in the environment in which I’ve landed." yes yes yes. So glad I've found your words! A gorgeous post.