Summer and grandparenting have kept me from writing much here of late, let alone making much progress on my book. I recognize all of these as important parts of life to pay attention to, however. Still, I surely thought I could find a better balance, but such has not been the case.
I have concluded that one of the most important lessons I’ve learned this year about working on a project as big as Nature’s people, is that my brain does better when my body is sequestered. I hate to admit it, but little (if any) text has been put on paper since my return home from Lake Cumberland at the end of February. Trust me, I’m thinking about Mrs. Todd and her island crew every day, but putting my butt and brain in a seat in front of the laptop to put 500 words a day together just doesn’t happen.
From a more positive perspective, though, I recognize that over the last few years I have understood something about ‘getting away’ to push daily business aside for the practice of gathering thoughts and writing. I’ve done a handful of short get-aways in my little Coleman trailer to John Bryan or Old Man’s Cave State Parks, and written a few things in the process. A couple winters ago, if you recall, I put in a week at a cabin at Lake Hope. All of that seems to have lead me to recognizing that if I can get away, some writing might happen. Don’t get me wrong: Thinking and writing still happens at my house, but it feels a bit different of late. The book has ascended to the top priority, so when nothing on the book is getting done, not much else seems to get written either.
All of this navel gazing here today is meant as an attempt at personal catharsis. Fact is, I write this entry on the road from home back to the place where it all began. It was many moons ago in 1981 when I first set foot on Hog Island in Muscongus Bay, Maine after a short first visit to Emily Dickinson’s hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts. It was after only a couple hours on the island that I realized both places were tangentially connected — and my life was changed. Indeed, such is the origins of the book I now am trying to write.
So with that in mind, it’s back to Hog Island in just a couple days. I’ve been back plenty of time since, but this return is extra special. Seabird expert and Hog Island Audubon Camp director Steve Kress has agreed to let me serve as writer-in-residence for the next month, and what makes it extra special this visit is that I will be able to reside at the very place where Mabel Loomis Todd made her summer retreat/family camp. Nobody has summered there for decades. But now I get the chance to be there and work on a book about that very place. Yow.
My term as WiRes will last from 18 July through 19 August. During that time I imagine I’ll chat with Audubon campers about Mrs. Todd, her camp, and her connections to Emily Dickinson, but my primary focus is drafting a couple chapters of Nature’s people.
Gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.
But today I have ‘miles to go before I sleep’ as I traverse New England on my way back to Hog Island. I’ll be making some blog entries over the next month to keep you posted on book and life progress. Feel free to pass along any messages as I do. [tom@earthspeaks.org]
Wish me luck.
Today’s elder idea: This island is so beautiful it really makes my heart ache! Why, it seems to me God's own heaven can hardly be more perfect.
journal of Mabel Loomis Todd
August 9, 1924
image: The ‘writer’s cottage’ at Mrs. Todd’s Camp Mavooshen was built as residence for her daughter, Millicent Todd Bingham. Such will be my ‘digs’ over the next month. How cool is that? ;-)
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