June Updates: I'm Writing An E-Book
June Updates: I'm Writing An E-Book
And dreaming of moving to Denmark, and allowing community to stimulate my creativity
Hi friends.
Pale pink light filled the space around me. I blinked awake in my primitive cabin in the woods of Nibe, Denmark. From where I lay in bed, through the picture window as big as the wall I could see white fog filling the valley below the glowing horizon. I had forgotten my sleeping mask at home and didn’t think about the drastically longer days in the Northern Hemisphere. I also didn’t know I’d be sleeping within view of sunrise. But the 3:45 a.m. wakeup last Thursday was only a minor inconvenience. How often do I get to wake up with the sun and the fog and the flowers and the bugs, let alone in Denmark? I stayed still under the covers until my mind started to whir with expectations for the day. Finally, I slid out of bed, pulled on sweats, and reached for the sky, then touched my toes. My movements were unintentionally slow as my body caught up to my mind. Outside as I padded down the gravel pathway, the air around me was cool but sticky. Crickets crackled and birds thudded around in the trees. I still had four hours until everyone else stirred. It wasn’t lost on me that this time alone was precious.
I can’t remember the last time I was this physically isolated. Either I’m with my dog, my husband, or the two together. Or I’m alone, but in a cafe or at an event where there are other people. I love company. I also love my own company. It’s nice sometimes to decide what to do without navigating around another creature, even if it’s just brushing my teeth or making coffee in the French press. No bumping into each other, no checking in. I know that my joy in isolation can only last so long though. Soon enough, I’ll yearn for companionship again.
On the hill nearby, patio chairs faced the view, two with logs as footrests. I chose one of the wobbly seats and its feet sank into the soft dirt under my weight. At that point, the sky was the color of orange juice and the clouds were smoky lavender. I took a video to capture the sounds and sights of morning, and then I put my phone down to just let myself feel. I thought about my parents, Steve, and Kona. I thought about the projects I left back home and the story I would soon have to write about this trip. I thought about coffee. I thought about building a cabin somewhere, anywhere in the woods. I thought about giving up my life to run a B&B in Denmark. I thought about all the paths we have in this world and the one path we choose. I thought about not needing any more out of life when you have a sunrise like this before you. I thought about things I normally don’t let myself think about. I let these thoughts pass through me without settling. Then, as the mist and clouds turned clear, it was time to get ready for the day.
Since returning a few days ago, I’ve been trying to find moments of stillness and solitude to give my mind space to wander like it did in Denmark. While there, I also swam in the warm sea, learned about wool and felting, coaxed baby sheep into my arms, filled my belly with smørrebrød and elderflower sweets, and felt like I died and went to heaven. It was a dream reporting trip, and on the last day of my visit, I spent 24 hours mostly solo in Copenhagen celebrating midsummer. I know there’s no way to perfectly recreate those moments in the meadow or by the water. I’ll never get those back. But I’ll try anyway.
After this trip, I’m feeling the most creative I’ve felt in months. I have ideas flowing out of my fingertips. I couldn’t type fast enough in my Notes app while on the 10-hour plane flight. This blazing burst of creativity started a few days before leaving, but I trust that my openness while traveling created even more momentum for those seeds of ideas. This new creativity phase started when I reached out on Instagram for a photographer to accompany me on a separate reporting trip. I heard from a flood of different people, which got me thinking about collaborating with them. It was a gentle reminder that while isolation is required for introspection, a healthy dose of community stimulates my creativity.
In just a few days, I turn 30. The big three-oh. To celebrate, plan, reflect, rest, write, slow down, and reconnect, I’m taking July off newsletter sends, but I’ll be back in August with updates on my birthday month. Happy summer to you all!
With love,
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In the works: Two separate profiles on a Danish felter and an Oregon sheep shearer, and two little essays about sewing and my dog as my running buddy. Plus, I pitched a science piece and a business profile, so fingers crossed!
💙COMING SOON💙: I’m in the beginning phases of writing an e-book about freelancing. Look for a future email (probably in August) that will give you a chance to ask questions for me to answer within the pages. Or, feel free to drop a comment below if a question comes to mind now!
July Mood Board
Monthly Curiosities
Reading: Books currently on my nightstand include Bunny by Mona Awad, Crying in H Mart By Michelle Zauner, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, and The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. Aron. Let’s see if I can finish them all in July.
Listening: On the plane, I devoured the Common Shapes podcast by
. It is everything I need as I enter a period of creativity. Each episode is a bit dense with information, so I plan to listen to them all over again when I can take notes and really absorb the information. It’s so, so good.Subscribing: I read every single post from Carissa Potter at
, and this one about crying in public made me feel less alone. I’m also a new subscriber of , and her Apéritif! playlist is perfect for those summer dinner parties you’re planning.Making: I pattern tested the #srOlivia shirt from Sycamore Road Patterns. Sewn up in an embroidered cotton, it is the oversized button up of my dreams!
Studying: A friend (hi Julie!) recommended the Chani app for astrology and meditation, and my mind is being blown by everything I’m learning.
Eating: This creamy overnight oats recipe by
has been on rotation. It’s such an easy way to fill up on something nutritious in the morning.Collecting: This checkered tablecloth and the following goodies from Denmark
