I have always been an outdoor girl. I grew up camping, backpacking, and playing outside in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains. Back in college, I aspired to become a backcountry ranger, wilderness plant researcher, or something equally rugged, solitary and wild. Then I had twins and decided I needed to be at home raising them. Ever since, I have aspired to be a backcountry forest mother. With my husband and two children in tow, I have continued to explore wild places. Over the last eight years I have discovered how to camp, hike, canoe, and backpack with young children, how to do it frequently, and how to come prepared. From backpacking with babies to sleeping in fire lookout towers rented from the US Forest Service, I have never lacked for adventure. Do I get out in the woods as much as I want to? Not always, but when I do, seeing how happy and at ease my children are in Nature makes it somehow more enjoyable. I am confident that these experiences will help them grow to be adults who love the outdoors and find peace and solace there in this hectic world. It is my hope that this blog will provide information and inspiration to other families and individuals on living a life closer to the earth and the wild. Since the bulk of my work is tending home and hearth, I will include writings about that as well from time to time. It’s good to hear how other people live sometimes, as it widens our own perspectives, and gives grains of truth to which we may relate. All that said, I have secretly wanted a blog for a while now because I love to write. I have let it go by the wayside for far too long. So, here it is. A Mountain Hearth.
I'm so excited you are here in Blogland! I look forward to reading more!
Hi Katherine, I only just discovered your blog and am reading it with great interest. Even though I live in a totally different environment (in sub-tropical Australia) we seem to have quite a bit in common and I can relate to a lot you're saying not only because my children attend the local Steiner/Waldorf school but because of your general outlook on life and living. Am looking forward to reading through all your posts in time. I'm not generally a blogger because I don't seem to have enough time to keep up with work, household, children and socialising personally, and virtually on Facebook (my husband's and my family live in Europe). Best wishes to your and your family.
Annemarie
Thanks Annemarie! It's good to hear from likeminded folks from clear across the globe! I do know what you mean about time. I end up fitting my blog writing into little stolen bits of time in between everything else, but I love doing it. Thanks for reading!