When I first moved to the Pacific Northwest some 15 years ago, I was told that summer lasted only 2 months and the rest of the year was a cold, wet blanket of gray mist and light rain.

And for the first few years, that was mostly true! It was a rare moment that the clouds would part and the sun would emerge, but when it did, folks would crawl out from their hibernation caves for a brief moment to incredulously greet the sun and revel in views of the mountains that had miraculously appeared, suddenly remembering why they’d moved to this corner of the world.

In recent years, the sun has been gracing us with their1 presence, extending our summers and brightening more than a few days in the late fall and winter. Say what you will about climate change, but I celebrate this shift for not only does it portend a more outdoor adventures throughout winter, it also allows the beautiful place we live to strut its stuff for more than just two months a year!

And wow, does it ever have a lot to strut about!

The natural world has been rolling out the red carpet in these write-and-hike retreats, rendering them truly magical. That’s not marketing hype, it’s the honest truth: magical, heart-opening things happen on these retreats, and it’s because of the generous benevolence of the natural world. She really, really wants us to come celebrate her, and for us to find our soul’s true voice in doing so.

Why does the natural world want us to find our soul’s true voice? She knows that our soul’s true voice comes from our most open-hearted selves. So the more humans find, nourish and speak from their soul’s true voice, the more heart-centered presence we bring to earth and all beings on it. And I’m pretty sure we can all agree that a more open-hearted humanity means a better world for all.

A really wonderful example of the kind of heart-opening magic we encounter on these retreats happened on our Sunset Write & Walk on Indian Island over Thanksgiving weekend. For one, it was an absolutely stunning day: sunny, mild, no wind, and so clear, we could see Mount Rainier from Indian Island — VERY rare in winter!

Then, we had a participant come all the way from Port Angeles (an hour and a quarter drive) — that was amazing in and of itself! Unbeknownst to me, this participant had heard about me from

Then, two other Port Townsend participants showed up, and one gave a whoop of delight upon recognizing another member of our group. “We’d met recently but not exchanged numbers,” she explained, beaming as the two greeted each other enthusiastically. Within minutes, they realized they lived within blocks of one another and ended up carpooling home together.

These were wonderful synchronicities, but wait, there’s more! One of the exercises we do at each retreat is to choose a trail name — that is, an identity each person assumes when they step into nature. In our group, one woman chose the name Finlandia, not knowing why. (“It just popped into my head!”) Another said she was a spring breeze, blowing this way and that. I asked if she was like a zephyr, and though she hadn’t heard that name before, she immediately adopted it as her trail name.

As a closing exercise, we do a Tibetan Buddhist breathing practice called Maitri where we dedicate all of the wonder and beauty we are experiencing to someone who really needs it. We don’t share who we are sending these blessings to, we just do it in silence.

Well, this is where is gets amazing. After the retreat, Zephyr wrote the following email to the group:

“Two bits of magic that followed in the wake of our time together: 1) the person I sent my prayers out to, my niece, called me as Colibri and I were getting in my car to leave. It was so sweet to connect with her and show her the last bits of the sunset. And 2) after dropping Colibri off, I went by Propolis Brewing to pick up a delicious beer I’d had from them recently and the proprietor said, ‘Well, if you liked that one, you might like this one too!’ holding out a beer called—no joke— Zephyros. Ha! I, of course, bought it and it was delicious.”3

Well, we all replied with happy and incredulous responses, but it was the one from Finlandia that blew us all away:

“That's so great!  I have to share something that happened to me today.  I went to a friend's house for left-over turkey, and she said, ‘I don't want to use my normal plates.  Let's use these blue ones. The design is called Finlandia.’ In sync.”4

So while I am still filled with wonder about these particular synchronicities, it also makes perfect sense to me, because I know these are signs of the kind of heart-opening miracles that happen when one is aligned with soul purpose.

These are the kind of experiences the natural world wants you to have too.

December Offerings

Holidays Write & Sip at Finnriver Farm & Cidery (Sunday, 12/10, 1-3pm)

For those who want to write with the Write & Hike crew but would rather do it in a cozy setting with a warm mulled cider in-hand, this one’s for you! Finnriver offers the best of both worlds with gorgeous mountain views and tasty food/beverage options in a warm environment. We’ll play some goofy holiday-spirit writing games and toast each other in good cheer! $20 includes fun group writing activities and a mug of hot cider. REGISTER

Majestic Waterfalls Write & Hike (Sat 12/16, 10am - 5pm)

It’s not too late to sign up! This retreat is designed to accommodate all hiking and writing abilities, with mellow, short-distance walking paths as well as more strenuous hiking options for those who want a workout. No matter what activity level you chose, you will get gorgeous views of some of the eastern Olympics’ finest waterfalls. Please note that if you’d like the mellow version of this retreat, choose Waterfalls 1&2. REGISTER

Women’s Winter Writing Circle (6 sessions over 12 weeks)

Come deepen your writing practice and your connection to the natural world with other women who love writing and nature! Each week, we’ll be exploring a different natural-world theme with deep writing prompts, fun group exercises and sharing in Finnriver’s cozy indoor space. If you’ve been looking to develop a consistent writing practice with like-minded women in a supportive environment, this is the group for you! Every other Thursday from 5:30-7:30PM at Finnriver, starting 12/21.
REGISTER

Writing in the New Year (Saturday, 12/30 to Monday, 1/1)

If you’ve been feeling called to release 2023 and welcome 2024 in a meaningful way, this retreat promises to do just that! With mindful writing, meditative forest walks, breathwork, movement and music, we’ll be letting go of what no longer is working for us and welcoming in the creative abundance the new year! In the middle of old-growth cedars next to the Little Quilcene River, Zen River Retreat is a beautiful place to go deep in writing, nature and self. We’ve got just a few overnight and a handful of commuter spaces left, booking soon is recommended. REGISTER

Sending you great love from the winter elementals…
Carrie and the Nature Beings