“Between every two pine trees there is a door leading to a new way of life.” ~ John Muir.
Writer and artist Giulietta Nardone will lead a free workshop, Nature Writing at Warren Woods, Ashland, Mass., on Saturday, May 20, 9:30 a.m. to noon. The workshop is funded in part by a Boston Athletic Association Invitational Numbers grant.
The workshop is limited to 15 participants and open to anyone over 12 years of age. Participants are asked to bring: a notebook, pens, a folding chair, a beverage to drink and sun/bug protection. Pre-registration is required. Call Nardone at 508-380-8799 or email at [email protected]. For more information, visit Giulietta the Muse, giuliettathemuse.com/life-shops/nature-writing-at-warren-woods.
Participants will meet at Warren Woods, across from the FSU Warren Conference Center. The class will start with a short nature walk, read nature essays, discuss their relationship with nature, and write, inspired by the surrounding beauty. Light refreshments and a list of places that publish nature stories will be provided.
“Nature writing invites you to step out of the nonstop rush to nowhere and into the quiet places of your own heart and soul,” Nardone said. “Sitting under the sky and trees, you will be invited to reflect on your current journey. Where are you going? Where do you want to go?”
This program is inspired by two important local Henrys: Henry Thoreau of Concord and Henry Warren of Ashland.
“Henry Thoreau was considered the father of the personal nature essay,” Nardone explained. “To this day, his method of direct field observation, passionate voice and love of nature influence the nature writers that have followed. Henry Warren was the father of Ashland’s open space and the long-time owner of Warren Woods, where we will meet. His said, ‘Life outdoors in the beautiful country half way between Boston and Worcester in the Town of Ashland is the nearest approach to heaven that I know.’”
Nardone has been leading local and on-line writing programs since 2008. Her columns and stories have been published in places such as The Christian Science Monitor, Chicken Soup For The Soul, theBoston Globe, Skirt! Magazine, Common Ties and the Metrowest Daily News and broadcast on NPR.