(An image of myself, handling one of the largest owls of the day: The Urasian Eagle Owl.) For my 30th birthday this year, my mother surprised me with something extraordinary. She’s been on an “experiences over objects” kick for the past few years—believing that memories last longer than material gifts. And honestly? I agree with her now more than ever. This year’s experience was a 3–4 hour guided falconry experience. Out of respect for the organization’s privacy, I won’t be n

Wandering through nature has always been one of my greatest joys—but drawing comes close. Since middle school, I’ve been an artist of sorts: doodling in the margins of notebooks, sculpting in pottery class, and eventually diving into woodwork and illustration. My knack for it showed early, but more importantly, so did my love for it. These days, I’m almost entirely self-taught. The few drawing classes I took in school didn’t do much beyond reinforcing what I already knew. Aft

(An amazing photo of a partially frozen stream from 2016.) I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—I’m a nature-loving mess. My mom...

(A peaceful, forested path my Mother and I recently visited.) I love nature and the outdoors. I always have—my mother lovingly nicknamed...