I used to rage against all the weeds in our yard. However, a few years ago I accidentally sprayed pesticide on a snail and I’ve hated myself ever since. So today, when I see a healthy patch of knotweed outside my writing window, I think of the little creatures–crickets, frogs, lizards–who might be thriving inside the oasis of green.
Recently, my embrace of wild things served as the theme for an essay about the intersection of gardening and writing (“Lost in the Weeds”) for the September-October issue of Poets & Writers. In other writing news, earlier this month I was stirred by actress Christina Applegate’s announcement of her M.S., and wrote a guest essay for the The Independent.
Where are your latest obsessions lurking? They may be in a journal entry or other assorted jottings. Let’s find out! Consider joining me on October 12 for Fueling the Fires: Journal as Inspiration, a special Zoom Workshop hosted by Charlotte Lit. In this session, I’ll lead a discussion on the many options available for journaling as well as techniques for transforming these scribbles into polished stories, essays, or poems. Hope to see you there!
Ashley Memory 