Category Archives: Nature writing in the USA

Alexander Wilson: Father of American Ornithology

Posted on March 6, 2012 by inga

The second of the three great naturalists who influenced the development of American nature writing was Alexander Wilson. In 1794, aged twenty-eight, Wilson emigrated from Scotland, where he had been a none-too-successful weaver, reformer, painter and peddler and poet. Wilson scored a … Continue reading →

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Wolf moss

Posted on April 26, 2011 by inga

Wolf moss, or Lutharia Vulpina, is not moss at all; it’s a lichen. And vulpina is Latin for fox, so the common name is, at first glance, all wrong. As my sense of the northern hemisphere is largely powered by fairy … Continue reading →

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Nature Writing in the U.S. Part 3: Climbing Mt Jumbo

Posted on April 19, 2011 by inga

I sleep beneath Mt Jumbo. The trailhead is right at the end of the street from Blossom’s Bed and Breakfast, my home away from home in Missoula, Montana. From there, it’s a steep climb, with several ‘switchbacks’ (where trail cuts back … Continue reading →

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Nature Writing in the U.S. Part Two: out writing horses

Posted on April 18, 2011 by inga

I’m  having trouble writing in Montana; I have been in class in the mornings and all those mountains call to be climbed rather than described in the afternoons. As a result, I’ve uploaded more pictures and memories than words. I’m in … Continue reading →

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Nature Writing in the US: Part One – gum trees in L.A.

Posted on April 13, 2011 by inga

Los Angeles is not necessarily the first place that comes to mind for a nature writing tour. Nonetheless, it’s where my American nature writing journey begins. Flying in, mountains much higher than I remembered pushed through cloud: floating islands lit up by the … Continue reading →

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