I think I was a bear or another similar animal in a past life, because Winter has always caused me to slow down and go into deep introspection. I hibernate every year as much as I can: I don’t really socialize and most of my evenings are spent going to bed early. My days during Winter are spent working at the office or wanting to cuddle on my couch with my two cats and read voraciously. If I sit down to write, nothing comes from my mind to my hands; it lies dormant just beneath the surface, refusing to be unearthed. My Winter hibernation was maddening when I was younger, but I understand now that it is a necessary and intrinsic part of who I am: it is all part of the cycle that guides me.
With Spring just rounding the bend, I can feel the warmth slowing seeping back into my veins, my creativity is again blossoming and I am itching to create something or many things. My mind is slowly starting to unfurl and I am thinking again in the context of ideas and goals. The small peeks I can catch from Mother Nature like a bright blue sky and warm sunlight call to me; inhaling fresh Spring air invigorates me and inspires.
What will this year bring? I am still working out the details, but I know I want to do more posts here on WordPress and I also know I need to make some big decisions regarding the direction my writing will take. Until then, I will let Spring seep into my soul and breathe in the fresh clean air, letting Nature infuse me and jolt my senses awake again.
Published by evelinawood
I was lucky to have been born in the Hudson Valley, NY. My heart lies buried deep in my roots: the tract of immense acreage from New York City to the Adirondacks that is a treasure trove of American History beginning with the Native Indian tribes of the Algonquin and Iroquois to colonization, the Revolutionary War, to the Industrial Age and right up through to modern times. It is an area that has experienced profound change, yet still retains its majestic beauty.
I fell in love with Hudson Valley history at a young age. My hometown alone has three historic sites: the homes of Franklin D Roosevelt, the Vanderbilts and the Livingston Mills. As a young girl I imagined myself as a part of these homes and I was lucky to have teachers who flamed my passions for local history; they created an insatiable curiosity that has followed me throughout my life; inspiring me to learn more about all of the people who came before me.
My favorite time period is the Edwardian Era: the time of robber barons, railroad magnates and gilded lifestyles, encompassing the end of the Victorian Era until the First World War. Those who had money flaunted it profusely, and those who didn't suffered in unimaginable ways. The Hudson Valley experienced the contrast directly with the immense mansions built along the shores of the Hudson River to the immigrants arriving in New York City to make a new life in the United States.
My blog will provide glimpses of life in the Hudson Valley during this time by drawing on the historical research I am always working with and through the snippets of stories I am writing. I hope that my blog brings you enjoyment and a new perspective on a beautiful area so important to American History. Happy reading and thank you for taking the time to visit me!
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Evelina Wood 