September 11, 2025

Fireweed turns to cotton and the Wrangell Mountains change color. One by one, the businesses on main street go to sleep for the winter until finally, it’s my last day in McCarthy. Before we shuttle out to Anchorage, I have a chat with Tabi, a seasonal worker with 14 years of experience under her belt.

This episode takes a closer look at the ups and downs of a migratory life. Then, I pack my bags and get ready to fly to my next destination.

So you wanna try seasonal work? Cool Works is a great place to start.

August 12, 2025

I spend the morning getting some much-needed perspective on a flight through Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Then, I zoom in on the tallest mountain in the Wrangells and share a story about the first woman-led expedition in Alaska.

July 22, 2025: Fireweed is in full bloom, leaving bright purple splashes all over McCarthy, Kennicott, and the surrounding mountains. Meanwhile, I am recovering from a tequila soaked night that ended with a sprained ankle and a makeout on Main Street.

This episode is a midsummer peak at my diary as I write through my thoughts on wildfires, wildflowers, and wild women.

July 5, 2025: After working the busiest day of the year in McCarthy, I head up to the museum to have a chat with Patt Garrett.

Affectionately known around here as Grandma Patt, she shares about a woman who became a successful entrepreneur, land owner, and philanthropist in the early days of McCarthy.

What starts as a conversation about Kate Kennedy turns into a hilarious chat that weaves together the parallel lives of Patt and Kate.

So, what did it take for a woman to make her way in a man’s world? What does it take today?

July 7th, 2025: By day, they are your bartenders, housekeepers, cooks, and wilderness guides. But tonight, they tighten their corsets, pull up their suspenders, and transform into the town theatre company to tell the story of the ghosts of McCarthy.

But one ghost in particular has intrigued me since I got here- Rose. What started as a stroll through the McCarthy graveyard leads me to a chat with Hugh Hall, the playwright who is in town.

Set against the backdrop of Cheyenne painting a mural, Hugh and I have a coffee and a chat about the history of McCarthy and the women who made it here.

June 23, 2025

I am settling into my summer job as a barista in McCarthy and spend a day mining for stories up in Kennicott, all while wrestling with the idea of responsible story telling.

Do I have any right to form an opinion about a place that I will be leaving in three months? Can I avoid being just another content creator that scratches the surface without diving deep? Are my own experiences as a nomad, a creator, and a woman worth sharing?

Dive deeper into the history of the Kennicott River Valley through this interview with Margot Higgins and lots of other resources from the Wrangell Mountains Center.

“I’m back between villages, and everything’s still…”

June 12, 2025

Beads of sweat are forming on my lower back as I haul my bags through the streets of Chicago and off to an unexpected new destination.

In this episode, I stumble my way through another transition, hop on a plane, have a surprising cup of coffee, and cross a footbridge into the next chapter of The Hummingbird Chronicles.

So, do you wanna get out of here? Press play to come along for the ride!

How can we avoid burning out in times that never slow down or give us a break from the *unprecedented* events?

How can we use beauty as a remedy in a society that expects us to operate like robots?

This week, I had a chat about this with Liz Hackney. For the last six months, Liz and I have worked together on a media project for the Hub, a beautiful natural building and gathering place located in Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.

In this episode, I share about how the pandemic was the interrupter I needed to restructure my entire life. Then, I have a chat with Liz about her experience with burnout, how she built a bridge from her old life to her current one, and how we both have changed the way we think about work.

More on Burnout and Beauty

🔥 Liz Hackney is always creating and sharing beautiful things over at the Hub.

🔥 Anna Rose is leading a Burnout Rebellion right here on Substack.

🔥 Trisha Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry, believes that Rest is Resistance.

Some creators know exactly who they are and what they want to create from the beginning of their journey. But what about the rest of us poor creatives? What about those of us who can’t choose one thing because we have many different interests?

What about the hummingbirds?

I recently had a chat about this and many other divergent topics related to creativity with Alex Tuccitto. English teacher by day, freestyler by night, she is a wordsmith- and one of my favorite people to hang out with when I visit Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.

You’re invited to join us for a fun chat over a bottle of wine and a couple bowls of her homemade mac and cheese.

More Creativity and Cross-Pollination:

✏️The full creativity conversation between Austin Kleon and Lewis Howes

✏️ Liz Gilbert explaining the difference between a jackhammer and a hummingbird

✏️ Alex and Arune are fun and free women in their YouTube series Uneven Lanes

When you find yourself walking through a dark time, artists are the ones who will light your way through. We need those sensitive souls who protect the spark of creativity in themselves and use it to warm up their communities.

So, why do so many artists find themselves isolated, struggling, and barely scraping by?

This week, I spent a few days with a little community in Hyde Park. The Fireplace is a sanctuary that values activism, artists, and spiritual seekers.

In this episode, I have a cup of tea with Abby, a resident of the community, and share an ode to artists.

📍The Fireplace

More art, activism, and community care

🔥 The Fireplace is looking for new residents and connections! Visit their website to learn more or contact them to attend a community dinner on Tuesdays or Thursdays.

🔥 To hear more from Abby Rampone, check out her brand new Substack, Love in Community.

🔥 Watch The Greatest Night in Pop to see the making of “We are the World.”

🔥 Harry Belafonte’s thoughts on art and activism.