Thursday, June 20, 2019

“Nature Writing in Your Own Backyard”

Presented by Kelly Smith Trimble

Expanding our concept of “nature” or “environment” also expands opportunities for nature writing. By embracing our backyard gardens, our ingredients for dinner, and even our pets as elements of the natural world, we open up new avenues for writing about nature and our daily experience of it. And just as writing about wild nature urges reflection on larger questions, ascribing meaning to everyday nature can help us consider meaning in our everyday experiences.

In this class, we explore:

• How we define and can redefine nature
• Traditional examples and themes of nature writing
• New examples and themes of nature writing
• A natural scientist's approach to understanding the world
• Opportunities for writing about the kind of nature we experience daily

Kelly Smith Trimble is an editor, writer, and gardener living in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her book Vegetable Gardening Wisdom, a collection of seasonal advice and inspiration for edible gardeners, was released in April, 2019. Kelly is currently the digital editorial director for HGTV and Travel Channel, and she has also been a writer and editor for Southern Living, the National Park Foundation, and other lifestyle media. She earned a B.A. in English with Concentration in Environmental Studies from Sewanee: The University of the South, and an M.S. in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Writing and Communications from Green Mountain College. Her poetry has been published in the online journal Wordpeace.

A master gardener, she grows vegetables, herbs, and flowers in her suburban backyard and loves cooking and preserving.