Walks
As a writer and professor of environmental studies, my work focuses on the connections between spaces, health, and history. Walking is not only a means of physical exercise but also a meditative activity that promotes clarity and well-being. It encourages us to slow our pace which allows us to notice the intricate details of our surroundings: The patterns on a leaf, the movement of a bird, architectural details such as a carving on a building, the smell of freshly cut grass, the feel of a gentle breeze, or people going about their daily routines that offers us a glimpse into their lives and community.
As we walk, we enter into a dialog with our surroundings and uncover layers of history that enrich our understanding of the present. Walking is a simple yet profound act that nourishes body, mind, and soul and invites us to explore the world with curiosity and wonder.
I’m now on Substack! Rooted in walking, Fieldnote Fridays arrives in your inbox once a week — a photo (often a Polaroid) and a short reflection from a walk; a glimpse of the world as I saw it that week. Small, poetic entries — part diary, part field guide. I hope you’ll join me. Subscribe for free and walk along.
street in Tivoli, NY; Hudson River, Clermont State Park; trail at Greig Farm, Red Hook, NY; January in Tivoli, NY; view of the Hudson from Bannerman Castle; October in Red Hook, NY; the Swamp Haus near Milan, NY; Winter light, Poets' Walk; the Catskills in September; ice storm in January 2022, Clermont State Park; dock near Saugerties Lighthouse; view of the Hudson from Rokeby
I love going for walks and hikes where I live, in the Hudson Valley. Nature's beauty here is truly mesmerizing. The river, forests, and mountains all reveal new facets of the region’s natural and cultural history every time I walk them.
For Walk Her Way, a book project with co-author Kaitlyn Allen, we curated ten walks through New York City, each of them along women's history. These walks, featuring beautiful maps by illustrator Aja O'Han, guide you through neighborhoods such as Brooklyn, Chinatown, Harlem, and Greenwich Village. Each route highlights significant sites connected to the contributions and stories of remarkable women, offering a unique way to explore the city's rich cultural tapestry. Whether you're strolling through historic streets or discovering hidden gems, these walks invite you to engage with New York City's dynamic heritage from a fresh perspective.
I am truly grateful for this project and the opportunity to work and walk with two of my dearest friends—Kaitlyn Allen, my co-author, and Aja O'Han, our talented illustrator. They have made this endeavor extra special.
Title: Walk Her Way New York City. A Walking Guide To Women's History
Publisher: Hardie Grant
Publication Date: February 4, 2025
Walk with us @walk.her.way
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Riverside Park, Upper West Side; Audrey Munson, Manhattan Bridge; Strecker Memorial Laboratory on Roosevelt Island; plaque on Hannah Arendt’s home on Riverside Drive; a door on W 137th St in Harlem; Pell Street in Chinatown; Kaitlyn and me in Washington Square Park; Marianne Moore’s home in Greenwich Village; a path in Central Park with a view of Central Park S
Walk Her Way are self-guided walks. You don’t need your phone, as directions are given for each stop and all walks are accompanied by a map.
All walks have between 10 and 15 stops and take between 3 hours and half a day, depending on how much time you spend at each stop. Of course, you can also shorten them and only walk part of the route or add a museum visit to make a full day of it.
I hope our walks inspire you to discover the hidden stories of your surroundings, embrace the beauty of exploration, and deepen your connection to the world around you.
2025 Ascienzo Naturalist-in-Residency
I am honored to be named the 2025 Ascienzo Naturalist-in-Residence at the Red Hook Public Library in New York. Over the past six years, I have had the privilege of calling the Hudson Valley my home. Its landscapes—the river, forests, and mountains—have become deeply meaningful to me, shaping both my work and daily life. This region has a way of awakening the senses and inspiring creativity, and I look forward to sharing that experience with you. Over the course of six nature walks, we will explore the beauty of spring through art and poetry. Walking is one of the simplest yet most profound ways to engage with the world around us, and together, we will use this practice to slow down, observe, and reflect on the season’s renewal. No prior experience in art-making or writing is required—just curiosity and a willingness to explore.
Program Schedule:
Monday, March 31, 6 PM – Red Hook Library
Monday, April 14, 6 PM – Poets’ Walk
Saturday, April 19, 2 PM – Ozone at Greig Farm
Monday, April 28, 6 PM – Clermont
Saturday, May 3, 2 PM – Old Growth Forest, Bard College
Monday, May 12, 6 PM – Cookingham Trail
Friday, May 16, 5 PM – Final Exhibit, Red Hook Library
More information can be found here and you can register for the program through the library calendar here.
Ralph Waldo Emerson,
how to take a walk
❧
John Ashbery
Just Walking Around
What names do I have for you?
Certainly there is no name for you
In the sense that the stars have names
That somehow fit them. Just walking around,
An object of curiosity to some,
But you are too preoccupied
By the secret smudge in the back of your soul
To say much, and wander around,
Smiling to yourself and others.
It gets kind of lonely
But at the same time off-putting,
Counterproductive, as you realize once again
That the longest way is the most efficient way,
The one that looped among islands, and
You always seemed to be traveling in a circle.
And now that the end is near
The segments of the trip swing open like an orange.
There is light in there, and mystery and food.
Come see it. Come not for me but it.
But if I am still there, grant that we may see each other.
❧
❧
Søren Kierkegaard,
I have walked myself into my best thoughts
portrait photo: AnneRaft Photography