Writing Inspiration with a Staycation

Several years ago, I wrote a Literary Mama blog post about using travel to find writing inspiration, but this year, we’re not traveling. We’re being quite dull and saving money for what I consider a very uninspiring and also anxiety-producing endeavor: a kitchen remodel. 

But that doesn’t mean there is nothing to write about. 

I recently finished reading a biography of poet Jane Kenyon, titled Jane Kenyon: The Making of a Poet by Dana Greene. Kenyon lived and wrote about the natural beauty of her home in New Hampshire where she gardened and took walks with her dog. She traveled, of course, over the course of her adult life, but most of her work was focused on her local community and her acreage. She wrote about her interior life and spirituality, and there is always something to mine on those topics in each of us. 

This summer, I’m growing more flowers and vegetables from seed. I enjoy watching the wildlife explore my attempts at a critter-friendly backyard habitat. And I’m trying to see more places in my community that I’ve ignored for far too long, such as a new-to-me trail at the nearby historic homestead that features one of the oldest white oak trees in Kentucky. 

Sometimes a staycation can be a nice reset for one’s brain, body, and writing life, a chance to pull back, clear the fog, and rediscover the wealth right below our feet and within our easy grasp.