Photo: Mikala Gallo
Enjoy a creative retreat day in a beautiful outdoor setting, or come to a single workshop focusing on writing OR movement in conversation with the natural world we are part of.
On Saturday, August 16 from 10 AM–12 PM and/or 1–3 PM, join Chocorua Lake Conservancy at Chocorua Park in Chocorua Village for Writing with the Natural World with Louise Wrobleski from 10 AM–12 PM and Moving with the Natural World with Suzanne Birdsall-Stone from 1–3 PM. These sessions, while distinct, are in conversation—offering parallel invitations to listen, create, and move with the natural world. You are welcome to join us for one or the other, or come to both and enjoy a creative retreat day in Chocorua. Both workshops are suitable for teenagers and adults, and no previous experience is necessary for either.
Writing with the Natural World, 10 AM–12 PM
Arrive with childlike curiosity and a willingness to spend the morning immersed in the wisdom of nature. Explore and discover how the natural world communicates through patterns, signals, changes, and the invisible threads that connect us all. During our time together we will:
Collect words of nature
create a phenology wheel, a visual tool used to track and record cyclical changes in nature over time, as a springboard for writing
use sketching and writing to tap into the ‘unseen’ of the earth and the wild.
Moving with the Natural World, 1–3 PM
Through simple, accessible practices, we will move with the natural world, discovering its textures, rhythms, and quiet invitations alone and with others. Explore the landscape and its treasures at the Chocorua Park and Dam. Leave with a deeper sense of place and a fuller expression of your body’s own nature.
Dress to be comfortable outdoors, sitting and moving, and bring water, snacks and/or lunch. You might also like to bring sun and/or bug protection. Paper and writing and drawing materials will be provided, and you are also welcome to bring your own.
This program is free to CLC members, $10 suggested donation for non-members, and space is limited. Please register in advance above so that we can let you know of any changes to the schedule; you will need to register for each workshop separately. Storm date is Sunday, August 17.
Suzanne Birdsall-Stone has followed the thread of movement exploration as a pathway to authentic connection with self and others throughout her adult life. She creates welcoming spaces where people can explore their own and shared organic form. She is currently training as a Mettler-based improvisation teacher.
Louise Wrobleski has spent a lifetime nurturing the written word from preschool classrooms to university settings. She is dedicated to a daily practice of writing and art, and gently invites others to join her in making space for creative reflection. Rooted in a deep, relational connection with the Earth, her work honors the ways the natural world speaks through us and to us. A quiet catalyst for community, she offers regular opportunities for people to gather, write, and share. She currently co-facilitates the Mountains to the Sea writing group for the Cook Memorial Library.
Banner image: Art from the Life at Chocorua Lake crankie.