If you’ve been following A Scenic Route for any length of time, you’ll know that I scope out all kinds of cool places to write. I’d like to share one of them today. The daffodil glade at the Morton Arboretum only blooms for about a week, so I have to be quick or I’ll miss it. This year I brought my camera along.
It’s become somewhat of a ritual for me to mark progress in my writing journey with a visit this magical place. Here’s what it looks like as, with my notebook and pens tucked into my backpack, I venture onto the path hoping for inspiration and words.
I follow the winding trail and come upon bunches of yellow daffodils, scattered like Mother Nature’s lemon drops, interspersed with another variety displaying the colors of sunshine and cream .
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Feeling as if I’ve stepped into an Impressionist painting, I find flowers stretching in all directions, asserting that spring is really here to stay!
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Sometimes I come back with words in my notebook, sometimes I don’t, but always I am happier when I’ve visited my little sanctuary from the craziness of modern life. Here, no matter what changes life brings me, the daffodils return with the spring for their brief but brilliant display.
Where do you go to seek out inspiration? Do you have rituals for your writing?
That does look like a cool place to write. A shame it only blooms for a week 🙁
That makes it all the more special though!
It’s really amazing to sit amidst all those flowers, and you can’t beat the cool spring breezes. 🙂
Hi Kirsten, I am constantly inspired by the countryside round my home and I normally write with a view of trees, fields and open skies so sometimes I feel a need to reverse your process and take a notebook to crowded, urban places. I sit and observe, making notes about behaviour patterns and, occasionally, jotting down snippets of conversation; I am not sure it is inspirational but it is certainly educational.
I’ll bet you’d love to write in airports then! For some reason, sitting among people all going somewhere different can really get my story words flowing.
It might be all about the contrasts, sometimes pastoral, sometimes urban, to shake things up. 🙂
I should probably be drawing so much inspiration from outdoor places near me. Longwood Gardens in PA blooms all year round as the staff rotates the foliage and flora, plus the enormous, stunning Conservatory. But I’m a sap- 95% of what I write is put down right here at my desk. Raised in Vermont, I think I’m still in reaction mode!
Hi Will,
Welcome to A Scenic Route!
I do write at my desk most of the time too. But once in a while I like to take my words on the road. Longwood Gardens sounds like a wonderful place to visit. 🙂
I love daffodils. Beautiful, happy flowers.
Me too, Rebecca! How can anyone be sad when surrounded by daffodils?
What a beautiful place. I bought a digital recorder for times like this so I can save my ideas when I get them.
What a great idea! I love the low-tech feel of pen on paper, because once in a while I’ll sketch something in between my words (these are for me, so they don’t have to be good!) but a recorder is one more way to grab hold of an idea before it drifts away.
And I really hate when that happens!
We are so fortunate to have the foothills of the Rockies for our inspiration. This year the surrounding farms, towns, and foothills are emerald green, a rare treasure for us. I’ve been on the back deck under new leafed trees, thinking about writing, taking a few notes, and reading. It’s wonderful, this sef imposed vaca from “what do I write next” pressure.
That sounds so idyllic, Nancy! Any chance we can check out your back deck scenery over at Nancy H. Doyle sometime?
Reading is a great way to refill the well. So often I can trace back a story idea as an amalgamation of some books that I read and loved.
Don’t laugh, but for me the ideal place is still McDonalds, Starbucks (or any coffee shop – except for the ones in Amsterdam, ahem 🙂
I love it there because I get free WiFi and those places are generally never quiet – and feeding off the place’s energy is what keeps me going.
Your field of dreams *does* look very cool, though. Perhaps I should give it a go one of these days 🙂
I’ll bet you have some awesome writing hideouts in Hawaii!
But I can dig a good coffee shop too. They’re especially cozy in the winter. WiFi, coffee, ambience, sometimes even a fireplace … What more could a writer want? 🙂
The photos are just gorgeous… perfect inspiration for writing.
Thanks, Tania! A place so lovely should be shared. 🙂
WOW! What a GORGEOUS place 🙂
xx
The pictures don’t even begin to do it justice. It’s magical!
Oh no, it definitely comes across as being a magical place….im so jealous! 😉
xx