No matter the level of independence you seek, you are far from it. — After almost 11 weeks of tent camping in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I see that in America, the concept of “self-reliance” is near impossible. No matter how much we seek to attempt escape from dependance and reliance on the outside world, “they” still have their claws in our wallets…

There’s no such thing as a normal day, even if you’re in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Antarctica, or here in the United States. — This is the prize recipe for a wonderful Thanksgiving. The primary ingredients are you! Be in the moments of the day. Stop. Sit. Listen. Look. Taste new things. Breathe in deep. Remember those stimuli. …

No longer in the woods of Upper Michigan, but heading back ASAP! 13-Weeks-Four-Days Tent Camping in the UP There were some who said my eight-year-old Great Pyrenees, Maycee, and I would not last a week tent camping on my dad’s land in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We lasted 13 weeks and had the time of…

It’s almost never too late try something new in life. — Greetings, this time from Montgomery, Alabama. Maycee, my Great Pyrenees, and I spent 13 weeks and four days tent camping on my dad’s land in Upper Michigan this summer. For the now, we are visiting family in Montgomery, Alabama. My Mom, the Bravest Tent Camper of All To my utmost surprise, my mom, 70-plus, drove from here in Montgomery to Marquette, Michigan in two…

I’m working on my novel again because I’ve been reading. — If you’re not writing, you’re also not reading. The two go hand-in-hand together. Like peanut butter and jelly. You can eat a peanut butter sandwich without jelly, or jelly without PB, but the magic doesn’t happen until you lather the bread with both. In the same way, you can write…

I’m disabled, an INTJ, stuck, can’t work regular hours, and 10 weeks of tent camping in Upper Michigan is healing my psyche. — Important Factors Involving My Story I began seeing a Christian counselor during the process of my first divorce in 2004. Off and on throughout the years, I’ve remained a patient. We have done lots of cognitive behavioral therapy. I’ve done Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages most every day since 2014; four years after the second divorce.

The plan for the long winter in the UP of Michigan — My eight-year-old Great Pyrenees, Maycee, and I are in our 10th week of tent camping on family woodlands in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The deciduous leaves are beginning to change colors. They don’t all look like a blend of fire-colored wonder as yet, but we’re not far away. And…

When you join Medium, you can write and read all you want; and you help me earn a small commission and when you read. — You, my Medium-reading family, friends, acquaintances, are a few clicks away from being able to post your on content on Medium and read about any topic you can imagine. When you use my referral link, https://donaldjclaxton.Medium.com/membership, you also help me earn a portion of your monthly membership fee, plus, when…

Attention those on blood thinners, working with dangerous tools. — Editor’s Note: This is not a product endorcement, but rather a strong suggestion about what you might need to add to your first aid kit. Of course, consult your personal physician before using any new medicines to ensure there are not complications. When I sliced into my left palm Sunday…