Note to Reader: The videos in this series were captured during my 1,000-mile hiking quest in the summer of 2024. You can read more about that journey in my book The Woman on the Ferry: A Journey of 1,000 Miles to Redefine Success and Discover Joy.
Dear friends,
Thank you for coming along on this journey as I shared 60-second nature videos and invited you to walk beside me through 1,000 miles of hiking adventures. Your comments and support have kept me moving forward.
Today I’m offering you a special video: three minutes of sunset over Eastman Lake in Raymond, California—the place where I reached my 1,000th mile. It feels right to close this chapter of Nature Listening Points here, where one journey ended and another began.
Where am I headed?
This year turned out to be a year of challenges, introspection, and growing clarity. The new year calls for yet another experiment in this beautiful adventure called life. It’s time to trade full-time RV living for something more rooted—a permanent community.
After 5½ years on the road, I’ve learned that “home” isn’t about a house or a place. It’s about being part of a community where friends have your back, laughter flows freely, and new connections bloom naturally.
As I set plans in motion to return to Virginia, I knew I didn’t want the boredom of the traditional suburbs, the anonymity of the city, or the isolation of the countryside. I could never have predicted that a scouting trip to Uruguay would crystallize a new dream: building a cottage court community in the Blue Ridge mountains. A place of small houses and generous front porches. A sanctuary where your morning tea looks out on a beautiful courtyard lovingly tended by neighbors who become friends.
I’d love you to join me on this next adventure.
I’m starting from scratch to create Blue Ridge Cottage Court, and honestly, I have no idea how this story will unfold. That’s part of the magic. Come along for the ride by subscribing to Cottage Court Chronicles.
Like every sunset in our lives, the dark gives way to a new sun rising in the east. Thank you for letting me share the incredible beauty I’ve witnessed over these years.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a new year filled with clarity, purpose, and love.
All the best,
Brenda
🍃Nature Listening Points is free and accessible to all. If you'd like to support this journey, I gladly accept trail snacks (contribute here).
