Walking through the woods is perhaps my favorite activity of all, and there is no better experience (in my opinion) than walking through the woods in winter.
The space. The silence. The biting cold. All of it crackles with a kind of energy, a nudge towards contemplation and reflection.
Yet, in a recent conversation, I was reminded that winter can be very, very different depending on where you live. So, today, in the first of what I hope is many collaborative episodes, I am sharing a conversation with nature field recordist Nick McMahan about the varied experiences of winter.
Nick is a nature field recordist from Washington State. He has worked closely with acclaimed acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton, Offspring Film, Audible Sleep Sound, and numerous independent collaborations. The Director of Quiet Trails for Quiet Parks International (QPI), Nick’s recording experience ranges internationally from extreme cold, tropical rainforests, mountains to deserts. Specializing in soundscape, ambiance, and unusual sound, leads Nick to become a better listener and observer of the world.
Together, we walk through the winter woods discussing
- The transformative effects of wind
- Lying on a frozen lake at night listening to owls hoot in the background
- Cozying up to a campfire under the winter night sky
- Expansion, contraction, fracturing, and growing
- The power of taking in the whole rather than breaking everything up into pieces
At the end, we listen to a full journey through the woods inviting you to reflect on your own experience of winter and how that is reflected within your internal landscape.
Learn more about Nick and listen to his recordings here:
https://www.nickcmcmahan.com
https://www.instagram.com/nickcmcmahan
https://www.youtube.com/@nickmcmahan
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