Revisiting places and people that we love

Rougemont, which roughly translates to "Red Hill" in French, is aptly named. This petite hill (highest point is 1,280 feet) is located in the apple cider region of Monterégie, Quebec. If you don't have a great point of reference, this is roughly 45 minutes drive East of Montreal. Often, when I think of Rougemont, I think about the red Geneva crabapples (Malus purpurea) and their red flesh. This high-acidity apple is often blended with other sweeter apples to make a Rosé-style pink cider in this region.

Curiously, Rougemont with its granite rock surfaces is a singular hill to be seen for miles within the wide, rolling plains of this landscape. It is said that Rougemont is a volcano formation that was developed about 125 million years ago.

To hike there, you must pay a small entrance fee at the tasting room of this well-respected cidery: Michel Jodoin. Whilst most hiking spots are cared for via public land trusts, it is the cider-making Jodoin family that owns this land. I thought to myself, this seems almost quintessentially Provençal, as it is not a uncultivated wilderness here.

Here we have a French-Canadian agriculturist and wine-maker continues his family name from many generations of settlement by making apple cider. And on the land that his forebearers claimed, he also stewards this land as a naturalist. He is said to hike his own hill, and perhaps he is the one who has trailblazed it literally by tying orange plastic markers and nailing directional to the trees. The Jodoin family also maintains signs that educate hikers of the rare plants, animals and habitat hidden away on Rougemont.

I was introduced to this hiking spot last year, on Father's Day, June 15, 2025. As it happens, my in-laws live 10 minutes away from this place, and my father-in-law was Michel Jodoin's professor. Also quite funny, on our most recent visit, my father-in-law opened up a 2008 bottle of a cassis-apple cider that he made at home, but it was stored in a Michel Jodoin bottle. The two of them are interlinked, but they never see each other.

On both June days in 2025 and now in 2026, we hiked on Rougemont.
On last year's Father's day, there was local music, cold cider and poutine. The poutine was extra special: chunky French fries, local cheddar cheese curds, and melted down with hot beef brisket and house BBQ sauce. We sat together at a picnic table to slow down and savor the flavors of this place, while a local musician played Quebecois folk songs. This place embodied the definition of the "bon vivant/e" or a person who lives the good life.

This year, we came back once again to Rougemont, but on a Monday. Whilst there was no live music or food trucks, we enjoyed the wilderness instead. We found mushrooms on decaying logs, intricate spider webs in rock crevices and gnarls on trees, which sparked "I wonder..." questions as we hiked. As well: we found ourselves recalling a few places and saying, "I remember this."

This is the meaning of revisiting a place that you have been before. The place doesn't have to be somewhere faraway, like Rougemont. It could be in your backyard. Ask yourself, what do you love about this place? The place may change from year to year. Perhaps as you revisit, you will notice something new that you didn't notice before.

☀️ What places do you love that you are revisiting this summer? Weigh in by leaving a comment or email me with your thoughts!

In this newsletter
🗞️Nature news round-up
📖 In my sketchbook
🎫 Upcoming events
🤝Help and resources

🗞️Nature news round-up
How do Venus Flytraps shut so fast? – Venus flytraps and carnivorous plants have been the subject of many horror movies...but here's the science behind them. PS: Check out the included BBC video! It's amazing! Read more.

Scientists are trying to refreeze the arctic – Is there yet hope for climate change? The idea to recuperate sea ice seems wild, and it's way more complicated than making shaved ice for dessert. But it's worth the attempt, since summer sea ice has shrunk by 40% in the last 45 years, and this may mean much hotter summers by the 2030s. There is no better time than now to intervene. Read more.

Love Notes to Nature in the news: This month, Love Notes to Nature was featured in Design Feast. In the article, Clara describes why this project is important for stewardship and investing in your personal interests. Read more.

This month's nature news is brought to you by our summer intern, Arianne Ly.

📖In my sketchbook: Story-catching at the Santa Clara Library

Last month, I hosted a Storycatching workshop with the Santa Clara City Library. Previously, I've facilitated many workshops to help corporate teams to collaborate with one another. It felt good to do this in my community space, and we had all ages of patrons building their story-sharing and listening skills with the library event.

What is story-catching? Think of it as creating community story bank. The stories are never linear, but rather, co-created from many different viewpoints to arrive at multiple layers of meaning at the end.

To make it simpler for this group, we started with a nature poem, "Kyoto in March" by Gary Snyder. This had a dual effect: everyone got a headstart on their summer reading and the poem helped us to gain a shared viewpoint for our story-catching.

Then, in smaller groups of 3, we talked about what it meant to relate the poem to events or moments we recalled in our own lives.

We discussed the feeling of being in the arms of a loved one, or the dread of waking up on a Monday morning. We also talked about the comfort of tasting warm food on a bitter cold day. Each time we co-created a new story together, we slowed down and appreciated the story.

The group walked away with renewed meaning and connection to one another and to nature. I saw strangers become friends. Some of them hugged each other goodbye as we parted from the event.

If you know of a group that could benefit from this approach, this is one of my offerings that I think can benefit teams and non-profits. I also want to keep offering it, and so if you know of a group who needs it, reach out to me to inquire or share this newsletter.

🎫Upcoming events

[July 17, 2026] 10 Minute Walk and Nature Journaling 📍Santa Clara, CA| RSVP on their website
In this community event, discover the transformative power of "tiny habits" in this introductory session on nature journaling and mindful movement. Whether you are looking to slow down or deepen your connection to the local environment, this workshop offers a practical, accessible approach to observing the world around you. If you're local and seeking community, join us! |

[July 25, 2026] Save the date for Nature Journaling Club | 📍Fremont, CA |
Stay tuned for more details
Our next nature journaling event will be at Coyote Hills in Fremont from 11 to 1 a.m. This spot features a Nectar Garden as well as easy trails through the marshlands. There are many interesting things to record in your nature journal. The event details will be out soon. For now, you are the first to know.

[July 29, 2026] Let's make a Summer Zine | 📍Via Zoom at 9 a.m. | Sign up via Lu.ma
Let's keep the summer vibes going! Your brain may have so many tabs open from all of the different things that you're doing. Sometimes, one of the best ways to close those tabs is to give them a place and voice on paper to file it away.

I'm offering a new workshop to show you how to record some of your summer memories, to-do lists, or anything else that will help you to enjoy the rest of your summer through nature journaling. This is a flexible, pay-what-you-like event. Suggested amount is $30.

What tools should I use? Please visit my Blick page for a list of recommended tools and sketchbooks. When you purchase through this page, it really helps me and my family to continue this work.

🤝Help and resources
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