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January Editor’s Letter
Often as adults, when the temperatures drop, we tend to want to hibernate, staying toasty and warm inside our homes. Children, on the other hand, as soon as snow begins to fall, beg to suit up and play outside. When my kids were young, all it would take is a slight dusting of snow before the sleds came out and the small hill in the back of our yard was turned into a muddy mess. I’d have to plead with them to come in and warm up.
I have such fond memories of taking my children on winter hikes. The world just looks different with a fresh blanket of snow. Everything seems crisper and more defined. There’s a quietness about hiking in the winter that makes it all the more magical. Our family winter hikes mostly center around the Canaan Valley area—from Dolly Sods and Blackwater Falls to Camp 70 Road and the Canaan Wildlife Preserve—but after reading our story on page 26, I plan to make an effort to expand my radius. I also intend to pay special attention to looking for tracks from bobcats, coyotes, and raptors. Our story “Where the Wild Tracks Are” on page 16 is fascinating.
First Day Hikes in our state parks are a great way to kick off the New Year with a healthy intention. Last January, I recall that I declared that 2024 was my year of “No.” I was supposed to say “no” to extraneous projects. No more stress. No more negativity. No distractions. I told myself that I was going to set better boundaries so that I could say “Yes” to the things that mattered most to me.
I wish I could report that my year of “No” was a resounding success. It wasn’t. But I’m going to give it another shot. I’m armed with another tool this time around. I have created a checklist that projects, speaking engagements, and commitments have to answer before I say
“Yes” to them. There are many things that I do that are important to refill my tank—like spending time outdoors away from the constant connectedness of my phone. By asking myself questions like, “Does this help me live a healthier, more active lifestyle?” or “Does this help me in my mission of changing perceptions of West Virginia?” I hope I can better decide which things I need to make a priority.
January is a time of reflection and a time of projection. Where have we been and where do we want to go? Those questions are important for us to ask ourselves, but even more important is coming up with a plan on how to accomplish your goal—and then doing it. I hope one of your New Year’s resolutions is to enjoy our wild and wonderful outdoors, and we will make sure we provide you with plenty of inspiring options on how to do just that.
Happy New Year!
Nikki
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