I Love The Outdoors Interview #11 - Marjorie Turner Hollman

There are so many great bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, and photographers out there creating amazing outdoor content on a daily basis.

Not only did I want to personally get to know them better, but I also wanted to explore outdoor influences and passion for nature.

Thus, we’ve launched the I Love The Outdoors Interview Series.

If you are interested in participating in the series, please contact us and let us know!

Marjorie Turner Hollman

Tell us a little about yourself. Please include only details you are comfortable sharing – How old are you? Where are you from? Where do you live now? Are you married? Kids?

I am 66. I was born in south Florida, came to New England for college (I was desperate to finally see snow!) and have remained here in Massachusetts since then.

I live in Bellingham, MA where I have lived the past forty or so years.

I am married and have two children (both grown) from my first marriage. Five grands who bring me great joy.

2. What is your favorite outdoor activity?

Cape Breton Celtic Shores coastal bike trail, Near Port Hastings, Cape Breton

A toss up between taking Easy Walks, riding our adaptive tandem bicycle, and paddling recreational kayaks.

3. Where is your favorite trail?

Hah! Usually the most recent one I have explored. The latest have been in Newfoundland.

Danny's trail near Port au Port, Newfoundland — Danny’s trail near Port au Port, Newfoundland

Favorite there would be the Harvey trail in Isle aux Morts, Newfoundland, a packed gravel coastal trail overlooking stunning cliffs along the shoreline.

4. Where is your favorite camping spot?

Again, usually the most recent one we have visited. We just came back from camping in Newfoundland, and fell in love with the southwest coast of the island, particularly the provincial campground at Lark Harbor, called “Blow me down” park.

As you might guess, it is often quite windy there. We found several Easy Walks out to coastal views and had a quick walk to the shoreline beach, where we stood on shore and watched a minke whale 20 yards off shore repeatedly surfacing.

5. What was your first outdoor memory as a kid?

Playing in our yard with neighbors. Our yard was the only one without built in lawn sprinklers so we could freely run and play without breaking our ankles.

6. Who was your biggest outdoor influence?

Probably my mom, a life long girl scout.

She loved swimming, bicycling, and camping and made sure we spent time every year with cousins and my grandmother at this grandmother’s beach house where we were free to run to the water and back, sail, canoe, water ski and swim.

7. What was your all-time best camping or hiking experience?

We recently camped on a cliff in Newfoundland next to islands just off shore that host half a million puffins.

We discovered a puffling (baby puffin) in our campground, unable to take off to get back to its burrow on the island.

We were able to contact the local university researcher (puffin patrol lady) to rescue the little guy.

Being up close to a young puffin and helping save him is a memory I will cherish forever.

Listening to the pelagic birds (kittiwakes and murres) on the island with the puffins was magical.

8. Who is your favorite person to camp or hike with?

My husband , who is always ready to find a new trail, get outdoors, and the person who taught me to use hiking poles, which opened up a world of possibilities for trails I can enjoy, despite having limited mobility in my right leg.

9. What is your favorite piece of gear and why?

See above—my hiking poles!

10. What do you love about the outdoors?

It simply makes me happy. Otherwise it is hard to describe.

I am always curious about what we can see in our outings, the same place in different seasons, how rain or drought affect our surroundings, what birds we see, other animals, picking berries in summer. It’s all good.

picking blueberries along the trail near Twillingate, Newfoundland Marjorie Turner Hollman — Picking blueberries along the trail near Twillingate, Newfoundland

11. What outdoor places are on your bucket list?

We would like to explore the walking trails of the English countryside.

12. What is your goal as an outdoor content creator? How can we support you and where can we find your content?

My hope (I am not really a goals person) is that my work can offer others encouragement to find ways that work for them to get outside in whatever capacity they can and find healing in those outdoor spaces.

My latest book, My Liturgy of Easy Walks: Finding the Sacred in everyday (and some very strange) places, details the journey.

I have traveled from being unable to walk across a room after life-saving brain surgery at age 37 to living with a restored measure of mobility and being able to explore outdoor places across the U.S. and overseas.

Because of my own physical challenges with mobility, that has mostly been my focus, but I have also been learning from others in the disability community about barriers people face with limited sight, limited energy, and other individual challenges.

I cannot prescribe anything that will work for everyone, but I can share what I learn and help open possibilities.

People can find my content at https://marjorieturner.com/category/blog-posts-easy-walks/

And links to all my books at Amazon author page

Marjorie – thanks for the great interview and participating in the I Love The Outdoors Interview!

If you are interested in participating and sharing your story, please contact us and let us know!

I Love The Outdoors Interview #11 – Marjorie Turner Hollman

Marjorie Turner Hollman

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