WHY I WAKE EARLY

Mary Oliver’s book of poems Why I Wake Early is a tribute to the aspects of her life that inspire her to greet the dawn. I also find joy in early mornings, and will use this blog to share the stories and scraps of wisdom I collect and that keep me enthusiastic to get up each new day.

Disclaimer: The content of this website is mine alone and does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or the Nepal Government.

Why I Wake Early
by Mary Oliver

Hello, sun in my face.
Hello, you who make the morning
and spread it over the fields
and into the faces of the tulips
and the nodding morning glories,
and into the windows of, even, the
miserable and crotchety–

best preacher that ever was,
dear star, that just happens
to be where you are in the universe
to keep us from ever-darkness,
to ease us with warm touching,
to hold us in the great hands of light–
good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day
in happiness, in kindness.

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Hello! Hola! Namaste!

Born the in the redwoods of Northern California, I moved to Moscow, ID to study Fishery Resources at the University of Idaho, and then to Costa Rica for 9 months to study Environmental Sciences and Spanish. I am passionate about food and water security across the globe, and on March 30th, 2017, I will be moving to Nepal for 27 months as a Crop and Nutrition Education Peace Corps Volunteer.

In my free time, you can catch me tramping through the wilderness, hosting potlucks, barn dancing, or exploring via bike.

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Aquaculture Adventures Part 1

Finally, I have taken a step back from the roller coaster that has been the last 8 months to reflect on my Peace Corps fish pond project....

Finding Fulfillment from Fish

If you had asked me four years ago what my dream job was, it would be to work in Nepal doing reforestation with women's groups and if...

Taste of Nepal

Fueled by Michael Pollan documentaries and scary climate change articles, my interest in eating locally sourced food grew over the years...

A day in the life; ceiling fan

Many years before joining the Peace Corps, I read the book Living Poor: A Peace Corps Chronicle by Moritz Thomsen. His accounts of having...

The Rice Dance

Nepali culture is as diverse as its landscapes, but this complex society seems to revolve around a single commodity: rice. In various...

My Name is Nadi

Mero naam Nadi ho. My name is Nadi. In Nepali, it means river. It is a wonderful tradition that many Peace Corps Volunteers take on a...

Garden Days

The Nepali calender is based off of the lunar cycle, and very different than the calender I have grown up using. The Nepali New Year was...

Big Welcomes and Big Spiders

After a three-day adventure over the pacific ocean, Nepal Peace Corps group 204 arrived in Kathmandu exhausted but elated to be in our...

Countdown to March 30th

In September, 2016, I made a last minute decision to apply to the Peace Corps. A month later, I was accepted as a Nutrition Education and...

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Past Adventures

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Costa Rica

Nine months of Pura Vida while studying abroad in Costa Rica.

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4K for Cancer

My summer of 2016 cross country bike ride to raise and awareness for young adults with cancer.

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WHY I WAKE EARLY

Why I Wake Earlyby Mary Oliver

Hello, sun in my face.Hello, you who make the morningand spread it over the fieldsand into the faces of the tulipsand the nodding morning glories,and into the windows of, even, themiserable and crotchety–

best preacher that ever was,dear star, that just happensto be where you are in the universeto keep us from ever-darkness,to ease us with warm touching,to hold us in the great hands of light–good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the dayin happiness, in kindness.