blogging

trail junction sign on Oak Hill trails, Concord NH — *_{Trail junction, Oak Hill trails, Concord NH}*

My Substack newsletter Braided Trails will soon include excerpts from Granite State Walker as well as original material inspired by New Hampshire trails. I hope you’ll subscribe.

Mt. Kearsarge in New Hampshire, seen from the Northern Rail Trail — _{Mt. Kearsarge seen from the Northern Rail Trail, Wilmot}

So why the addition? Here’s an excerpt from my intro to Braided Trails:

Readers have been curious or kind enough to follow me down various paths through the years. New Hampshire hikers have kept Granite State Walker going. At Leaven for the Loaf, I’ve reported on pro-life projects and legislation at the state level. My eponymous blog has been a promotional portfolio where I’ve also explored aspects of my Catholic faith.

But omigosh, what if the hikers don’t like my politics or my State House readers don’t care about my hiking or somebody somewhere is put off by a portfolio from a Catholic scribbler? I’ve tried to keep you all a secret from each other.

Enough already. Welcome to Braided Trails.

“Braid” is a nod to the three distinct blogs I’ve launched since 2006. This Substack is a place where each theme can get its due, in context with the others: braided, not fused. It’s about time I found a space big enough to bring the whole blessed lot of us together. It’s big enough for new readers, too.
https://ellenkolb.substack.com/p/intro-so-whats-a-braided-trail

Intrigued? Then I welcome you on board. Subscribing is free. And if you’d prefer to stick with this blog, plain and simple, that’s fine, too. I’m delighted to write for you in either case.

Thanks – and I’ll see you on the trails.

Spring is here, summer’s coming…and so is *Braided Trails.*

Walking for pure joy sort of snuck up on me. When I needed to lose weight, I developed the habit of heading outside after dinner to go around the block a few times. Much later, it dawned on me that there were a whole lot of more interesting places I could explore — maybe not after dinner, but on weekends & days off.

I found state parks. I discovered rail trails. I walked through neighborhoods that I had only before seen from a car window.

I moved to southern New Hampshire from Florida with my husband and baby in the early 1980s, hardly expecting this whole Northern thing to work out as well as it has. It took me awhile to realize just how much of Florida’s beauty I had taken for granted the whole time I was growing up — the beauty most of the tourists miss. I didn’t want to make the same mistake here. As my husband and I reared our children, I learned little by little about appreciating things close to home.

So here I am, fascinated by New Hampshire paths and trails. I look forward to sharing some of my favorites with you. Welcome to Granite State Walker.