Gaining Ground

Literary Hub is featuring an excerpt from a personal essay in which the narrator recalls the moment they first saw their rural home — an electric shock of recognition that upended their previous life. Over the course of a year, they describe settling into the rhythm of the seasons, from spring's new growth to winter's heavy snows, and the rituals of gardening, preserving food, and preparing for the cold. The piece reflects on how the narrator gradually became part of the landscape, losing the sense of separation from the natural world around them, and closes with a planned walk to mark the end of autumn.

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