Contact Me

Would you like me to come on your podcast or join an Instagram Live? Drop me a line and we’ll set something up.

Are you a member of the media who needs a knowledgeable voice for a radio segment, TV show or news article? I’ve got plenty of experience with media appearances and I’m always happy to chat.

Are you the organizer of a book club and want me to do a virtual author visit? Please don’t be a stranger! I love connecting with my readers and rarely miss a chance to pop in on a discussion.

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Click on the link to drop me a line!

Linda@lindamcgurk.com

Linda-455-low-res

rainorshinemamma

Swedish American author, speaker and nature play advocate🌿 Living an open-air life⛺️ Start here👇🏼

Mångata. Swedish for the path that the moon pain

Mångata.

Swedish for the path that the moon paints across the water. A cue to stop, breathe and remember that the present and everything that we know is fleeting but the moon will keep rising every night🌖🙏🏻
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#openairlife #theopenairlife #friluftsliv #nightsky #moon #mångata #nature #gratitude

Time flies when you’re having fun🤪 It’s now

When was the last time you made a leaf angel?🍂🤔 It might seem trivial or childish but I believe it’s important for adults to play in nature too. Why?

➡️ It helps us see nature through a child’s eye
🤲 It activates more of our senses, deepening our connection with nature
🤸🏼‍♂️ It keeps us young at heart
⏰ It helps us slow down and enjoy the season
💪🏻 It’s impossible to be in a bad mood and make a leaf angel at the same time

With that, I encourage you to find a pile of leaves, flip down and make your mark. I promise you won’t regret it!😁🍁
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#friluftsliv #openairlife #outdoorplay #fall #leaves #fallfoliage #fallfun #theresnosuchthingasbadweather #openairlifebook #outdoorplayeveryday

The restaurant with the most stars is the one unde

The restaurant with the most stars is the one under the open sky…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Who cares what you cook; everyone knows food tastes much better outside, where all our senses are activated, than inside four walls.

Cooking and eating outside is a great way to get more time outside, and get the kids involved. We love our backyard fire pit and especially like to put it to use now that the weather has cooled off🔥 If you don’t have access to a backyard or park with fire pits, a camping stove is an excellent alternative. Or simply pack a picnic dinner and some hot drinks. Bon appetite!😋

PS. We made a super yummy chickpea curry; send me a DM if you’d like to know how to make it!😃
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #openairlife #theopenairlife #backyardfirepit #fire #campfire #campfirecooking #plantbased #outdoors #outdoorlife #outdoorcooking

Just started reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin

Just started reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and was floored by this section. I think it says everything about our relationship with Mother Nature and where things went wrong💔

As a society, we’ve adopted the settler mind, where the environment is primarily seen as a means to an end, whether for agricultural expansion, urban development or industrial growth. But the focus on short-term economic gains is having long-term consequences for the planet, including environmental degradation and massive loss of biodiversity🌎☠️

In many Indigenous cultures, on the other hand, the natural world is seen sacred and all living things are perceived as interconnected. The environment must be protected to respect the ancestors and secure the future🌿

If we are to have a chance to heal our planet, we must first shift our minds and start seeing ourselves as a part of nature, not separate. Indigenous cultures can show the way, if only we care to learn from their wisdom🙏🏻

Getting off my soapbox now…What are your thoughts?
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#theopenairlife #indigenous #indigenousculture #braidingsweetgrass #nature #naturelovers #environment

It seemed fitting that my girlfriends and I went o

It seemed fitting that my girlfriends and I went on our overnight hike the weekend of the Fall Equinox, even though we hadn’t intentionally planned it that way🍁Just like it’s the beginning of a new celestial phase for our planet, we’ve begun to enter new stage of our lives. One where our children are becoming less dependent on us and more interested in going out on adventures of their own. So, we can either sit around and mourn the inevitable passing of time and the fleeting nature of childhood. Or, we can choose adventure💪🏻⛺️

I’m incredibly thankful to have friends who’ll never turn down a challenge and always seem to look at things from the bright side☀️

Overpacked by about 25 lbs? “It’s great exercise!”💪🏻Lost the trail? “This is the scenic route!”🌅
Attacked by swarms of deer ked? “Oh, it’s not that bad!”🦟

Even though we’ve known each other for decades, this was the first time we did an overnight trip just the five of us. I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last🔥

Who can you always count on to go on an outdoor adventure with you? Tag them in the comments!😃
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#friluftsliv #openairlife #theopenairlife #hiking #hikingwithfriends #camping #outdoorlife #lifeisbetteroutside #theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma

Every time I go for my usual walk in the woods nea

Every time I go for my usual walk in the woods near my house, I pass this enormous oak tree. Sometimes, I stop to embrace it, smell the resin and run my fingers across the rugged bark (“cringe” according to my teenage kids, as if I cared)🌳 I don’t know exactly how old the tree is, but it’s not a wild guess to think that it’s at least a couple hundred years. I can’t imagine the stories it would tell, if it could talk.

In Sweden, it’s not uncommon to see green giants like these and there’s an interesting reason why. For centuries, all oak trees in this country belonged to the state🇸🇪 They were so valuable for ship building that one of the kings who ruled in the 1500s, Gustav Vasa, ordered the planting of large oak forests. Also, cutting down or damaging an oak tree came with harsh penalties:

1st offense: 40 daler (approx. $120)💰 2nd offense: 80 daler (approx. $240)💰💰 3rd offense: Execution ⚔️

The ban was in effect until the 1800s and even today, many of the larger oak trees enjoy special protections, since they’re considered especially valuable for biological diversity. While you won’t face the gallows for cutting down an oak today, you could still be slapped with a fine unless you have permission, even if the tree is growing on your property. Considering all the services trees provide us with for free (shade, oxygen, wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, temperature regulation, erosion prevention, water conservation, stress relief etc), I believe we should do a lot more to protect and honor them.

Do you have a favorite tree?🌳 If so, what do you do to connect with it?
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#openairlife #theopenairlife #friluftsliv #trees #treelover #oak #giantoak #gentlegiants #lifewithtrees #tree

Every day from now until the winter solstice, we w

Every day from now until the winter solstice, we will lose a little more daylight. First, by five minutes per day, then by four, three, two, one. Until it will turn around and get lighter once again. I know a lot of people struggle with the dark and I’m the first to admit it can be a challenge to keep your spirits up in the face of what seems like perpetual twilight🌌 But I do love the seasonal contrasts and the comfort from knowing that there will be lighter days ahead. Let alone the fact that it’s now legit to have campfires again🔥😅

(Also, this is your reminder that you don’t need pandemic restrictions to be in place in order to enjoy fall family events outdoors😁🍁)

Who else is ready to slow down and embrace family, fire and friluftsliv?
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #openairlife #theopenairlife #campfire #twilight #fall #autumn #friluftsliv #outdoorfamilies

Did my first ever “walk for the climate” today

Did my first ever “walk for the climate” today, combining hiking, yoga and activism with @fridarit.se, @jeanetteosterman and about eleven strangers☺️🧘‍♀️ This Swedish popular movement was founded to draw attention to the climate crisis and to get outside and enjoy nature with like-minded people. The movement demands three things from our elected officials:

1. Give the climate and the environment the highest priority and do what it takes to live up to the Paris Accord.
2. Pass a law making ecocide an international crime.
3. Stop subsidizing fossil fuels and restrict overconsumption of the Earth’s resources.

On September 15, a statement including all the kilometers hiked will be handed over to lawmakers. It may not seem like much but it is at least a way to spark conversation and show that we care❤️
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #hiking #hike #klimatvandra #hikewithapurpose
@klimatvandra

At the core of the friluftsliv philosophy is to sp

At the core of the friluftsliv philosophy is to spend time in nature without the pressure to compete or achieve and I think that’s one of the main reasons why I love it so much🙏🏻 Competition permeates almost every facet of society today, but when I’m in nature, I let go of it all and allow myself to just be. And I feel free🌳⛰️🌼
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#friluftsliv #theopenairlife #openairlife #slowlife #slowliving #nature #naturelover

In a little over a week, this book will be release

In a little over a week, this book will be released into the world, and hopefully find its way into your hands🤞🏻❤️ It’s an anthology featuring about a dozen writers from all walks of life who reflect on the meaning of and lessons learned from wayfinding, specifically hiking. If hiking is a big part of your life, or you want it to be but are in need of inspiration, this book is definitely for you.📚 Pre-order now through link in bio!

Special thanks to @wayfarer.books and @heidicbarr for including me in this impressive lineup of writers🙏🏻
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#storiesfromthetrail #booklaunch #hiking #hikingbooks #wayfinding

Photo dump from the last couple of weeks in Härje

Photo dump from the last couple of weeks in Härjedalen in northern Sweden. Being up here relaxes me to the point that I struggle to get back to my “normal” everyday life. I’ll be back with more coherent thoughts and photos when I’ve processed my experiences and acclimatized again😅
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#rainorshinemamma #theresnosuchthingasbadweather #friluftsliv #openairlife #sweden #swedenimages #tännäs

Posting this knowing full well that I risk becomin

Posting this knowing full well that I risk becoming the laughing stock of my farmer followers🤣 I don’t mind the cows and calves, I know they’re usually curious but super skittish. Grown bulls…different story. Or is it? Either way, it’s always a good idea to show animals respect and give them some space as you pass.

(On a side note, I do tell the story about camping in a cow pasture with a bull in my book The Open-Air Life, but that one was much farther away!)

So, how comfortable would you be in this situation?🐮 And is hiking with bulls done anywhere else? Dying to hear your input on this!
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#friluftsliv #rainorshinemamma #theopenairlife #openairlife #livelifeoutside #sweden #hiking #hikingadventures #hikingsweden #hikingwithbulls #harjedalen #härjedalen

Foraging is such a powerful way to experience natu

Foraging is such a powerful way to experience nature because it invokes all senses and connects us to the Earth in a very literal sense. I was in my early forties when I discovered mushroom hunting and was immediately hooked. Yesterday, I think I found my next passion - harvesting wild seaweed😁😋

While I’m by no means an expert at this, let me know if you have any questions about it, and I’ll do my best to answer!
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@catxalot #friluftsliv #openairlife #seaweed #seaweedsafari #superfood #nature #naturelover

So today is Amazon Prime Day, huh? Well, I’m not

So today is Amazon Prime Day, huh? Well, I’m not shopping. Full disclosure: I’m totally a bargain hunter and fully understand the joy of finding something you truly need at a heavily reduced price. In full disclosure, I’ve also shared affiliate Amazon links to products that I like in the past (some are still lingering on my blog, even though I no longer actively promote them). But I’ve come to a point where I can no longer in good conscience risk contributing to the over consumption of clothes and other consumer goods🚫

The outdoor industry is different from fast fashion in that the products live longer and generally are more durable. Even so, it’s all too easy to get carried away when stuff is on sale and buy not only one pair of hiking pants but one pair of each color that we like. Consumers today have five (!) times more clothes than they did in the 1980s and some of that consumption has likely spilled over to our outdoor wardrobes as well👖

I don’t buy anything that I don’t plan to keep for at least ten years. I don’t say that to pat myself on the back, but to shine a light on the fact that clothes can be useful for a lot longer than we typically keep them for📅

I’ll keep sharing my advice and opinions on brands, materials, functions and sustainability aspects of outdoor clothing, but what I really want and hope is to normalize loving the pieces you already own for as long as possible. Check out the slideshow to see how long I’ve owned some of my outdoor clothes. Not pictured: The black leather coat that inherited from my grandmother some 20 years ago and still wear from time to time.

Which of the garments in your wardrobe have you loved the longest?🤔
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #theopenairlife #friluftsliv #sustainability #outdoorgear #sustainablefashion #sustainableliving #sustainableclothing

“Humans are the only species that craps in their

“Humans are the only species that craps in their own nest.”

An old friend in Indiana told me this 15 years ago and I’m reminded of it daily. Littering is one of my biggest pet peeves, partly because it’s such a fitting symbol of the broken relationship between humans and nature, if it’s even possible to make that distinction. After all, humans are a part of nature. It was when we started viewing nature as something “other” than ourselves that things started to go awry. Littering is just how this mindset manifests itself in everyday life.

So, I pick up trash whenever I can. It’s a small act of defiance, but it’s one that gives me a sense of purpose. Why?

🚮 It may inspire others. The more people that pick up litter, the bigger the impact. I believe the “broken window theory” applies here too: the cleaner a place is, the more likely people are to leave it clean.

👚 Because social media needs a different narrative than influencers peddling fast fashion and other crap we don’t need. All that stuff ends up somewhere, some of it in landfills, some of it on a beach or in a field near you.

🍑 It’s low-hanging fruit. Most of the environmental challenges of today seem so monumental that it’s hard to wrap your mind around them, let alone make an impact. This is something anybody can do, anytime.

Fun fact: A Swede has coined the term (and founded the movement) “plogging”, which is a compound of the words “picking” and “jogging”. Ploggers simply bring a trash bag on their run and pick up some trash in the process💪🏻
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #trashpickup #keepitclean #littersucks

Book talks, fresh sweetcorn, good friends, raccoon

Book talks, fresh sweetcorn, good friends, raccoon babies and warm summer nights…what else could a girl wish for? Indiana, you’ll always have a special place in my heart❤️ Until next time.
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #theopenairlife #indiana #speaking

OK, I’m doing a talk in Indiana tomorrow and wou

OK, I’m doing a talk in Indiana tomorrow and would love to get your input. What would you say is the main challenge or barrier when it comes to providing your child with opportunities for outdoor play and nature connection? Is it:

🌧️ The weather
📚 Academic expectations/homework
⚽️ Extracurricular activities
🌳 Lack of access to green spaces
📺 Screen time

Or something else?🤔

Here are the details about my talk, in case you’re in the area and would like to join me!

What? Author visit with children’s activity - all are welcome!
Where? General Pulaski Park, Anderson, Indiana
When? Friday, June 28th at 11 am
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #theopenairlife #authorvisit
@andersonpubliclibrary

If you have a backyard and/or a patio, I can’t r

If you have a backyard and/or a patio, I can’t recommend sleeping outside enough. This is so easy to do, and requires zero preparation. During the warm season I’ll do this every now and then just to help reset my circadian rhythm and feel the joy of being whispered to sleep by the beech trees and the wind. Tomorrow, I’ll wake up to bird song, get up and go to work and feel like I just completely beat the system😁 Good night🥰💤
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #openair #openairlife #lifeisbetteroutside #outsideeveryday

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