5 Little Ways to Bring a Bit of the Outdoors Inside

November 6, 2026November 2, 2026 | terriaw

There is something lovely about bringing a little piece of the outdoors home with you.

Maybe it’s a handful of colorful leaves gathered on a walk, an interesting pinecone found beneath a tree, or a small stone that catches your eye along the path. These little treasures don’t need to be anything extraordinary. Sometimes it’s simply nice to have a reminder of the changing seasons and the things we’ve noticed along the way.

As the days grow shorter and we begin spending a little more time indoors, here are five simple ways to keep a connection with the natural world close at hand.

Bring home a few fallen leaves or acorns.

A few colorful leaves tucked into a favorite book, a handful of acorns in a small bowl, or an interesting seedpod on the windowsill can make a lovely seasonal display. Look for things that have already fallen, and let their natural shapes and colors do the decorating.

Keep a little nature collection on your desk.

Give a few of your favorite finds a special place where you work, write, or create. A feather, a smooth stone, a pinecone, or a tiny collection of interesting leaves can become a little reminder to look up from your everyday routine and notice the world around you.

You never know when one of these small treasures might inspire an idea or a sketch.

Open a window and listen to the birds.

Even on a chilly day, take a moment to notice what’s happening just outside your window. Listen for birds calling from the trees, watch squirrels gathering their winter supplies, or see what visitors happen to wander through the yard.

Sometimes you don’t have to go anywhere to find a little adventure. You just have to pay attention.

Sketch something you spotted outdoors.

You don’t need to be an artist to enjoy keeping a little record of the things you notice. Try making a quick sketch of a leaf, a bird, a branch, or something interesting you found on a walk. Add a date, a few words, or a note about where you found it.

Think of it as a tiny field note—a way to remember a moment rather than create a perfect picture.

Find a favorite nature-inspired book to revisit.

Keep a field guide, nature journal, or beautifully illustrated book nearby for a little inspiration. Spend a few minutes looking through the pages, learning the name of a bird, identifying a tree, or simply enjoying the illustrations.

A good nature book has a way of making you curious about what you might discover on your next walk.

A Little More Wonder in the Everyday

Bringing the outdoors inside doesn’t require a big project or a collection of special supplies. It can be as simple as keeping a few woodland finds on your desk, opening the window to listen to the birds, or making a small note about something you noticed on your walk.

The more we pay attention, the more we begin to see. And even on the days when we can’t wander very far, there’s always a little bit of nature waiting to be discovered.

The Old Farmers Almanac

November 3, 2026November 2, 2026 | terriaw

There’s something I love about old-fashioned almanacs.

Maybe it’s the combination of useful information and curious little facts, or the way they seem to hold a whole year of seasonal knowledge between two covers.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac has been doing just that since 1792. Filled with weather predictions, moon phases, gardening advice, folklore, astronomical information, and seasonal observations, it’s become a familiar tradition for generations of curious readers. I’ve always thought there was something rather wonderful about that.

A little book to flip through, learn something new, check the calendar, or discover an interesting tidbit you might not have known before.

A Woodland Cousin to the Old Farmer’s Almanac

When I began putting together the Pocket Papers for Wild Things Mail Club, I thought it would be fun to borrow a little inspiration from that old tradition.

What if we had a little almanac of our own?

Not quite as ambitious as the original, of course! Just a small collection of seasonal discoveries, nature notes, interesting facts, and things to look for as the months go by.

A miniature woodland cousin to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, if you will.

The idea is to celebrate the little things happening in the natural world throughout the year. The changing seasons, familiar woodland visitors, interesting bits of nature lore, and all those small discoveries that make you stop and take a closer look.

Collecting Little Wonders

Our first Wild Things Almanac card made its way into the October mailings, and I have lots of ideas for the months ahead.

I like imagining these little cards being tucked into a nature journal, kept in a desk drawer, added to a growing collection, or pulled out now and then when a little seasonal curiosity strikes.

There’s something satisfying about collecting small pieces of information and inspiration, especially when they remind us to slow down and pay attention to the world around us.

After all, there’s always something interesting happening just outside the window. And who knows? Maybe a little woodland almanac will become its own sort of tradition.

Here’s to a year filled with little discoveries, curious wanderings, and plenty of things worth noticing. Here’s to keeping a little curiosity in our pockets and finding wonder in the everyday.

Wild Things Monthly Field Guide How To

October 21, 2026 | terriaw

You don’t have to be an artist or know how to draw anything. My hope is to encourage people to put down your screen and discover little moments of wonder.

That’s why I write a monthly field guide for my mail club instead of a personal letter about what’s going on in my life or in my head. This is more fun!

How to use the Wild Things monthly field guide:

Step 1. Find something that catches your eye, like a fern.

Step 2. Draw it. Don’t be precious about it, it’s ok to trace around it.

Step 3. Hand write a quick note.

Step 4. Sample some color swatches. (Optional: HINT: this fills in a corner on the page.)

Step 5. Color it with paint or colored pencils or crayons. Messy is good.

Step 6. Add some details.

Step 7. Print a few photos from your field trip, tape them to the facing page.

Step 8. Add some doodles to fill in blank spaces.

A little walk outside can lead to a fun little journal page. Not fancy but it helps you slow down, quiet your brain and busy life with a little meditative moment.

Relax, enjoy a quiet moment in nature or on your back porch or balcony and have fun reflecting on a blank page.

5 Things That Make Snail Mail Feel Magical

Wild Things Squirrel stamps Terri Wilhelm

October 5, 2026 | terriaw

There is something a little magical about finding something unexpected in the mailbox.

Not a bill. Not an advertisement. Not something you forgot you ordered. Something someone chose to send.

In a world where so much of our communication happens instantly, receiving something that traveled through the mail can feel wonderfully slow. It has a little bit of mystery to it, too.

Where did it come from? Who sent it? What might be inside?

I think it’s the little details that make snail mail feel special.

Here are five of my favorites:

1. A stamp worth noticing

A stamp is such a tiny piece of art.

There are beautiful ones, unusual ones, vintage ones, seasonal ones, and the little everyday stamps we barely notice anymore.

Sometimes a stamp adds the perfect finishing touch to an envelope. Sometimes it tells you something about the person who sent it.

And every once in a while, you find one that’s just too good to throw away.

I love that something so small can make the beginning of a letter feel like part of the experience.

2. Something made to be held

One of the things I love most about mail is that it exists in the physical world.

You can hold it in your hands.

Maybe it’s a field guide with an illustrated cover. A postcard. A little note tucked inside an envelope. A piece of ephemera that makes you curious about where it came from.

Unlike a message on a screen, it doesn’t disappear when you close an app.

It becomes a little object you can set on your desk, tuck into a journal, pin to a bulletin board, or save in a drawer.

There is something lovely about making things that are meant to be kept.

3. A little surprise tucked inside

Some of the best things in the mail are the things you weren’t expecting.

A tiny illustration.

A nature note.

A paper scrap.

A postcard.

A little field guide.

A curious bit of ephemera that makes you stop and look twice.

These things don’t have to be valuable or elaborate. Their magic comes from the feeling behind them.

It’s a simple idea, but it’s one of my favorite things about sending and receiving mail.

You never quite know what little discovery might be waiting inside the envelope.

4. The marks of the journey

One of my favorite things about mail is that it doesn’t arrive untouched.

There might be a postmark from somewhere you’ve never been. A cancellation stamp. A sorting mark. A little smudge from its journey.

These tiny imperfections are evidence that the piece of mail went somewhere before it reached you.

For a moment, you can imagine its journey. From one mailbox to another, through sorting rooms and trucks and roads, with a whole world of movement in between.

Mail carries a little bit of its journey with it. And I think that’s part of the charm.

5. The feeling of discovering something

Perhaps this is what I love most about snail mail. It gives you a reason to be curious.

You open the mailbox and find something you weren’t expecting. You turn the envelope over. You notice the stamp. You wonder what’s inside.

Then you discover an illustration, a story, a field guide, a note, or some tiny piece of the world someone wanted to share with you.

For a few minutes, you’ve stepped away from the screen and into something slower.

Something tangible. Something made by hand and sent out into the world.

And maybe that’s why receiving mail can feel like such a small adventure.

A little magic worth keeping

I don’t think we need to give up all our modern ways of communicating. Text messages are wonderful when you need to say, I’m running five minutes late.

But there is something special about the things that take a little longer.

Mail asks us to pause.

To notice.

To open something with our hands.

To make something tangible and send it out into the world without knowing exactly when it will arrive or what someone’s day will look like when they find it.

Maybe that’s the magic of snail mail.

It’s not just about the envelope or the stamp or what’s tucked inside.

It’s about the experience of receiving something made for the physical world—and discovering a little piece of someone’s imagination, curiosity, or kindness waiting in your mailbox.

And I think that’s a little magic worth keeping.

5 Little Signs Fall Has Arrived

October 2, 2026 | terriaw

Fall rarely arrives all at once.

There isn’t usually a single morning when you wake up and suddenly the whole world has changed. Instead, it seems to slip quietly into the landscape—a cooler breeze, a few golden leaves, an acorn beneath your feet. If you slow down enough to notice, there are little clues everywhere.

Here are five of my favorite signs that fall has begun to find its way into my neck of the woods.

1. The first leaves begin to change

It usually starts with just a few. One bright red leaf tucked among a sea of green. A branch turning golden at the very top of a tree. A single leaf that has somehow found its way onto the sidewalk before the rest of the tree is ready to follow.

I love these early signs because they make you pay attention. Once you notice the first changing leaves, you start looking for more. And before long, you’re seeing autumn everywhere.

2. Acorns begin appearing underfoot

There is something wonderfully autumnal about the sound of an acorn landing on the trail. Suddenly they are scattered everywhere—beneath oak trees, along paths, tucked into the grass and hidden beneath fallen leaves.

It’s easy to walk right past them, but every once in a while I’ll stop to notice their different shapes and colors. Some are still nestled in their little cups. Some are perfectly smooth and polished. Others have already begun to disappear into the forest floor.

A tiny reminder that the woods are always busy preparing for what’s next.

3. Mushrooms seem to appear overnight

One day the trail is ordinary. The next, there is a tiny mushroom growing beside it.

Fall is such a good season for these little woodland discoveries. Mushrooms appear in places you may have walked past dozens of times, as though they’ve been quietly waiting for the right moment to make an appearance.

They are one of my favorite reasons to look down while walking. You never quite know what you’ll find.

4. The woods begin to sound different

We often notice the changing season with our eyes, but autumn has a sound, too.

The crunch of leaves beneath your shoes.

The rustle of a breeze moving through branches.

The quieter hum of insects.

The calls of birds carrying differently through the cooler air.

Even the familiar paths can feel a little different when the sounds around you begin to change. Sometimes the best thing you can do is stop walking for a moment and simply listen.

5. You find yourself slowing down

Maybe this is my favorite sign of all. Something about fall makes me want to linger. To take the longer way home. To stop and look at a tree. To notice the shape of a feather on the trail or the way the afternoon light falls through the branches.

The days are getting shorter, and somehow that makes the little moments feel more noticeable.

A walk doesn’t have to be far or adventurous to become an adventure. Sometimes all it takes is paying attention.

A season of little discoveries

Fall doesn’t announce itself with a grand entrance. It arrives in small clues.

A red leaf. An acorn. A mushroom. A familiar trail that suddenly sounds different.

And maybe that’s one of the things I love most about this time of year: it gives us another reason to slow down and notice the little things that have been there all along.

So the next time you’re out for a walk, keep your eyes open. You might find that autumn has already arrived.

5 Ways to Make an Ordinary Walk Feel Like an Adventure

September 24, 2026September 24, 2026 | terriaw

You don’t have to travel somewhere new to have an adventure. Sometimes all it takes is a familiar path, a little curiosity, and the willingness to see what you usually walk right past.

One of my favorite things about getting outside is that even the most ordinary walk can become an expedition when I slow down and pay attention. A trail I’ve walked dozens of times can suddenly reveal a feather tucked beneath a bush, an unfamiliar bird call, a mushroom I haven’t noticed before, or a trail I’ve never thought to follow.

Here are five simple ways to turn your next ordinary walk into a tiny adventure.

1. Go looking for one particular thing

Instead of setting out with the goal of simply “going for a walk,” give yourself a little mission.

Look for five different kinds of leaves. See if you can find a mushroom, a feather, or a pinecone. Search for signs of an animal—tracks, nibbled leaves, a nest, or a well-worn path disappearing into the woods.

It doesn’t really matter what you choose. The fun is having something to look for.

Once you start searching, you may be surprised by how much you’ve been walking past.

2. Take the slow way

What happens if you stop trying to get anywhere?

Walk slowly enough to notice the textures of tree bark. Stop to watch a spider build its web. Sit on a bench and listen for a few minutes. Let yourself wander down the little side path you’ve always wondered about.

An adventure doesn’t always require covering more ground. Sometimes it means giving yourself permission to experience the ground you’re already standing on.

3. Pretend you’re an explorer

Give your walk a little story.

Imagine you’re mapping an unknown trail, searching for a particular bird, gathering specimens for a field guide, or delivering an important letter to someone who lives deep in the woods.

You don’t have to take the story seriously. That’s part of the fun.

A little imagination can turn a familiar path into a place you’ve never visited before.

4. Keep a tiny field journal

You don’t need an elaborate nature journal or a perfectly illustrated sketchbook. A few notes in a pocket notebook will do.

Write down the date and where you walked. Sketch something you noticed. Record the weather, a bird you heard, or an interesting leaf you found.

Try writing down one thing you’ve never noticed before.

Over time, these little observations become their own kind of map—a record of the places you’ve wandered and the small discoveries you’ve made along the way.

5. Leave room for the unexpected

Perhaps my favorite way to make a walk feel like an adventure is to stop deciding exactly what the adventure is supposed to be.

Maybe you’ll see a deer.

Maybe you’ll discover a new trail.

Maybe you’ll find an especially beautiful feather.

Or maybe nothing particularly unusual happens at all—and you come home having noticed the way the afternoon light fell through the trees.

That’s still an adventure.

The best part of wandering is that you never quite know what you’ll find.

So the next time you have twenty minutes and think, I don’t have time for an adventure today, try taking a walk instead.

You might already be standing at the beginning of one.

5 Cozy Autumn Hobbies to Help You Slow Down This September

September 17, 2026September 16, 2026 | terriaw

As the crisp September air begins to roll in and the leaves start their golden shift, there is a natural urge to pull inward. After a busy, fast-paced summer, autumn calls us to slow down, put on a cozy sweater, and trade our digital screens for tactile, analog experiences.

If you are looking for intentional, cozy autumn hobbies to ground your evenings this month, you don’t need a massive lifestyle overhaul. You just need a few quiet minutes to yourself.

Here are five beautifully simple ways to embrace a slower pace of life this season.

1. Take a slow autumn walk

Not for exercise, just to notice what’s changing. Look for the first red maple leaf, listen for acorns landing on the trail, and see what small signs of autumn you might have otherwise hurried past.

2. Start a Tiny Nature Journal

You don’t need to be an expert botanist to appreciate the shifting seasons. Grab a blank notebook, step into your backyard or just a quick walk around the block, and simply observe. Document the changing colors of the oak leaves, press a fallen fern between the pages, or sketch the silhouette of an early autumn acorn. You don’t have to know the names of everything you find. The point is simply to notice—and to leave yourself a little record of the season.

3. Write a Real Letter to Send in the Snail Mail

In a world dominated by instant texts and overwhelming email inboxes, receiving a physical piece of mail feels like a small miracle. Sitting down at a clean table with a beautiful sheet of paper and a fountain pen might just become one of your favorite cozy autumn hobbies. Taking the time to write a handwritten letter to an old friend allows you to practice mindfulness while sending a tangible package of warmth across the miles.

4. Curate a Cozy Reading Corner

Choose a corner of your home, drape a warm wool blanket over a chair, and keep a stack of favorite books within reach. Set your phone in another room and give yourself 20 quiet minutes to read before the evening disappears.

5. Forage and Press Autumn Florals

September is a golden hour for late-blooming wildflowers, clover, and drying grasses. On your next walk, gather a few fallen stems or a small handful of common, plentiful plants from your own yard or somewhere you’re allowed to collect. In a few weeks, you’ll have a collection of delicate, pressed botanical art to use for bookmarks, scrapbooking, or framing.

Sneak Peek: Inside the September “Adventure Ahead” Mailings

At Wild Things Mail Club, I design our monthly subscription envelopes precisely to fuel your slow, cozy evenings.

Current subscribers are opening their mailboxes to find September’s theme: Adventure Ahead.

Inspired by the transitional beauty of late summer turning into early autumn, this month’s hand-drawn illustration features an intricate woodland wreath woven with native greenery and promises of crisp paths waiting to be explored.

Whether members are using their Nature Wonders Tier greeting cards to write to loved ones, this mailing is built to help you carve out a quiet, creative afternoon.

Ready to Unplug Your Screen Next Month?

Did you miss out on the September mailing? Don’t worry—the magic of the changing seasons is just getting started.

If you want a curated package of hand-drawn, nature-inspired stationery, art prints, and cozy prompts delivered straight to your door every single month, join our community. Let us handle the curation so you can focus entirely on slowing down.

Explore the Monthly Tiers & Subscribe Today.

September mailing is out in the wild

September 8, 2026 | terriaw

The Wild Things Mail Club September mailing has made its way out into the world.

This month’s theme is Adventure Ahead, and I’ve been especially excited to send this one off into the woods—and into your mailboxes.

Inside the Nature Wonders mailing, you’ll find a collection inspired by those first hints of autumn: warm colors, woodland discoveries, butterflies, leaves, and a few little invitations to slow down and notice what’s around you.

There’s also a new Field Guide activity to tuck into your pocket and take outside.

And then there’s Felix the Squirrel and Marty the Crow.

Their second adventure has officially begun! The Storykeeper members received Chapter Two of their story along with a few bits of ephemera designed to make it feel as though their little world in Acorn Hollow has wandered right into your mailbox.

I’ve been having far too much fun with these two.

I can’t show you everything yet.

But I can give you a little peek.

Lost and Found.

That’s all I’m saying for now.

The September mail may have left my desk, but there are already new adventures taking shape here in the studio.

And I have a feeling Felix and Marty may have a few more things to tell us.

Stay curious. More soon.

Wild Things Mail Club

Wild Things Mail Club Philosophy

August 28, 2026August 29, 2026 | terriaw

The vibe of Wild Things Mail Club

For people who still stop to look at mushrooms.

For people who name the squirrels in their backyard.

For people who believe ordinary mail should contain a little magic.

For people who collect tiny things.

For people who take the long way home because there might be something interesting along the way.

For people who find feathers and leaves and acorns and can’t quite bring themselves to throw them away.

For people who are perfectly happy being a little bit curious.

For people who think stories aren’t just for children.

For people who believe a handwritten note is still worth sending.

For people who need a little less screen and a little more wonder.

For people who notice.

Wild Things Mail Club is a little monthly escape into the woods—an envelope filled with illustrated stationery, tiny discoveries, stories, and bits of woodland wonder.

Something fun to open. Something new to notice. Something cherished to keep.

If any of these sound like you, Wild Things Mail Club is for you.

If you’re already a subscriber, thank you! I appreciate you.

If you’re new here, give the Wild Things Mail Club a try. I bet you’ll love receiving something fun in your mail box.

Until next time,

Terri

Terri's Notebook

Illustration, Animals + Nature