★ Welcome to the Mail Club! ★
Hello, and welcome to the Mail Club! ♥︎
Along with the monthly letters, I wanted to create a corner of the internet where we can gather as a community.
When I was younger, I used to play those virtual pet games (Neopet fans, where you at?) where you could message other players a couple of times a day. I’d check my email after school to see what friends had sent me or hop online for a quick chat if they were around. Everything felt slower, a pace I think many of us still crave.
I created this space to mimic that feeling and the slow nature of physical mail. A few times a month I’ll post a blog where we can chat, share pictures, and respond to prompts or updates. You will get an email that I have posted, and all conversation happens in the comments under the blog posts. A quiet place to connect without the pressure of modern social media. You can check in once a week, once a month, or whenever you like. There’s no pressure!
I'll be posting blogs for:
- Member introductions and finding new Pen Pals
- Life updates, photos of things I’ve been working on, and snail mail news
- Sharing recipes, artwork, and other special things
- Discussing the newsletter and Mood Match
- Responding to shared prompts
Thank you so much for being here. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone!
February's Prompt
Every place has a story. Below I'll be sharing some photos of where I live, a small glimpse of my corner of the world. I want you to do the same. Post a photo (taken by you) of where you live and something you love about it, a poem, or a short story. One photo will be chosen that matches the vibes of next month’s artwork and turned into a small mini print to send out with next month’s mail!
Please post your submission by February 23rd to be considered.
A Winters Day in Utah
I’ve lived in Utah for all 29 years of my life. When most people think of Utah, they usually think of the Mormon church or our beautiful national parks, both of which are a big presence here. Growing up outside of the Mormon religion could be very difficult. My family was Catholic, though mostly in the sense that we went to church on Easter Sunday, and that difference often made me feel out of place in my small town.
For most of my teen years, I resented Utah. But as I’ve gotten older, finding people more like me and spending time in those beautiful national parks, I’ve really grown to love it here.
On this particular day, we decided to visit the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. It isn’t far from us, but it’s a place we don’t get to as often as we’d like. I almost never wake up in time for sunrise, when the birds are most active, but this morning aligned perfectly.
We drove up to Brigham and grabbed breakfast sandwiches from Old Grist Mill, then made it to the bird refuge around 7:45am. Just in time to watch the California Gulls eating their breakfast too.
It was around 25°F, and I was very underdressed. The car heater was blasting, and frost clung to the edges of the windows. Thankfully, the refuge has a 12-mile driving loop, so you can stay in your car unless you feel brave enough to step out and take photos. I definitely should have stopped for a hot chai beforehand.
For the first part of the drive, we were the only ones on the road, slow for a Saturday morning. It was nice to take our time and go at our own pace.
When I used to work at the coffee shop, we often had visitors passing through on long road trips. They’d comment on the mountains and say how lucky I was to see them every day. I sometimes forget that in other places, the land stretches flat as far as the eye can see.
I used to think bird watching was a very boring hobby for very boring adults to do.
You’re also always welcome to send a letter back to me. Please use the return address on your Mail Club envelope. I may share letters on TikTok for mail swaps and such, but personal letters will remain private, just let me know in your letter.
Welcome to the Mail Club, I’m so glad you’re here!