I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live.

As we enter a long holiday weekend in the United States, I have spent a lot of time thinking about gratitude and growth. 2022 has been an especially “not great” year for my family. We lost three beloved pets, have dealt with health issues and had to navigate an early retirement after losing my job in a career that spanned 25 years. By any measure, that’s a lot to deal with and I’m happy to say that I think we have handled it well. We will forever miss our pets, but it warmed our hearts with the memories and knowing we gave them a good life. We are tackling our respective health issues straight on and moving forward with intent and focus. And, well, early retirement isn’t for the faint of heart, but I am incredibly lucky to have the support of friends and family. I am also incredibly lucky to have this podcast.

This podcast has given me a voice when I didn’t know what I wanted to say. It’s given me a platform to share wildlife recordings with a global audience and to find joy in creating something that brings people happiness and a brief respite from the daily grind of life in the modern age. This is the 25th episode of the Nature is my Jam podcast. Can you believe it? This is the episode I circled on my planning calendar because I felt it would be the next major milestone for this passion project. Do I continue or scale back? Do I choose another project to focus my time on? Do I still have the support of my family? Do I still feel that each episode provides value to my listeners?

Otter Creek as it empties into Lake Michigan. It never looks the same from day to day as it is constantly changing with the weather.

I thought about each of these questions as I recorded this episode. It was a beautiful day yesterday (11/23/2022) and I went back to one of my favorite places, Sleeping Bear Dunes. My plan was to check on the beaver family and maybe record more of their activities, but once I arrived, the sun and the brilliant blue sky called me to the beach. I spent a glorious 3 hours walking the beach while I recorded the Otter Creek tributary as it emptied into Lake Michigan. I also found a nice log to use as a backrest and let the sun warm my face as I decided the future of the podcast. The ultimate question I had to answer was, “Am I still having fun?”

The answer is a definitive YES! I love what I am doing and I’m excited to keep moving this project forward. I have heard from so many of you telling me they appreciate the recordings and that it helps them relax, de-stress or learn more about the surrounding nature. I have made new friends in the world of field recording that are kind, supportive and generous with their time as I learn how to improve. My passion has grown stronger over the last several months and the self-confidence I lost, along with my job, is slowly coming back. I’m here for the long haul and am excited about the continuing to grow the podcast.

To celebrate episode 25, I incorporated some video that you can check out below. I had my GoPro with me, so mounted it on top of the mic stand and let it run for the duration of the recording. I synced the video with the high resolution sound file because we all know the sound from a GoPro is horrible. I would love to hear your thoughts on how best to incorporate video with the sounds I record. Does it add or detract from the listening experience?

Finally got a chance to use the Sonorous Objects SO.1 Microphones with better wind protection. They performed brilliantly!

Finally, I realize this is a long post and I thank you for indulging me. I am sincerely grateful for your kindness and support with this podcast. I look forward to continuing this journey with you.

Recording Summary:

Date and Time: 11/23/2022 | 1:30 PM
Location: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore
Landscape/Feature: Otter Creek as it empties into Lake Michigan
Conditions: Sunny, Blue Skies, Warm, Breezy
Recording Device: Zoom F3
Microphone(s): Sonorous Objects SO.1 Microphone Pair
Digital Audio Workstation: Adobe Audition

Sounds of Sleeping Bear Dunes: Otter Creek Tributary

A Big Wind on Otter Creek

Sounds of Sleeping Bear Dunes: Tranquility Interrupted on Otter Creek