One evening, several decades ago, I and my dear friends took a camping trip to North Louisiana. That evening, as we were lost in the dense display of stars dusting the sky, the group was suddenly jolted by the sound of a vehicle backfiring as it rumbled along Highway 117. Someone wondered aloud, "I'd be curious if there were any place left in Louisiana where you can truly escape the sound of a combustion engine." The comment brought silence to our group and was impactful enough that it still emerged in my thoughts as I entered the youth of my old age.

In this episode of Find the Good News, I once again traveled through North Louisiana's piney woods and hills, not to camp with friends but to visit with Bayli Brossette, the Curator of Briarwood Nature Preserve. Ahead of my trip, Bayli advised that I fuel up as the nearest resources were over 45 miles away. While this was sound advice, I couldn't help but wonder again, how far do you need to go to escape the sound of engines? Soon I would discover that such a place exists in Louisiana and is connected to the Kisatchie National Forest campsite, where my friend posed the original query.

Upon entering Briarwood Nature Preserve in Saline, Louisiana, it is immediately apparent that you're wading into a historic space of conservation and love. Briarwood Nature Preserve is the legacy of ornithologist, activist, writer, painter, teacher, and advocate Caroline Dormon. The pace slowed as I left the highway and passed the historic marker dedicated to Caroline Dormon. About halfway through the winding entrance road, I stopped and stood in this new space, full of cascading shades of green, enveloped by waves of insect chatter and birdsong. Further still, I was greeted by the Briarwood Sign, which seemed as though it had always been there, and it was then I wondered how many others had made this trip, what their expectations were upon arrival, and how the space might have changed them as the left. Would I have that type of experience?

At their home within the preserve, Bayli and her husband Travis greeted us with gentle hospitality and warmth that carried us deep into a lovely and informative conversation. I found the space and the visit invigorating while at the same time comforting. Like light through an emerald canopy, Bayli shared the path to becoming Briarwood's Curator, what the work entails, the rich history of Briarwood Nature Preserve, and the almost unbelievable accomplishments of Caroline Dormon, whose life and efforts have meant so much to so many, even if her name might seem somewhat obscure to most.

After our conversation, Bayli and Travis shared even more of their time. They offered a tour of many important spaces on the protected acreage, such as "Grand Pappy," the nearly 500-year-old Long Leaf Pine favored by Dormon, the statue of Caroline located at the site of her childhood home, as well as a quiet and genuinely touching visit to Caroline Dormon's cabin, the space where she lived, wrote, and painted. My day in this green cloud, Briarwood Nature Preserve, was an absolute joy, and Bayli was an informative, thoughtful, and wonderful host.

There is iron in Caroline Dormon's legacy, and I do not doubt that the right people are in place to preserve and present that legacy to the next generation of travelers.

So, through my conversation with Bayli Brossette, I invite you to Briarwood Nature Preserve, where the sounds of combustion engines are quelled by lush acres of whispering pines and wildflowers.

Maybe you heard something on this show that helped you on your path to a happier life, but I need your finding the good. Get in touch and let me know what you think I should ask my upcoming guests and I'll see about getting your questions into the fishbowl in our Fishing For Goodies segment of the show! If you'd like to have your name and city/state/country read on the show just include it in your email when you submit your question. Your question will stay in the fishbowl for other guests to answer. Each guest will be fishing out 3 goodies each episode, so make sure your questions are creative, thought provoking, and designed to find the good! Don't be shy. I want to hear from you so we can find the good together.

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