38. Tent Life in Maine with Kim Davis, the Realist Nemophilist
How long would you be willing to live in a tent, in order to pursue the lifestyle of your dreams?
For the latest installment of the Good Life Revival Podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Kim Davis, who's just begun to make a name for herself online as the Realist Nemophilist.
nemophilist - noun, singular.
(rare) One who is fond of forests or forest scenery; a haunter of the woods. (Wiktionary)
Kim and her mountain man Dan met when he was a pilot and she was a flight attendant, not long before Dan was diagnosed with a rare early-onset of macular degeneration -- in other words, he was fated to go blind in a matter of years.
This led to a sea-change in their lives, as they began to question what really matters to them and how they might design a lifestyle that they "don't have to take a vacation from."
"You don’t realize how much you’re plugged into that lifestyle — we didn’t, until we tried to leave it... I’m surprised by what I don’t really miss."
After relocating from Denver, CO to rural northern Maine last year, Kim and Dan purchased a few humble acres out in the wilderness and set up shop in a canvas tent, where they've roughed it through the harsh Maine winter in anticipation of building a tiny home for themselves once the landscape thaws.
In our conversation, Kim shares their incredible story of how they came to find themselves living in a tent in the woods, what their daily life is like in and around the tent, and what their plans are for their future out on the land.
We also spoke at length on the topic of race, and Kim was gracious enough to share her perspective as a black woman returning to nature and moving through rural America in a state that's not exactly known as a haven for people of color.
"My race speaks for me in the way your lifestyle may speak for you."
I am so grateful to Kim for spilling her guts here and being so candid and, well, real! Listening to our conversation is like catching up with an old friend who you haven't heard from in years.
Stream and download above, or listen through iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play.
Related Links and Further Resources:
Realist Nemophilist YouTube channel -- subscribe to keep up with Kim and Dan!
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