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1 - Look Up, Look Down and Look Ahead

1 - Look Up, Look Down and Look Ahead

Welcome to the first episode of the Buzz, Blossom, and Squeak podcast! I’m Jill from The Northwoods, your host, and I couldn’t be more excited to share my passion for nature with you. Growing up in the Northwoods, I’ve always been fascinated by the natural world and how it works. That’s what led me to create this podcast. I want to share the excitement of nature and help you understand how things work in the natural world.

 I have a friend, Em, who shares my love for nature. She’s an avid birdwatcher and gardener and writer, while I enjoy hiking, camping, and photography. She enjoys writing about nature while I prefer talking about it. We both love going on adventures and observing various animals, birds, and other species. We initially planned to do this podcast together, but decided that I’ll take on the audio while she works on the blog, ABetterLifeinSmall Steps.com. Our goal is to bring the joy of nature and life to you, helping you understand and observe it better.

In this podcast, we won’t get too deep into science. Instead, we want to share interesting facts about how nature works and how you can go outside and see it for yourself. This first episode is all about observing nature - how to look at it appropriately. Whether you’re interested in clouds, mammals, rocks, snakes, bees or birds, we’re here to help you observe and understand them better. That’s why we titled this episode “Look Up, Look Down, and Look Ahead” - to capture the essence of what we aim to achieve through this podcast.

I’ll also be sharing some tips on observing nature more effectively and fun facts. It’s all about going outside, paying attention, focusing, slowing down, using all your senses, being patient, and figuring out what you like. Whether you’re walking in your neighborhood or in a park, these tips can help you appreciate nature more.

I encourage you to email me at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com with any questions or topics you’d like to hear about, and I look forward to exploring the wonders of nature with you. So, let’s get started!

https://buzzblossomandsqueak.com/?p=111

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQMbvJNRpLE

Jill’s Links
Notion Affiliate - https://affiliate.notion.so/NorthwoodsJill

Notion AI Affiliate -https://affiliate.notion.so/NorthwoodsAI


Buy Me Coffee if you like my podcasts! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/smallstepspod

Buzz Blossom and Squeak Website https://buzzblossomandsqueak.com/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/BuzzBlossomPod

Blog Headquarters at https://abetterlifeinsmallsteps.com/

Email the podcast at mailto: jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

About the Podcast

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Buzz Blossom & Squeak
Become a neighbhorhood naturalist right outside your front door!

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About your host

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Jill McKinley

I’m Jill from the Northwoods. Professionally, I work in Health IT, where I untangle complex systems and help people use technology more effectively. But at heart, I’m a curious lifelong learner—always exploring how things work, why people grow the way they do, and how even the smallest steps can spark real transformation. That curiosity fuels everything I do, from problem-solving at work to sharing insights through my creative projects.

My journey wasn’t always easy. Growing up, I faced a rough childhood, and books became my lifeline. They introduced me to voices of ancient wisdom, modern psychology, and the natural world around me. Those pages taught me resilience, gave me perspective, and helped me see that wisdom is everywhere—waiting to be noticed, gathered, and shared.