A Wildflower in the Wheelderness – a Column by Katie Napiwocki

October 8, 2020October 6, 2020

The Crackling Intimacy of an Autumn Campfire

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

Come, sit beside me at my campfire.  How about some apple cider or hot cocoa on this crisp autumn night? It’ll warm your bones. Help yourself to a s’more. ... Read more

September 17, 2020September 15, 2020

A Narwhal Pierces Through Azure Ceilings

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

On my writing desk sits a narwhal.  Not an actual narwhal from arctic waters. That would be absurd.  It’s a stout piece of pottery I painted alongside my niece ... Read more

September 3, 2020September 3, 2020

A Season for Bumblebees and a Time for Warriors

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

It’s late August.  The songs written by crickets in May have been arranged into full summer soundtracks, playing on loops of background music from dawn to dusk and moonrise ... Read more

August 20, 2020August 18, 2020

A Damselfly Dances in the Face of Ableism

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

As we drove into the parking lot adjacent to a tried and true trailhead, the hollow moon had climbed into the bluest corner of the sky. Drifting thunderheads were ... Read more

August 6, 2020August 3, 2020

Heartfelt Cheers and Honest Reflections: Happy 30th Birthday, ADA!

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

Many of my friends with disabilities have been posting about the 30th birthday of a well-known gem, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed into law on ... Read more

July 9, 2020July 7, 2020

14 Trips Around the Sun

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

Have I ever told you that my significant other, Andy, has Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD)? Or that we met as kids at MDA Summer Camp? We did, indeed. Our ... Read more

June 4, 2020June 2, 2020

Waiting for Fireflies

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

Dusk was settling in. The sun had clocked out for the day, and as it traveled farther and farther away toward its sleeping quarters, the moonlight grew radiant in ... Read more

May 14, 2020May 12, 2020

The Blue Typhoon

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

Here in the Midwest, “going for a drive” is an authentic thing. When the tall grass gleams in the golden hour of a lazy Sunday afternoon, countryside rustic roads ... Read more

April 30, 2020April 29, 2020

The Sunflower and the Hummingbird

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

I’ve noticed a trend in social media posts lately: Many of us are missing out on highly anticipated plans. Glorious vacation itineraries have been crumpled. Getaway maps have been ... Read more

April 2, 2020March 31, 2020

In a Mad World, I Turn Toward Nature’s Grace

A Wildflower in the Wheelderness - a Column by Katie Napiwocki, Columns

My cellphone vibrated atop my kneecap. I glanced down at the screen. An alert emerged from a local news app: A case of COVID-19 had been identified in my ... Read more