Newsletter 1
Friday, March 6, 2026
Hello to all!
Spring greetings! I wrote this a few weeks ago, but I am just now sending.
My old laptop is up and running again, I have my second weekend off in a row, and a friend told me I need to get on the newsletter again. So here we are! Thank you to Nik, and thanks to all those who sent their own updates after the last newsletter.
I’ve been working a lot and adjusting to being back in fire after my year off. I’m starting to feel back in the groove and I’m looking forward to wildfire season. It feels good to be back in “work shape”, but it took me a while to get used to running the rocky hills on the refuge. My goal for the next couple of weeks is to get back on a running plan while work is a little slower, otherwise Mom is going to show me up too (ask her and Addy about their half marathon in Gulf Shores).
I’m trying to cut out sugar and breads/sweets that I don’t make at home and get my caffeine use back under control. I’ve officially put my foot down on streaming—please send DVD’s. Seriously, if anyone has any good ones laying around, feel free to pass them along. Same goes for CD’s.
Updates:
- Turned 27. (old)
- I’m really enjoying the Balcones crew so far. We wrapped up the last of our prescribed burns for our refuge this week. It’s been almost two months to the day since starting work here in the Texas Hill Country. Lots of burnt hair days. It sounds like we’ll be traveling to help out at other refuges for most of April and May. (& I officially got my Firefighter Type 1 taskbook open)
- Athena and I are currently on the way to Colorado, where she will be working for the rest of prescribed fire season and into the western wildfire season.
- Addy is officially living in South Korea. She’s 15 hours ahead of me, so it’s been quite the adjustment to figure out how to talk semi-regularly.
- Lost the flip phone on a prescribed fire. I’m back to the smartphone lifestyle for a little while. Pray for me. I’ve been trying to keep it in black and white mode.
- The camper is getting cuter everyday. Bathroom tiles are done, bedroom is repainted, curtains are hung, plants are hanging in there, and I am putting hooks everywhere. It’s starting to get very very hot. I’ve been trying to figure out how to rig up some sort of awning. Juniper are too short for camper shade.
- I’ve been on a homemade mushroom ravioli, cornmeal pancake, and wood fired pizza (see below) kick lately. Not eaten together
- Saw my first prairie chickens at Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge.
- Went and saw Sirāt at the Austin Film Society Cinema. If you’ve seen it, please send thoughts/interpretations/opinions.
Alrighty kids. We are well into the year, what has everyone been up to?
All the best,
Jaylen
2026 progress:
- phoneless days: 0 :/
- new experiences (outside of work!): 3
- went outdoor rock climbing; learned to lead belay and lead climb
- went to a fancy restaurant in downtown Austin, had some delicious duck
- went to a two step dancing lesson for my b-day weekend
- books read: 3 (really slacking here)
- letters handwritten: 0
- arts completed: 1
- we framed pressed plants I collected in Mississippi
Photos
