Special Spaces, Unique Places by Gayle M. Irwin I relish open spaces. I may enjoy a trip to a big city now and then, but my heart belongs to the plains, mountains, and woodlands. Childhood was spent in Iowa’s forests and fields, and early adulthood found me on Wyoming’s plains and Montana’s mountains. I’m called to be a writer and a woodswoman, much like the late freelance writer and conservationist, Anne LaBastille . Decades ago, I read her first memoir, Woodswoman . This tale of her life in New York’s Adirondack Mountains opened my eyes and touched my heart; I discovered a kindred spirit. Inspired by Thoreau , Anne lived in a log cabin without modern conveniences, relying on a boat for transportation and neighbors to help with things she couldn’t do herself. However, she accomplished much alone. I admired Anne’s fortitude and independent spirit, the way she sustained herself through freelance writing and conservation work and cared for her property and friends. Alas, my