“Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” ― Mary Oliver

I was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1979 and grew up in Retreat, a small farming community along the Mississippi River. My childhood followed the rhythms of the land, with days spent fishing in creeks, camping in the woods, building snow forts, riding horses, and working in the tobacco fields that shaped much of our summers.

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As a first-generation college student, I earned a degree in Human Ecology from the University of Wisconsin and spent nearly two decades working in public education in Madison. Between those years, I lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where I supported recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina.

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In 2020, a season of change began. The pandemic, and the uncertainty it brought, led me to reflect on the shape of my life and the stories that rooted me. That reflection eventually carried me across the Atlantic, back toward the home of my ancestors.

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I now live in a small village on Norway’s west coast, where I work remotely, write, and spend as much time as I can outdoors. The seasons, the sea, and the people I’ve met here continue to teach me about belonging, resilience, and the quiet work of starting again.

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Velkommen til Marla Goes North.​