Blackpowder Wildflower

Do you ever see those lists? You know the ones. They’re on your social media feed every other day with “How High Maintenance Are YOU?” scrawled across the top, giving instructions to award yourself one point for every “high maintenance” activity you participate in, i.e., wearing makeup, showering daily or dyeing your hair, then encourage you to compare your totals with other women in the comments. The items vary slightly, but the comment section is, without fail, divericated - one half making fun of themselves with princess emojis and shrugs for their high digit totals, the other quietly (or loudly, depending on the composition of your friend’s list) expecting applause for being “low maintenance” or “one of the boys”, taught in quiet Pavlovian fashion to seek recognition from those who praise a woman who is, in black and white, “no fuss”. These things are so funny to me because, through these lists itemizing our femininity and categorizing our levels of expectation, maintenance and “fu

Regardless of where you stand on the way the world is handling the COVID-19 pandemic, I think we can all settle on the common ground that playing outside in some capacity is good for everyone. This week as a contributor to Miss Pursuit, I gave some ideas to help you and your family combat both cabin fever and the coronavirus in even the most locked down states. Give it a read here,  then go play outside already!

Last week over at Miss Pursuit, I started sharing some of my tips for staying warm during your coldest winter escapades. Whether you’re trying to buy clearanced gear for next year or your ice season is still going strong,  check out my base layering tips here!

When this picture was taken,  I couldn't feel my hands, hadn't been able to keep food down for three days, and hadn't caught a single fish in a month and a half. I did not catch one this day either, and proceeded to cry on the shore for twenty minutes while failing to tie palomar knots with frozen fingertips, throwing an elaborate shoreline pity party with a single sorry invitee. Nevertheless, when posted on social media platforms this dramatic image garnered hundreds of likes, painting a portrait of a determined angler in the latest outdoor gear with a flashy rod she built herself, possibly hooking record breaking rainbows as quickly as she could cast. The girl in the picture is determined; the girl in the picture knows what she is doing. And yet, the girl in the picture isn't perfect. She cries, she loses lures to the weeds and birdnests her line in a careless moment. As I begin to share content here and expand upon my other channels, I just wanted to pr

Blackpowder Wildflower Inc. is a twofold project comprised of Blackpowder Media and Wildflower Ministries and where they intersect. Conceived in 2017 and inspired by founder Katie Payne's two greatest personal passions, we have created this platform with the goal of helping others build connections and forge pathways to a relationship with The Lord and the awe inspiring outdoor world He created.  Currently BPW is working to build content and community that inspires and opens doors for others from all over into the outdoor world. Other facets of our industry including outreach, media and nonprofit comprehensive learning opportunities are still in development, as well as other long term goals we are excited to share in the near future. Content is all-inclusive, covering all manners of hunting, fishing, competitive shooting, water sports, snowmobiling and countless other outdoor recreational activities for both beginner and experienced participants. We also share personal s