🔥 Campfire Chat
Pull up a log — here’s what’s crackling this week.
Welcome to Campfire Chat, a new little corner of Field Trip where I’ll be sharing what’s got me curious, what I’m learning (or re-learning), and what I’m getting my hands dirty with lately. Think of it like a peek inside the tent: part show-and-tell, part signal boost, part friendly nudge to try something new outdoors (or from the comfort of your couch).
🎥 Birds of a Feather
There’s clever TV, and then there’s The Residence on Netflix — a murder mystery set in the White House with a quirky twist. Our heroine, Cordelia Cup, is a sharp-eyed detective whose real superpower might be… birding. Yes, really. She uses her field skills (keen observation, patience, pattern recognition) to try and crack the case. It’s funny, fast-paced, and unexpectedly bird-nerdy in the best way. Think of it as the “Cozy Crime” binge you didn’t know you needed.
📖 On My Nightstand
Currently devouring By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult. Without giving too much away: it’s a story about authorship, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves — or let others tell for us. There’s a double narrative, a mystery in the margins, and that classic Picoult twist that hits you right in the gut. As always, her characters are smart, complicated women navigating complicated worlds.
🥾 On the Ground
Guess who’s back in class? At 48, I didn’t think I’d be submitting assignments again — but here I am, enrolled in the South Carolina Native Plants Certification through Clemson. It’s part thrilling, part terrifying, and fully worth it. The more I learn about native species, the more I see how much there is to unlearn about the way we landscape and live.
🔥 Sparks
Did you know sea otters have pockets? Not a joke — we posted it on our social media channels on April Fool’s Day, but it’s 100% true. They stash rocks and snacks in their underarm “pouches.” Follow @explorefieldtrip on IG, FB, Bluesky, or TikTok so you don’t miss out on these delightful nuggets of nature trivia.
🪵 Kindling
I scored two raised garden beds from our neighborhood swap group (shoutout to the magic of free stuff), and I’m planting my first veggie garden in over a decade. Watching those little green shoots poke up feels like a small miracle. There is nothing like the taste of a tomato you grew yourself.
📍 Pinned to the Map
My husband Liam and I are heading to Spacious Skies Bear Den this week — part hosted trip, part wildflower chase. We’ll be exploring along the Spring Bloom Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. If you haven’t read this week’s feature on it, now’s the time. Expect more on the bloom trail soon, including stops from some of our Field Trip crew.
🧵 Thread I’m Pulling
It’s Native Plant Month, and I’m soaking it all in — thanks to my coursework and a handful of nature-forward newsletters that are giving me both inspiration and actionable ideas. One of my favorite realizations? Native plants don’t have to mean a full landscape overhaul. You can start small — even one corner of your yard or balcony makes a difference. (We’ve got more on this in the edition too.)
🎒 Packing Out
Living in a planned community that skews older and more conservative, I wasn’t sure how a grassroots conservation effort would land. However, I decided to test the waters and floated the idea of a community conservation club. Within hours, over 50 people reached out. I was floored. I expected maybe five. Turns out conservation resonates more than we think — and our assumptions often get in the way.
