Campfire Chat: No Mud, No Lotus (and Other Things I’ve Learned in the Garden)
The garden, the clay, and a tiny patch of pollinator chaos — how we grow says a lot about how we live.
🎧 What I’ve Been Listening To: The sweet, fake sounds of real peace
Wind chimes and a little bubbling fountain on the lanai. That’s it. That’s the soundtrack. And while both are technically manmade, they make working at my laptop feel less like being indoors and more like being creekside with WiFi. The chimes dance with the breeze. The fountain hums like a tiny stream. It’s not wild nature, but it’s working hard to pretend — and I’m not mad about it.
🌱 What I’ve Been Growing: Lettuce, confidence, and a lot of feelings
I started a veggie garden for the first time since moving to South Carolina — and for the first time ever as the solo gardener. My ex-husband was the green thumb when it came to the vegetable garden. I was more “moral support and herb snipper.” But this spring, I got my hands dirty. The first harvest? One perfect salad’s worth of lettuce. And it was delicious. There’s nothing quite like eating something you grew yourself. It wasn’t just fresh — it was freeing. Like quietly proving to yourself, “Yeah… I can do this.”
🐝 What I’ve Been Surprised By: One tiny pollinator patch, a whole lotta life
I tossed a few seeds into a 4-foot metal ring and figured I’d maybe get a couple transplant-worthy plants. Instead, I got a buzzing jungle. Bees, butterflies, flowers growing like they’re late to a party — it’s been a gorgeous mess. And it’s proof that even a tiny bit of space can become a haven. (Apartment dwellers, I see you. You can totally do this.) The patch is unruly, sure. But it’s alive. And it reminds me why chemical-laced lawns — and what they’re doing to our pets and pollinators — just aren’t worth it.
👩🌾 What I’ve Been Inspired By: The coolest school you’ve never heard of
Ten minutes from my house is the South Carolina Governor’s School for Agriculture — the only public, residential agriculture high school in the U.S. The students there learn in fields and greenhouses, collect eggs from chickens they care for, and grow food the school actually eats. (The goal is to produce 50% of their own food — and they’re well on their way.)
What struck me most? These teens love what they’re doing. They respect the land, the animals, and each other. They’re not just getting a great education — they’re growing up rooted. We need more of this in the world. Fewer walls. More dirt.
🪖 What I’ve Been Feeling: Memorial Day, without the filter
This weekend hits a little differently for me this year. My daughter’s boyfriend is currently stationed in Guam. He’s 20. She’s 20. And while I support and respect his choice to serve, it’s hard to watch someone you love worry about someone so far away — and under real risk.
Yes, let’s fire up the grill. Yes, let’s enjoy the freedom, sun, and salty snacks. But let’s also pause for the people who didn’t come home. Memorial Day isn’t about guilt. It’s about grace. It’s about living with intention, because someone else gave everything so you could.
💍 What I’ve Been Wearing: Green amethyst, lab-grown diamonds, and zero guilt
This week, we’re sharing a piece about sustainable alternatives to traditional diamonds — and it hits home for me. My engagement ring isn’t mined. It’s a pale green amethyst shaped like a lotus, flanked by lab-grown diamonds. It’s a daily reminder that love doesn’t need to leave a scar on the earth. And that we can choose beauty and better values, without compromise.
🌸 Why a Lotus Ring? What “No Mud, No Lotus” Means to Me and My Husband
That line isn’t just a cute quote — it is our marriage motto. (We even have matching lotus tattoos.) It’s from Thích Nhất Hạnh, the idea that beauty and growth don’t happen in spite of the hard stuff — they happen because of it. Lotuses bloom from muck, not marble. And I carry that with me each day. My engagement ring isn’t traditional — it’s a pale green amethyst shaped like a lotus. It’s beautiful, sure. But more than that, it’s a reminder: the mess matters. The hard parts? They count. Without the mud, there’s no beauty.
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Why listen to me?
Because I’ve spent the last 15 years writing about the outdoors and conservation—with muddy boots, dirt under my nails, and way too many bug bites to prove it.
I’m a certified Bee-Friendly Gardener, a Pollinator Steward, and a volunteer with folks who care about bats, trails, and treading lightly. I’m also a DarkSky Advocate and a proud member of the SC Native Plant Society and 1% for the Planet. My backyard wildlife habitat—certified by the National Wildlife Federation, Pollinator Partnership, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology—is basically a wild little résumé of its own.
I started Field Trip for folks who’d rather be outside. Now I spend my days researching, asking too many questions, and turning what I learn into stories that help people fall in love with the outdoors—and want to protect it.
Thanks for being here with me.
