I’ve always felt most like myself when I’m out in nature. It’s my happy place. I’m very old-fashioned and I like living with the land and being as self-sufficient as I can. On my 3.5-acre homestead, I grow fresh herbs and vegetables, take care of my chickens, and spend time foraging for wild plants and cultivating them. Feeding deer and birds is always a pleasure….and even have a live camera designed to watch the birds eating. The hummingbirds arrive with a fury and can even be fed with a hand-held feeder. It’s a simple life, but it’s a good one.

I also enjoy landscaping and creating peaceful spaces around the property. I like having quiet spots where you can sit, breathe, and just be. There’s something really satisfying about building that kind of beauty with your own two hands and working with the land instead of against it.

Foraging has become a big part of my life too. It connects me to something older. I’ve taken the time to learn what plants can help with, what can soothe and support the body. A lot of it is forgotten knowledge, the kind people used to rely on every day. Making teas, salves, and simple remedies from what grows around me just feels natural and like it’s part of my purpose here in this life. I love bringing all of that into the kitchen. Cooking with what I grow and cultivate is where my creativity comes out. Simple ingredients, pure flavors, hand-crafted food and real nutrition that nourish without pesticides or bioengineered ingredients.

I use many of these items in the “special event” charcuterie boards I make for my work at Clay Cooper Theater. It’s my way of sharing this old-fashioned lifestyle with others and giving them something that feels a little more real and thoughtful in this crazy world of convenience. My heart is happiest when I can touch someone else’s life with my talents.

Gardening, foraging, cooking, creating. Living with the land and holding onto things that could easily be forgotten. This makes all feel right with my soul.