– The Blog
Notes From Home
These are stories I lived and still carry: reflections on growing up on a farm, on what it means to leave and return, and on the urgency of preserving land, legacies, and a rural way of life.
Cedar and Light: A Country Christmas Tree Memory
In this flash Christmas memoir, siblings walk their woods in search of an elusive cedar tree just the right size and shape to become the family Christmas tree.
Secrets of My Southern Roots
A forgotten farmhouse and an unmarked grave on my family’s North Carolina land sparked a search into the past. What began in 2007 with a single question about my great-grandfather has grown into a deeper journey of uncovering long-lost voices and hidden histories.
Nature as Healer, Teacher, and Refuge
Nature has always been my refuge—a quiet healer and teacher. From childhood days watching trees sway outside my window to adult walks in the woods or along the sea, I’ve found comfort, clarity, and a sense of God’s presence in the natural world. Even the smallest glimpse of nature reminds me to slow down, breathe, and trust that renewal is always possible.
Country Store
In rural North Carolina, the crossroads store was more than a place to buy bread or soda — it was the heart of community life. Farmers gathered to swap stories, share news, and escape the fields for a while. For me, visits to Mr. Jarvis Lee’s country store meant nickel sodas, candy bars, and a front-row seat to the conversations that shaped my childhood.
Miss Hatcher’s Legacy
In ninth grade, I met a woman who changed the way I saw the world—Miss Betty Joe Hatcher, my no-nonsense biology teacher with dark spectacles, flat shoes, and an unwavering passion for science. She ruled the classroom with quiet authority, but it was outside, in the woods behind our rural school, where her lessons truly came alive.