The work I produced in 2024 and 2025 reflects a period of purposeful growth, shaped by curiosity and a willingness to step beyond familiar ground. Alongside travel and food storytelling rooted in place and culture, I expanded into garden writing—an entirely new direction informed by my travels throughout the United States and Europe. These stories connect landscapes, regional traditions, and plant heritage across borders, blending destination reporting with a more intimate, ground-level perspective. This period also included a deep dive into South Carolina rice cultivation, exploring the revival of historic growing practices and sustainable futures through research and reporting supported by Clemson University—a project that brought together agriculture, history, and place-based storytelling.

These years also pushed me in unexpected ways, including a rodeo feature that was wholly outside my comfort zone yet deeply rewarding. It required learning a new culture, vocabulary, and rhythm—proof that the most compelling stories often live just beyond what feels safe. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” That philosophy guided much of this work, resulting in a body of writing that is grounded in experience, energized by risk, and defined by continued growth.

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