Returning to School: Learning New Things and Sharing Them With You

Sometimes life circles back in the most unexpected, right‑timed way. Last year, I quietly (and frankly, terrifyingly) stepped into something I’d been wanting for a long time: I went back to school. Again. Not in a dramatic, “new chapter!” kind of way — more like putting my hands back into the soil of a forgotten garden bed.

I’m now working toward my B.S. in Horticulture through Oregon State University, and I’m already three semesters in. It still feels a little surreal to say that out loud. Going back to college as an adult is different. It’s less about the ‘experience ‘ or chasing a degree and more about gathering skills I can use in real life — in my garden, in my teaching, in the way I operate through the world.

That’s why I’m sharing it here.

This blog has always been a place where I write from lived experience: Central Texas seasons, the plants I grow, the lessons the land keeps offering. Now I get to weave (sometimes less poetically than i would like) in what I’m learning academically also.Not in a textbook way, but in a “here’s how this actually matters in your everyday life” sort of way.

Over the coming months, you’ll see posts about:

- the science behind the plants we rely on  

- soil, ecology, and the foundations of healthy gardens and yards

- practical skills I’m learning in my coursework  

- the little “aha” moments that shift how I see the land  

- how this knowledge translates into real, usable tools and what really doesnt 

I’m excited to bring you along for the information and for the journey. If you’ve been craving grounded, useful, real‑world plant knowledge, you’re in the right place. And if you’re learning alongside me in your own garden, even better.

Here’s to new skills, new seasons, and the joy of growing — together.