What really happened when Oklahoma became a state?

I lived in Oklahoma for eight years, but it wasn’t until much later that I became curious about the story behind the land, the Native tribes, the Trail of Tears, the Land Runs, the “Sooners” and even the mysterious history of the Panhandle.

What I discovered was a story far more complicated than the Oklahoma I thought I knew…

Who is your favorite U.S. President?

Mine might surprise you: James K. Polk, the “Dark Horse” president most people barely remember.

He promised to accomplish four things, serve only four years—and he did exactly that. In those four years, he dramatically changed the map of the United States.

But his legacy is complicated. The expansion he pushed for also helped ignite the growing conflict over slavery.

So why is Polk my favorite?

TRAVELING AT MY AGE

We went to New York City in our 70s. And I learned something important:

I don’t want to travel like I used to. Airports were exhausting. The crowds were overwhelming. The walking was brutal. A $52 breakfast felt criminal. And apparently, everything in New York costs more than I remember.

But we saw incredible art, ate in Grand Central, stayed at the Waldorf Astoria, dressed up for a beautiful birthday party—and made memories.

And then we came home.

To Puerto Rico. To our dog Quinn. To dinner waiting for us.

Maybe getting older doesn’t mean you stop having adventures.

Maybe you just become more selective about which adventures are worth coming home from.

Ever feel like you’re the outsider in the room?

Maybe it starts in school. Then you grow up… and discover the tables just get bigger.

From moving to Puerto Rico to navigating new languages, friendships, and social circles, I’ve spent a lifetime wondering where I fit.

But maybe being an outsider isn’t a weakness.

Maybe it gives you something insiders don’t have: a different view of the room.

And sometimes, being different is exactly what the room needs.

Have you ever felt like an outsider?

Meet the Bok Choy King of Puerto Rico.

At 80 years old, Kiki has more energy than people half his age. He arrives at our farm with a smile, a car full of plants, and one mission: convince the world that bok choy deserves a place on every table.

His passion made me wonder... could one humble vegetable really live up to the hype?

Sometimes the best stories don't begin with food—they begin with the people who believe in it.

Have you ever tried bok choy?

Every generation has that one thing everyone had to own.

For my granddaughter, it's Labubu dolls. For me, it was mood rings, Cabbage Patch Kids, and the toys everyone at school couldn't stop talking about.

But fads aren't new. They've been shaping people for centuries—from towering wigs and pointed shoes to today's viral trends.

Maybe the trend changes... but our desire to belong never does.

What was the biggest fad from your childhood?

Can a good book leave you feeling inspired... or a little sad?

I've spent years traveling the world through novels, living adventures from the comfort of my favorite chair. But sometimes, when I close the last page, I wonder if I've been watching life instead of living it.

Maybe books don't create anxiety.

Maybe they simply remind us there's still a story waiting to be written—our own.

Has a book ever changed the way you looked at your life?

Saturday mornings weren't fancy in our house.

While my husband worked, the kids and I curled up on the couch to watch WWF wrestling. We laughed, picked our favorite wrestlers, and cheered louder than we probably should have.

Years later, I realized it was never really about wrestling.

It was about the little moments that became the memories we still smile about today.

❤️ What's one childhood tradition you'll never forget?

Ever notice how some people seem to attract drama... while others simply walk away?

For years, I believed every problem needed my attention. Every conflict deserved a solution. Every story became my story.

But life has taught me something unexpected: peace doesn't come from fixing every scene—it comes from knowing when to leave the stage.

Sometimes the strongest thing we can do is simply... let it go.

What's one lesson life has taught you about handling drama?

Did you know our National Anthem wasn't written to become a song?

It began as a poem.

While rockets lit up the night during the War of 1812, a lawyer named Francis Scott Key watched anxiously from a British ship. At dawn, one sight changed everything—the American flag was still flying over Fort McHenry.

That moment inspired the words that would one day become The Star-Spangled Banner.

What's one piece of American history that has always fascinated you?