The Good Stuff Interview with Heidi Fiedler

Plus a great new Rec League account, the best 'calming' chocolates and a neon tennis racquet

Heidi and I connected over the last year via the Substack universe - she writes a newsletter about motherhood and creativity. While I don’t know her that well, I know her as a writer, editor, and mother trying her best (and succeeding!) at keeping her creative flame alive. I’m thrilled to share her Good Stuff Interview with you.

1. What’s an object you use daily that you’d genuinely miss if it disappeared tomorrow?

I didn’t know I was a salt-lamp person until I saw one in a natural food market and loved it so much I went back for it the next week. It gives off the coziest, warmest light. I’m honestly encouraged by this lamp’s presence, even though that makes no sense.

2. What’s an object in your life that has an interesting previous owner, history, or origin story?

We have a Japanese shoji screen that we use as a headboard in our bedroom. My father-in-law brought it back from his time in the Navy, and I can’t imagine how such a delicate object survived the journey. He gave it to his parents, so my husband saw it in his grandparents’ house when he was growing up. Then it sat in my in-laws’ basement for a while. When we moved into this house, his parents drove it out from Michigan to us. Now it feels meant for this room.

3. What’s something in your house right now that makes you smile when you see it?

My plants make me happy. I have zero luck growing things outside, but my living room is like a sunny greenhouse, all year round. There are flowers and green vines. I feel like anyone who walks through the front door is going to sigh with relief, because if this is a house where plants thrive, how bad can it be?

4. What’s an object you’ve held onto longer than makes practical sense, and why?

As someone who has moved a fair bit, I really should have learned my lesson with books by now, but I don’t want to part with them! Our living room is filled with picture books, and I can justify it because my son is still young, and it’s my job. But I know I will have to let them go one day. (Editor’s note: You absolutely do not need to let them all go! My kids are 16 and 8, and I am resolutely holding on to the bulk of their favorites. My mother saved some of my most beloved children’s books, and it meant so much to me!)

Bonus Q: Everyone always loves a recipe recommendation - a go to - something you can cook with your eyes closed - a recipe that you return to again and again.

I’m the queen of putting things in a bowl and calling it a meal. Lately, I like white rice (parboiled, just pop it in the microwave), plus some edamame, roasted cauliflower, salmon (I usually bake it in the oven for 25 min), maybe some mango if we have it, and a little spicy mayo. I top it all with Trader Joe’s furikake--that is key!

Yum! Thank you, Heidi!

A. I was so moved by the description of this piece of art.
B. A pal introduced me to the artist Anandamayi Arnold. My mother gave me one of her tangerines for my birthday (now they are sold out, but her kumquats are still available).
C. My friend Stephanie has an exquisite eye and has started sharing her finds on Rec League. She linked to Critical Eye Finds, and this photo caught my eye ($35) Lone Clam Digger Photo
D. Stephanie also texted me these very cool S-hooks, which I can’t wait to find a good use for (corralling tote bags, maybe?)

E. This fun bracelet was a much-loved birthday gift that makes me smile every time I see it.
F. These calm chocolates are good for kids and adults.
G. It’s Cadbury Egg Season! (I bought mine at ALDI).
H. I’m not much of a fan of placemats - they’ve always seemed a little fussy and like another thing to clean. However, these caught my eye and just might change my mind.
I. This neon racket stood out at a tournament of a friend’s kiddo today.
J. I recently made bao buns, and they couldn’t have been easier or more rewarding. I used this recipe too.

Bonus link: This week’s “just trust me.”

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I occasionally include affiliate links - typically to products from Etsy, Ebay, 1st Dibs, Bookshop, Wayfair, and yes, sometimes, Amazon. Affiliate links are bolded so you know when I’ve used one. Our most consistent political power comes from exercising our values via our wallets. I’m always thinking about cost, accessibility, and the planet. It’s a work in progress.

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I include a few bonus finds here each week for paid subscribers as a small token of appreciation for making this newsletter possible.

1. This Enormous Easter Egg seems like it would delight my kids hidden in a tree … obviously so much of the modern tradition of Easter is bad for the environment and this is no different - but I’m tempted.

2. I ordered this tote bag after reading the reviews- lightweight, lots of inner pockets. I will report back - on initial glance, it read very “diaper bag” to me, but I took a chance because I had the unpleasant experience of my tote bag exploding out of the trunk and onto the muddy driveway at work this week…. and now I need that zipper!

3. I spent so many years on the hunt for petite bedside tables that I can’t resist sharing this one.