My move to Birmingham went swimmingly until a few leaks led me and my roommate to start searching “how to clean your dryer” on the internet. In case they haven’t told you yet, adult life is super glamorous. First we dealt with a washing machine leak, but then the sink started leaking. The puddle started stealthily enough, but it quickly escalated, soaking the two towels we had reserved for the situation....
If we could pick an edible Valentine this year, grits may very well nab the honor. Cheese grits, spiced pumpkin grits, and yes, we Southerners even love creamy brown sugar grits for dessert. Indeed, we’ve never met a bowl we’d pass up. WATCH: How To Make the Perfect Pot of Grits But as any grits chef de cuisine knows, cooking up a big batch often yields leftovers. Instead of making enough shrimp and grits to feed an army (trust us, you’ll crave something new by the third dinner) or throwing the plain grits—that is, the cooked grits sans seasoning, cheese, or any other recipe components—in a Tupperware, consider this trick from food columnist Cathy Noell....
Late Wednesday afternoon, Hurricane Zeta came ashore along the southeast coast of Louisana, the 5th storm to hit the state this year and the third in just two months. The category 2 storm made landfall near Cocodrie, Louisiana, before moving directly over New Orleans with winds reaching 100 miles per hour. As ABC News senior meteorologist Rob Marciano reported, “It’s the strongest storm we’ve had this late in the season make landfall in over 100 years....
When decorating your home, trends can come and go faster than you can say “accent wall.” And while neutrals are known and loved for their enduring versatility, even some nuanced shades have a moment in the design spotlight. A pleasant variation for white walls is ecru, a warm color that will be a great paint color choice for any room. Decorators offer expert advice on using ecru as the new go-to color in your home....
Country star Keith Urban took on a new role this year—Santa Claus. The “I’ll Be Your Santa Tonight” singer spread a little holiday cheer around Nashville this year with some much-appreciated, end-of-year donations to local charities The Nashville Food Projects, Thistle Farms, and Music Health Alliance. Thistle Farms is a well-known spot for Nashville residents thanks to its bustling café and gift-filled shop, but behind the scenes they are making a huge difference in the lives of women who really need a boost....
If you want to get in with the gardening cognoscenti, just tell them you planted a pollinator garden and they’ll love you. Pollinators are very important to the world’s food supply and even better than that, they’re “trending.” Plenty of plants bestow nutritious nectar to pollinating insects, but there can only be one that’s the best. Grumpy’s choice – mountain mint. Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) is an upright perennial wildflower native to most of the eastern U....
Good news for sick and injured Florida sea turtles: Zoo Miami officially opened its new Sea Turtle Hospital on Wednesday. The 1600 square-foot facility, built with help from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, consists of five saltwater enclosures which will serve as “recovery beds” for up to 16 sea turtles. The Sea Turtle Hospital is located in a behind-the-scenes area across from the Zoo Miami Animal Hospital, and will eventually be accessible to the public through specially arranged tours....
Yesterday marked a significant milestone in Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Ian. Governor Ron DeSantis announced that extensive emergency repairs to the Sanibel Causeway have been completed. As of Wednesday morning, access to Sanibel Island has been restored for residents, reconnecting the beloved barrier island to the mainland. The temporary repairs took just 15 days, and were finished more than a week ahead of schedule. “The work that has been done to restore vehicle access to Sanibel Island has been historic,” DeSantis said....
Since it was published in 1947, Goodnight Moon has sold more than 48 million copies and been translated into at least a dozen languages. Generations of children have drifted asleep to the incantation-like tale of a young bunny who says goodnight to the objects and creatures in a green-walled bedroom, listing them off one by one. In bedrooms all over the world, Goodnight Moon is as ubiquitous as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and for many families, it’s a beloved bedtime tradition....
It happens to the best of us. After a long day of cooking, your coveted cast iron gets left sitting out overnight, and the crumbs of your creations have cemented to your cookware, resulting in a tricky mess to clean up. But, if you have the right dish brush, complicated crusty messes will disintegrate in no time at all. Over 10,000 reviewers gave Oxo’s Good Grips cast iron pan brush a perfect rating, which is quite telling when it comes to proving that this little tool knows how to successfully scrub up a storm....
Remember the name Morgan Myles. Myles, a singer from Nashville, became the first contestant of the season to get a four-chair turn on The Voice Monday. The 35-year-old’s soulful rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” got judge Camila Cabello to turn her chair in just four seconds, with Gwen Stefani hot on her heels. Blake Shelton and John Legend joined the female judges within 40 seconds. Legend told Myles that most performers shy away from the Cohen classic since it’s intimidating....
The Waffle House is a sacred Southern institution. Southerners know that whenever there is a rumble in the bellows of a hungry belly, no matter what time of day or night, you can turn to your local Waffle House. Those Scrabble letter-like squares of yellow and black are a universal beacon for all craving a hearty plate of eggs, waffles, and of course hash browns—scattered, smothered, and covered. And even though you can hit up this Southern icon 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, sometimes you’re just in a hurry and can’t take a seat....
Home is where the heart is. And clutter. It may not be spring quite yet, but we’re already looking ahead to getting our abodes into tip-top shape, and to that end, may we suggest Walmart.com’s little-known trove of home storage goods under $30? We first heard about the hidden section from our friends over at The Kitchn, and we’re definitely bookmarking the page for all the bins, baskets, containers, jars, shelves, and more to keep every room in your house organized....
Pumpkin pie is a mandatory part of many families’ Thanksgiving, but not everyone has the time or desire to bake one from scratch. There’s often so much other cooking going on that having to bake a pie on top of it all can be overwhelming. Opting for a store-bought pie is an obvious solution, and while it probably won’t beat the flavor of homemade, some premade pies come closer than others....
It often happens after a big rain. And just as you are ready to harvest. You’ve watched your tomato plants grow and blossom. Nurtured the little green balls into plump, juicy fruits. And as you reach to pluck the ripe red tomato from the vine you notice it–a long crack running across the fleshy skin. Even the most seasoned gardeners have been devastated by a split tomato. Rest assured, there is a simple solution....
For Wynonna Judd, the death of her mother Naomi brought immense pain and sadness, but it also brought healing. In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, the country star shared how Naomi’s untimely death led to a reconciliation between herself and her sister, actress Ashley Judd, after years of estrangement and bitter fighting. “We had one of the most difficult conversations we’ve ever had. And we got through it. And nobody was hurt,” Wynonna recalled....
Is there an end to the flavor implications that can come about from the addition of golden-brown melted butter? We think not. Whether it’s mixed into cookie batter or slathered between two halves of a fresh-from-the-oven roll, brown butter is the secret for upping the ante in a way that convinces friends and family no one can hold a candle to you in the kitchen. Little do they know your secret is a sauce pan, a stick of butter, and 8 minutes of undivided attention....
Few beach towns have it all, but Clearwater is one of those rare and precious jewels. Nestled on Florida’s west coast near Tampa, the area averages 361 fabulous days of sunshine per year. And it even holds the record for consecutive sunny days at 768—that’s more than two years of straight sun! It’s no wonder why visitors from around the world (especially snow birds) flock to Clearwater to swim in—you guessed it—crystal clear water....
About a month before her dad’s 112th birthday, Vanessa Brooks quietly set up a GoFundMe account, looking for donations to help with his care. On September 12, Lawrence Brooks, America’s oldest living World War II veteran, celebrated his 112th trip around the sun. There were cakes, cards, musical performances, and shoutouts from celebrities. Lawrence smiled and waved from the porch of the residence he’s called home for decades. But, according to his daughter, keeping him in that home has become a significant financial burden....
A lethal combination of low humidity and strong winds caused two major wildfires to blaze through the Florida Panhandle over the weekend. The larger of the two wildfires, the Bertha Swamp Road Fire, which started Saturday, had burned 9,000 acres (14 square miles) and was only 10% contained as of Sunday afternoon. As of Monday morning, the Florida Forest Service reported that the fire had grown to cover 12,000 acres and was 20% contained....
