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There are many different types of buttercup plants. There are perennials, annuals, biennials, and even aquatic and rock garden plants. However, the buttercups that we know in the South are often found in meadows and are thought of as weeds. They usually are in the lawn, spread rapidly, and smother other plants. These have simple, yellow flowers with five to 10 petals. They are especially bright and glossy. This is because the petals curve inward and are constructed in such a way that they reflect light on to the flower center, thus increasing the heat....

Learning to entertain as a newlywed in Madison, Georgia, was something of a baptism by fire, says Vera Stewart. “In that small town, if I had a dinner party, I invited the people across the street, who were old enough to be my grandparents; the local House of Representatives official, who was my parents’ age; and then my peer group,” says Vera. “I found out early on that I had to bring my A game if I was hosting in Madison....

Fa-la-la-la-inally! The Hallmark Holiday Movie schedule has finally arrived and it feels like Christmas morning already! If there was ever a year that we needed all of the hot cocoa, snow man building, sleigh riding, tinsel-coated goodness that we count on Hallmark for, it’s this year. And our friends at the Hallmark are not going to disappoint. That’s right, the pandemic will not stop Countdown to Christmas on Hallmark Channel or Miracles of Christmas on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries....

Scabiosa is a genus of flowers that look a little like sewing accoutrements. These flowers are also called pincushion flowers, and they belong to the family Dipsacaceae. According to The New Southern Living Garden Book, they “resembl[e] a pincushion full of pins, [and] each Scabiosa flower has stamens that protrude well beyond the curved surface of the flower head.” They’re noted for their appearance, but they’re also prized for their long blooming season, as they can bloom from spring to frost in the right conditions....

Do you ever load your dishwasher, run it with your favorite, reliable detergent, and then find that your glasses are cloudy? If that scenario sounds familiar, it’s time to clean your dishwasher. While you may keep your windows shiny, your floors spic and span, and your heirloom family silver looking like it’s brand new, it may not occur to you to wash the machine that washes your dishes. Dishwashers really do need the occasional cleaning, though, because over time grease, soap scum, and food debris can build up, reducing efficiency and providing a breeding ground for germs....

One of the first of many commands my wife gave me after we got married was to rip up all the nandinas in front of my house. “It makes the house look abandoned,” she stated. “If you don’t do it, I will.” Now that’s a threat an experienced gardener like Grumpy loves to hear. Because I know what it takes to tear out an established clump of nandina. This. (We don’t have one....

If you’re in search of easy Christmas baking recipes for the kids, you’ve come to the right place. Our Sprinkle Stocking Cookies are simple to make and fittingly festive for the holiday season. While typical cookie decorating can require lots of supplies, time, and patience, these treats couldn’t be easier to throw together. After all, any imperfections are hidden under a thick layer of sprinkles. This recipe is a great baking and decorating project for kids of all ages....

Whether you want to believe it or not, billions of cicadas are coming, and they’re coming soon. While you can’t prevent Brood X from emerging from the ground next month, there are things you can do to mitigate potential damage to your yard. First thing’s first. Cicadas are generally harmless, and do not spread disease. Sure, they’re a nuisance, but they pose no bodily threat to you or your family....

We all encounter boutonnieres at least a few times in our lives, whether at prom, weddings, or other events, so it’s probably best to feel equipped if someone passes you one and says, “Can you pin this for me?” The history of the boutonniere is an unclear one. Some say the trend of wearing flowers started during early English civil wars as a way for men who dressed similarly to distinguish which side they were on....

One of the biggest perks of an artificial tree is that you get to reuse it each year—no hauling a fresh tree home from the local lot, sprinkling needles everywhere as you drag it into the house. You save time, money, and energy. That is, if you store your artificial tree correctly. There is no shortage of products on the market these days to make the process a little easier. But before we get into bags, boxes, and bright ideas for making sure your faux fir lasts as long as possible, it all starts with proper prep work....

You work hard to keep your home tidy, free of germs, and sparkling clean for all to enjoy. And sure, you’re happy to share your space, have neighbors pop over, and you’re even willing to host a cocktail hour or two. However, when it comes to footwear you draw a hard line: No shoes in the house. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. In many cultures around the world, removing shoes before entering homes is the norm....

There’s a good reason that Julia Roberts’ September interview with Gayle King is going viral right now. During the interview for A+E Networks and History Channel’s HISTORYTalk, Gayle pressed the A-lister about a little-known story from the first hours of her life. And what came out is shocking. “Let’s start with the day you were born — who paid for the hospital bill?” Gayle asked the Oscar-winning actress. Roberts appeared surprised and perhaps a little embarrassed by the question....

I do not eat alligator. I know this may offend many gator-eating bons vivants, but I won’t consume anything that tastes like an unholy union between a fish and a chicken. To me, it’s flavored like the lizard it is, and I will not eat that just to be picturesque. I ate alligator in Louisiana once. At the time, I said I liked it, but after much consideration, I believe I might have been less than sincere....

When Fennel Maudlin purchased his great-grandmother’s old home in the late 1970s, poison ivy and privet hedges had run so wild that as he cleared the Leighton, Alabama, property, he uncovered a garage, an outhouse, and a car. After that initial cleanup, Mauldin restored the interiors of the 1870s Italianate house. Next, he started from scratch cultivating the 100-year-old home’s first-ever garden. It took him more than 20 years to create a basic skeleton for the 7-acre property....

It’s important to stay hydrated during those long Southern heat waves and despite some folks’ best efforts, it’s hard to survive on sweet tea alone. Luckily, the South has a lot of homegrown drink options to choose from, including soft drinks from giants like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and Dr. Pepper, and local favorites like Cheerwine and Sun Drop. If you don’t know the last one, well, it’s worth a deep dive into your local store’s cooler to dig one out....

If you’re from North Carolina and whipping up a batch of biscuits and gravy, chances are you’re using sausage from Neese’s. The pork farm has been a North Carolina institution for over 100 years, ever since J.T. Neese started selling sausage from the back of his wagon. Today, they are five generations in and still making some of the best sausage in North Carolina—if not the country—using the same recipes passed down through the family....

This classic spring cake not only tastes amazing, it’s so lovely that it can double as a centerpiece on your Easter table or buffet. Who needs flowers when you have a cake like this? We updated our all-time most popular recipe, Hummingbird Cake, with a luscious cream cheese custard filling and rich browned butter frosting. The cake layers, flavored with ripe bananas, cinnamon, toasted pecans, and crushed pineapple, remain the same as they did back in 1978, when the original recipe (by reader Mrs....

We might not be tweens, but we’ll be first to admit we devoured the entire season of the new Netflix series, The Baby-Sitters Club, based on the exceedingly popular ’80s and ’90s book series by Ann M. Martin. (In fact, in recent weeks we’ve been all about Netflix’s ’90s throwbacks—thanks to the release of 15 Supermarket Sweep episodes on the streaming platform and our re-surging interest in “comfort food” mysteries like Twin Peaks....

Tomato plants are a favorite crop among beginner and experienced gardeners alike, and both groups struggle with a common problem: their tomato leaves turning yellow. Tomatoes are prone to a variety of diseases and environmental factors that cause leaf discoloration. Fortunately, there are many ways to avoid these problems and to treat tomato plants displaying yellowing leaves. The first step is identifying the cause. Yellow Leaves Can be a Sign of Nutrient Deficiency Tomato plants require a lot of nutrients to produce those delicious fruits – especially nitrogen....

As someone who uses their air fryer multiple times every week, sometimes daily, I always love learning new ways to use my favorite kitchen appliance. Based on that fact, my air fryer is the only small appliance that has earned a permanent spot on my kitchen counter. I use it for everything from making sweet potato fries to baking muffins to reheating leftovers.How the thought of making toast in my air fryer has never crossed my mind before now, I have no idea....