All eyes are on a pair of expectant parents on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The Hilton Head Land Trust has trained a live camera on the nest of a bald eagle couple, inviting viewers from all over the world to watch the feathered family grow in real time. The female has laid two eggs in the last five days and has been diligently warming them ever since, WTOC reports....
Hester Ford celebrated a remarkable 116 years of life this on August 15. The Charlotte resident, who holds the title of oldest living American, has 48 grandchildren, 108 great-grandchildren, 125 great-great-grandchildren, and even possibly even more wisdom. When asked about her secret to longevity, the supercentenarian told The Charlotte Observer, “I just live right, all I know.” But Ford’s granddaughter, Mary Hill, told Yahoo Life she believes that her granny owes her long life to more than that....
Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning are gearing up to host this year’s CMA Awards, and by the looks of it, we’re in for a whole lot of Southern fun. The friends recently sat down to talk about what it feels like to be at the helm of Country Music’s Biggest Night—and doing it together. In a new promotional video for the awards (below), Bryan and Manning recounted some of their favorite shared experiences....
And this Strawberry-Lemonade Layer Cake is the ultimate testament to how these two fruits bring out the best in each other. With alternating layers of sweet and tart flavors, and cheerful colors, this springtime cake can function as both your dessert and centerpiece. Our Secret to Making a Standout Strawberry-Lemon Layer Cake Think beyond the basics. Rather than making a simple lemon cake with strawberry frosting, we start with a lemon-infused cake, and then add homemade Strawberry-Lemonade Jam to create a more complex balance between sweet and tangy....
In case anyone hasn’t noticed, when Southern women do something, they want to do it all the way. They’re not interested in doing a single thing halfway. So just like our favorite homemade meal—Mississippi pot roast, biscuits, and all—feels extra fun when dressed up on the fine china, sometimes even our everyday ponytail has us wanting to master the finishing touches. Flyaways, frizz, and baby hair are part of life; but whenever we’re feeling extra motivated, a sleeker look with smoothed-out strands can make an old hairstyle feel brand-new....
Mother’s Day might feel a little different this year thanks to social distancing. Whether you’re able to celebrate together or have to spend the holiday apart, this easy-to-make arrangement is sure to brighten her day. This living centerpiece can be prepared at home the day before, and then drop off this fresh gift by her door on Mother’s Day. After a few weeks, she can replant the arrangement in her own garden and use the bowl for other displays around the house....
The only thing that makes us more emotional than a shelter pet in need of a home is one that comes with a handwritten recommendation from a second grader. Second graders at St. Michael’s Episcopal School in Richmond, Virginia, helped local cats and dogs find their forever homes by writing notes to potential adopters from the animals’ perspective. “If you’re looking for a pet, please, please, please take me home,” one letter reads....
Even though winters are mild in my hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, I’ve always dreaded the season, with its gray skies and bare branches and noncommittal attitude towards the weather (frost on the ground one morning, 70 degrees the next). But there is one redeeming quality of winter that keeps me from praying away its existence altogether: It’s camellia season. Their waxy emerald leaves and ruffled petals in creamy whites and brilliant pinks are welcome signs of life in an otherwise Melba-toast landscape, a promise that spring and its razzle-dazzle colors will come back soon, if only we’re patient....
There’s a clock in my parents’ dining room that’s older than I am. It’s older than my parents and probably my grandparents too. But it still chimes on the hour every hour (and once every half-hour) with a gusto that far belies its years. The clanging chime might even be a little annoying if it weren’t such a telltale sign that I’ve arrived home. That’s the beauty of family heirlooms—there’s a comforting quality to them, a familiar patina that can’t be replicated in things shiny, store-bought, new....
When it comes to iconic Southern dishes, chicken salad doesn’t rank high on most people’s lists. And yet it’s at the center of luncheon menus, baby showers, church potlucks, summertime picnics, and your own kitchen table whenever you need to throw together a quick lunch or snack. Chicken salad is so simple to make and so commonplace that it doesn’t seem like a dish worth celebrating. But that’s exactly what makes it great....
World Central Kitchen, the non-profit relief organization founded by D.C. chef José Andrés, has deployed to Jackson, Mississippi, where, after a month-long boil-water notice, residents suffered a week without drinkable water. Dan Abrams, who oversees relief efforts for World Central Kitchen’s operations in eastern North America, said the organization has been providing bottled water to residents since Thursday. “We will surpass 100,000 gallons after [Monday],” he told WUSA9. The organization is also working with Jackson’s school district to set up water tanks at 54 schools that will also serve as backup water systems in future emergencies....
It’s usually pretty easy to figure out where our most common symbols come from. Take the trademark symbols, for example: ® means registered; © means copyright; and ™ means trademark. Fahrenheit (F) and cents (c) are equally intuitive. Then how did we begin using an uppercase S with one or two lines through it ($) to represent U.S. dollars? In one popular origin story, the dollar sign started as a U on top of an S, as shorthand for “United States....
Any person raised by a Southern mama knows that cleaning the kitchen is just one of those things that must be done. Dirty dishes must be washed, crumbs have to be cleared from the counters, and floors need to be swept. But exactly how you go about cleaning is a bit of a personal choice. Some people choose to clean their kitchen daily, putting in ten minutes every evening to keep everything tidy....
Woah, mama! A team of wildlife biologists with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida captured an eight-foot-long, 215-pound female Burmese python loaded with 122 developing eggs. The monster reptile is the biggest ever caught in the state. The record-breaking snake was located deep in the woods of Picayune Strand State Forest in the Everglades. Biologists were led to the female by a radio-equipped male “scout” snake named Dion. “How do you find the needle in the haystack?...
All aboard for a holiday experience like no other! More than 250,000 holiday lights, a 25-foot-tall Christmas tree, and a team of custom-designed animatronic elves have transformed Battleship Wisconsin into a Christmas wonderland bright enough to be seen from space! With Nauticus’ annual Dickens’ Christmas Towne canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic, the maritime museum has debuted WinterFest on the Wisconsin, a safe, new, family-focused experience aboard the historic battleship in downtown Norfolk, Virginia....
Let it snow, let it snow—wait, is there even any chance that it might snow? If you’re from Alabama, you might have spent many years wishing for a white Christmas. And while snow on Christmas day may seem like a long shot, not all hope is lost. Though many Southern states boast warmer climates—picture Charleston with its ocean breeze and palmettos, or Florida’s coast with its perpetual sunshine—some areas chill off quite drastically in the wintertime, and some even get snowfall....
What’s the difference between a good day and a great day? Sometimes, a “Dollyism” is all it takes. Well, we have a feeling a lot more of those beloved quips from Dolly Parton are coming your way in the near future thanks to a new collaboration between American Greetings and the Smoky Mountain Songbird. According to the nitty gritty from the press release on Parton’s website, the multi-year collaboration between Parton and American Greetings will include both digital and also physical cards, starting with a combined audio-and-video birthday e-card, which takes inspiration from the songwriter’s classic tune, “9 to 5....
Like other retirees who moved to Fayetteville, Barbara and Jackie Clements discovered the city’s charms when their two daughters attended the University of Arkansas. Jackie still remembers the first time he spied the school’s white buildings while driving up from the south. “It looks like a city on a hill,” says the former shoe designer who spends his free time painting and writing fiction. “I’ve seen that view many times, and it’s still striking....
Alright, we’re not saying you need to emulate this crazy green fridge with rows of vibrant green, perfectly arranged veggies. But if you’ve got produce or swiftly expiring items in your fridge (dairy, fish, dinner leftovers, to name a few), listen up. To organize your refrigerator more efficiently, consider repeating this acronym in your head a few times every time you open the the fridge: FIFO. Your two-syllable chant stands for “first-in, first out,” and means that you should place items that were first opened (e....
With nearly 38,000 homeless veterans and more than 82,000 in nursing homes, a growing number of ordinary families are opening their doors to America’s heroes through the VA’s Medical Foster Home program. An alternative to nursing homes for selected veterans who are no longer able to live independently, the foster program allows vets to live in private homes for about half as much as costly nursing home care. The program, which launched in 2008, is currently available in 43 states with a little over 700 caregivers housing about 1,000 veterans nationally....
