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As summer begins its slow roll into fall in what we can safely say has become the weirdest year ever, the anticipation we normally feel at the start of our favorite season might be a little muddied. Right now, we’d normally be planning for our big Halloween bash—the one we look forward to all year long. The candy for the kids’ school exchange would be piling up in the pantry, and the brainstorming for the office costume party would be in full swing....

If the idea of organizing makes you cringe, you’re not alone. Instagram accounts like The Home Edit might make it seem like we should live in a color-sorted wonderland with not one ounce of clutter, but that’s unattainable. Stephanie Jacobs, an Atlanta-based interior designer and professional home stager, says, “I would love for my pantry to be Instagrammable or Pinterest-perfect every day of my life, but every time I try somebody goes in and messes it up....

Trade in Appalachia for the Alps this Christmas in Helen, Georgia, a charming small town known for its scenic natural surroundings, vineyards in the foothills, and alpine aesthetic. Helen describes itself as having “the charm of Bavaria, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains.” In 1969, the small mountain community decided it needed a facelift. An artist stationed in Germany sketched a more European façade for the town, which local carpenters and businesses adopted....

Though the seasons change, there is one thing gardeners can count on without fail: There is always yard work to be done. Weeds need pulling, grass needs trimming, and you really want to get a move on planting those perennials. Then there’s the pruning, mulching, and making sure your house plants survive (and thrive) as summer fades to fall and eventually winter. From January to December, it’s helpful to have a to-do list each month to make sure that your garden is always in top shape....

As we all navigate through these difficult days during the coronavirus crisis, we’re also feeling extra grateful for all the little examples of kindness we’ve seen sweep through our towns, our cities, our world. Today, we’re feeling particularly moved by the selfless work of Atlanta police investigator Keith Backmon, whom we recently read about in the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I don’t take my job lightly,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Raisa Habersham....

Blake Shelton’s faith keeps growing stronger, and he has wife Gwen Stefani to thank. During an on-stage interview at Country Radio Seminar in Nashville last month, the country crooner shared how his relationship with Stefani has improved his connection with God. He told host Lon Helton that just the chance for him to be with Stefani is proof to him that God is real. “She has such a strong faith in God,” Shelton said, per CMT....

If you are an ice cream fan who visited Sarasota lately, pay attention: Big Olaf Creamery is voluntarily recalling its ice cream after it was revealed as the source of a listeria outbreak. Nearly two dozen people fell ill and one person died before the source of the listeria outbreak was identified, according to NBC News. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has pinpointed the source as Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream, which is only sold in Florida....

Life is about treasuring the tiny moments — sunshine reflecting on leaves outside your window, a kind restaurant owner giving you a free brownie to-go, a stranger holding the bus for you — and Erin Napier always reminds us about the joy in such occasions. Most recently, the Home Town star gave us the most adorable pint-sized edition of gratitude for the small stuff with a darling photo of her daughter Helen and her cousin....

When it comes to classic cocktails, the Old Fashioned lives up to its name. Made with bourbon, sugar, Angostura bitters, and a garnish of orange (either a strip of rind or a wheel) and a cherry, it has become a staple on bar menus across the country since it was invented in the early 1800s. With a deep sweetness and slightly smoky flavor balanced by the brightness of citrus, it can be a bit baffling to pair food with....

In the nearly four decades he’s been a H-E-B truck driver, Danny Guerrero Jr. has maintained a spotless driving record. But that’s not the only thing he has to be proud of. This week, Guerrero hit a milestone only one other H-E-B driver has ever reached: driving four million miles consecutively without a single accident or traffic incident. He officially hit the mark as he drove his trailer to the H-E-B warehouse in San Antonio on September 28, with an eye-popping tally of 4,000,017 consecutive “unscathed” miles....

Hall of Famer and Atlanta Braves legend Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron passed away this morning at the age of 86, confirmed to WSB-TV2 by his daughter. Aaron, one of eight children, was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1934 to Herbert and Estella Aaron. His family could not afford baseball equipment, so the burgeoning young athlete practiced by hitting bottle caps with sticks in sandlots. Aaron started his pro career in the Negro Leagues in 1951 and made his Major League Debut with the then-Milwaukee Braves in 1954—eight years after Jackie Robinson integrated baseball....

Gel manicures have become part of many beauty lovers’ routines thanks to their incredible durability, glossiness, and speedy application process. But before you hop on this nail trend, it’s important to know what the upkeep will cost you. Here’s how much it costs to maintain a gel manicure. What a Gel Manicure Is This type of manicure is similar to a classic manicure but uses UV light to harden and cure a specially formulated gel polish instead of air drying....

Create a dazzling kaleidoscope of colors on your tabletop by mixing bunches of blooms and foliage in a rainbow of hues. The savory scents of the dried herbs will subtly enhance the aroma of a special meal. Lend Meaning to Your Seasons A dried flower wreath is a beautiful way to mark the seasons, not being limited to any holiday celebration or decoration. And perhaps the making of one for each season can be how your crafting goals shape up for the year....

A cheese ball is exactly what it sounds like: A seasoned cheese spread shaped into a ball and served as playful party food. Granted, a cheese ball doesn’t necessarily sound as good as it is. Some people throw major shade, suggesting that cheese balls are passé, if not déclassé. Poppycock. Fabulous homemade cheeseballs are a beloved tradition at many Southern Christmas gatherings. Delighted party-goers devour these holiday creations with pride, and crackers....

At First Blush, Delicious Miss Brown might seem like your average, glossed-up Food Network cooking show. The house, located just outside picturesque Charleston, South Carolina, is beautiful. The host, former caterer Kardea Brown, is polished. The dinner parties, featuring Brown’s friends and family, are enviable. But look a little closer. The Charleston that you see on the show isn’t the fancy hotels and seafood towers often spotlighted in magazines. It’s the Sea Islands, an area where West Africans arrived in America as slaves and formed what is known as the Gullah community....

If there’s such a thing as a Queen of Christmas, Lacey Chabert is fit for the crown. In addition to roles in films like Mean Girls and TV shows like Party of Five, and voicing a surprising number of TV characters in shows like Voltron: Legendary Defender and Kung Fu Panda, she has carved out a niche as a Christmas movie heroine. Since being cast in the 2012 made-for-TV movie Matchmaker Santa, Chabert has earned a reputation as the go-to actress for directors looking for a spunky heroine to fall in love at Christmastime....

If you’ve been shopping recently for bedroom furniture, you know it doesn’t come cheap. Christen Colvert figured there had to be a way to punch up her bedroom without a hefty price tag. Lucky for her, one man’s trash became her treasure. Braking for Bargains It was actually Christen’s mom who spotted a worth-saving mantel on the side of the road. The owner was redoing his home and had kicked the splintered and peeling piece to the curb....

NC State’s annual spring game wasn’t just about the athletes this year. A handful of VIP fans walked away from Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh with memories that will last a lifetime. GiGi’s Playhouse is a Down Syndrome Achievement Center that offers direct educational, therapeutic, and career building programs to individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and the community. As the presenting sponsor of Saturday’s game, NC State Athletics arranged various game-day activities for local GiGi’s Playhouse participants to enjoy....

The Texas pup who took home the Dog of the Year Award at the 2022 ASPCA Humane Awards wasn’t always a winner. The story of Clementine, a three-year-old Catahoula/hound mix, begins when she was dropped off at an animal shelter in southeastern Louisiana in May 2021. A few months later, as Hurricane Ida approached the Louisiana coast, Clementine was one of many animals relocated from the storm’s path by the ASPCA....

On Thursday, August 13, 2020, Venus Tucker will be 106 years old. Tucker, the oldest resident at Our Lady of the Valley Retirement Community in Roanoke, Virginia, was hoping to receive 106 cards to mark the incredible milestone. That was last week. By Friday, the retirement community had received 241 cards. That’s when they decided to increase their goal to 1,006. As of today, Ms. Tucker has received a staggering 933 birthday cards—and counting....