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Love soared to new heights for two ER nurses who got engaged on a hospital rooftop. Jacob Young was one of the first people Kelsey Dunlap met when she interviewed for an ER nurse position at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Georgia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I shadowed him one night and fell in love with Kennestone and everyone who was there,” Dunlap told Southern Living. Kelsey took the job, and soon after she and Jacob became inseparable, helping each other cope with the stress and heartache of working in healthcare during a global pandemic....

All roads led to Georgetown, Texas, in 2021. According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau study, more people moved there than any other city in the entire country last year. From July 2020 to July 2021, Georgetown’s population increased by 10.5%—a rate of growth which would reportedly double the city’s population in less than seven years. Its 2021 population was estimated at 75,420. “Georgetown continues to attract new residents for the same reasons many of us moved here—good jobs, safe neighborhoods, and unbeatable parks and events,” Mayor Josh Schroeder said in a statement....

The rose bush you buy at the nursery probably looks nothing like the picture on the container’s tag and certainly nothing like the beautiful plant you imagine growing in your garden. Regardless of the variety of rose bush (and there are oh-so-many options) you choose, they often come wrapped in plastic, packed in sawdust, and resemble nothing more than a thorny stick. However, these plants wait for the right environment to grow, bloom, and show off their natural beauty....

When times get tough, I bake. Tying on the apron is my immediate, instinctual reaction to big life changes or crises of all sorts. In the kitchen, I find a moment of solace—it’s a place where I can escape the pessimistic drone of the news and endless push notifications populating my screens. For an hour or two, all the pressures of the outside world fade into the periphery. The amount of chaos and stress in my life directly correlates to the number of baked goods lining my countertop....

“Growing up in Nashville, there really was not a restaurant scene, which is crazy to think about now, so we never went out to dinner,” says chef and cookbook author Laura Lea. “Instead, we ate dinner at home. My mom is an incredible cook. She’s more talented than I will ever be. So we grew up with this incredible home-cooked food. I wasn’t really the kid trailing after my mom in the kitchen, but I think it settled somewhere subconsciously on the back-burner, that this idea that food is also about community....

Everyone knows about the lucky “Hotdoggers” behind the wheel of Oscar Mayer’s Wienermobile, but what about the nutty few chosen to drive America’s other novelty vehicle, the Planters Nutmobile? This 26-foot peanut on wheels dates back to 1935, which means it’s a year older than the iconic Wienermobile. The oversized nut is driven by a team of “Peanutters,” who take turns driving the Nutmobile across the country dressed as the brand’s nutty mascot....

The Barefoot Contessa. We never quite knew what it meant, but it always sounded right for Ina Garten’s popular Food Network show. So why did Ina Garten settle on this moniker for her television show and line of cookbooks? The name actually dates back to her Hamptons’ specialty food store, which she bought in 1978 despite having no experience in the food business. So how did she settle on this name for her beach town biz?...

Looking for Valentine’s Day poems that go beyond “roses are red, violets are blue?” We’ve collected love poems for sweethearts, soul mates, secret crushes, and everyone you want to send a Valentine’s Day card. When discussing poems about love, we have a sweet spot—we’ve gathered our favorites, from funny Valentine’s Day poems to tearjerkers, from love poems for her and him. We have short poems and famous love poems, cute love poems, and serious sonnets....

If you’ve ever wondered why those New Year’s black-eyed peas and collard greens taste so good, it’s hog jowl. Usually, a lump of inexpensive meat that comes uncut on the “rind,” wrapped in food film at the pork end of the meat case, hog jowl lends rich flavor to beans, peas, and greens—it tastes a lot like bacon but has a silkier texture. I know what some of you are thinking: Jowl can be an off-putting word....

Chick-fil-A isn’t the only Southern fast-food chain with a secret menu. We spoke to a representative from Whataburger who not only confirmed the existence of a secret menu at the Texas burger chain, she also gave us some tips on how to order off it! On second thought, we’re not sure why we were surprised. One of things fans love most about Whataburger is their flexibility—you can pretty much get anything you want between those two buns....

As the temperature drops and pumpkin spice begins to overtake the grocery stores and coffee shops once again, we can’t help but start to plan the perfect day trip to the pumpkin patch. Where else can you find fresh apple cider donuts, corn mazes, hayrides, and countless opportunities for adorable fall photos all in the same place? Sign us up. And, of course, these Instagram-worthy photos can only be elevated by the perfect pumpkin patch captions....

Buttery, flaky biscuits are a Southern staple. You can dress them up with fruity jams, savory butters, or stick a piece of crispy fried chicken in between the fluffy layers. You can’t go wrong with any of our best biscuits, with recipes ranging from cream cheese to sweet potato to classic buttermilk. Want to master our Best Ever Buttermilk Biscuits? Watch this how-to, and learn our Test Kitchen-approved, no-fail technique. (And if you’d rather have someone else prepare them for you, visit our favorite biscuit joints across the South....

The folks at Blue Bell have come up with a new way to enjoy your favorite holiday drink. The Texas-based creamery’s new Eggnog ice cream is described as a “delicious French ice cream” with flecks of nutmeg and whipped topping swirl. Half-gallon sizes of the decadent treat hit store shelves today and are available for a limited time only. “Many people compare eggnog to ice cream because of its creamy texture....

While mosquitoes are certainly buzzing around all year long, they really reach their fullest pest potential come summertime in the South. Hot weather, sweaty humans, and more time spent outdoors give the mosquitoes the perfect storm to wreak havoc on unsuspecting yard doers, porch sippers, and pool loungers alike—and no one detests a big, fat mosquito like a Southern dad doing all the above. That’s why, despite our better judgement, we indulge him....

Last summer I had the unfortunate luck of being reminded why I should air dry certain pieces of laundry. I bought a pair of pants that were the perfect balance of work-from-home meets office-appropriate wear, and I threw them in the dryer not thinking twice about it. When I pulled them out of the dryer, they had shrunk to a size that could have fit a middle schooler. I tried them on hoping that somehow it was just my imagination, and I hadn’t managed to shrink a brand-new pair of pants....

The outbreak of coronavirus has caused major disruption to our way of life and the postponing or cancelling of many life events—weddings, graduations, and even baby gender reveals. That is what happened for Dustin and Jennifer Sanders this past weekend. Due to the mandates for social distancing, the Sanders couldn’t have the gathering of loved ones in person to reveal their baby’s gender. But, taking it in stride, the couple decided to take things online and share with friends and family via Facebook Live....

Texas horned lizards used to be everywhere in Texas. Commonly known as horned frogs, they were once so rampant on the football field at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, that they were adopted as the school’s mascot. Sadly, though they were once common throughout the Lone Star State, the horned lizard is now listed as a threatened species. Concerned for the fate of small-but-mighty reptile, the Fort Worth Zoo has been working to breed and release them back into the wild since 2001....

Winter skin, it’s zero fun. While the rest of the country may think it’s all roses and unicorns down here during the cooler months of the year, Southerners know the truth. Humidity and bone-chilling temperatures don’t a happy face make. That’s why winter skin care is very important, especially when it comes to aging skin. We turned to celebrity dermatologist Dr. Marnie Nussbaum for the low-down on how to protect mature skin from the harsh winter elements....

Any gel-manicure enthusiast knows that when it comes to gel polish, the rose also happens to be the thorn. The reason we love getting a gel manicure is because it stays on much longer than regular polish (not to mention, doesn’t chip as easily or lose that top-coat shine), but that’s also exactly what ends up coming back to haunt us two or three weeks later—when we’re stuck with it....

We’re loving all the candid conversation between TODAY with Hoda and Jenna co-hosts Jenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb in their “ConFRIENDS Call” segments from their morning talk show. Now, we’re feeling especially glad to have learned the engagement story of Jenna Bush Hager to her now-husband Henry Hager from a recent installment of the series. The two kicked off their chat by talking about the spike in RV travel and camping due to the coronavirus outbreak, since they allow for safer social distancing practices then other types of vacations....