Watch Goofy The Painting Cockatoo At Brevard Zoo On Florida S Space Coast

During the past year of spending the bulk of our days at home, many of us have picked up a new arsty hobby, whether it’s watercolor painting or knitting, jewelry making or quilting. Well, it appears one 26-year-old salmon-crested cockatoo has really honed his art skills during quarantine. Goofy, who resides at the Brevard Zoo on Florida’s Space Coast in Melbourne, Florida, has taken his talent at the canvas to new heights, with the help of trainers and some tasty treats as rewards along the way....

August 30, 2022 · 2 min · 303 words · Jodi Day

Watch National Geographic Documentary Being The Queen About Queen Elizabeth Ii

Set your alarm for tonight, Monday August 31, at 9/8 p.m. central and prepare to set the channel to National Geographic: The network will be debuting a must-see documentary about Queen Elizabeth II. In Being The Queen, you’ll get to know the longest reigning queen in world history (she’s been at the helm of the United Kingdom for more than 25,000 days, if you’re keeping track) like never before. The new documentary comes courtesy of Emmy and Peabody award-winning filmmaker Tom Jennings and is made in partnership with 1895 Films for National Geographic Partners....

August 30, 2022 · 2 min · 422 words · Richard Bristol

We Are Knitters Knitting Videos Are Our New Favorite Thing

As the coronavirus pandemic changes life as we know it, now, more than ever, we need things that provide us with a sense of comfort and hope. When you need a change of pace from streaming all those feel-good shows and movies and you’re botanical gardened out from all those virtual tours, may we suggest knitting? Research shows that knitting may help with anxiety, depression, and slow the onset of dementia....

August 30, 2022 · 2 min · 298 words · Allen Bowen

What Is Hoppin John

Hoppin’ John is a fixture on Southern menus. Usually served as the side to the main course, it is—in simple terms—a blend of rice and black-eyed peas. But we assure you: it’s much more than that. History & Tradition The technique of cooking rice and beans together was brought to the South by way of enslaved Africans brought to the Americas in the 19th century. It quickly became a staple in antebellum cooking....

August 30, 2022 · 3 min · 513 words · Jonathan Bartlebaugh

What We Mean When We Say Meat N Three

If you’re from the South, you’re probably pretty familiar with the meat ’n’ three. Many of us joined the throng of churchgoers making their way down the buffet line at the local restaurant during the Sunday lunch rush, filling our trays with the best comfort foods, second only to our grandmothers'. For those who weren’t fortunate enough to be raised around this Southern staple, a meat ’n’ three is a cafeteria-style restaurant that serves a rotating or seasonal menu of meats and vegetables, which often changes daily....

August 30, 2022 · 2 min · 372 words · Robert Alvares

Why Nothing Beats A Classic Southern Diner

Sometimes, you just need to sit in a corner booth at two or three o’clock in the afternoon and have a good breakfast. And I’m not talking about a hangover breakfast—I’m too old for that foolishness. No, I’m talking about on a Tuesday. I’m a late sleeper; nothing good has ever happened to me before noon. If the phone rings, it’s bad news or a telemarketer in Sri Lanka apprising me of my car warranty....

August 30, 2022 · 3 min · 546 words · Fred Lloyd

2022 World Games Announces Star Studded Lineup For Opening And Closing Ceremonies

The Olympic Winter Games may have just ended, and the Paralympic Winter Games are still underway in Beijing, but we have our sights on warmer temperatures and someplace closer to home. In July, the 2022 World Games are coming to Birmingham, Alabama. This week, organizers announced the lineup for both opening and closing ceremonies, promising a celebration of the culture and music of the host city. Opening ceremonies will be on July 7 and closing ceremonies will be July 17....

August 29, 2022 · 2 min · 363 words · Kathryn Toner

50 Summer Traditions You Ll Find Only In The South

A Southern summer is like no other season, no other place. Yep, it’s hot out there. But sometime between the first chill of autumn and the last blast of winter, we forget all about the heat AND the humidity and start waxing nostalgic about summer traditions we grew up with. (Mosquitoes are a recurring theme.) Our Facebook Brain Trust just weighed in on their favorite traditions of Southern summertime. Here’s what they said....

August 29, 2022 · 4 min · 641 words · John Marashi

Alabama Groundhog Sleeps Through Work Day

An Alabama groundhog overslept, causing him to miss his moment in the sun yesterday. As the distinguished guest in the Birmingham Zoo’s annual Groundhog Day celebration, Jamie “Birmingham” Bill was supposed to wake up from his slumber to let us know if it’s time for spring, or if we’ll be waiting another six weeks for warmer weather. But it’s been a long winter, a long January, and a long couple of years, so we can’t exactly blame Mr....

August 29, 2022 · 2 min · 356 words · John Washington

At Last An Easy Way To Kill Violets

Never abandon hope is the lesson I impart today. On a recent Grumpy Gardener page in Southern Living, I sadly broke terrible news to a reader whose lawn and garden was submerged with violets. There is no spray to kill violets, I said. The only control is getting down on your hands and knees and digging nonstop for approximately 18 years. I can hear the chorus coming from dismayed readers. “Why would anyone want to kill violets?...

August 29, 2022 · 2 min · 372 words · Matilde Kilgore

Broadway Musicals Southerners Will Love To Stream Right Now

The lights may have gone dark on Broadway, but that doesn’t mean you need to put a pause on getting a surge of inspiration and joy from the world of theater. Especially now, during a time of such uncertainty amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the message of love and hope rings louder than ever. Below, a roundup of some of our favorite Broadway musicals that you can stream whenever you please. Some are set in the South, some star some of our favorite actors, and some are simply soothing nourishment for our harried minds....

August 29, 2022 · 3 min · 458 words · Nicole Dugan

Charles Barkley Thanks His Auburn Education After Winning Spelling Bet With Shaquille O Neal

TNT’s NBA coverage on October 25 included a spontaneous spelling bee. Charles Barkley’s interesting pronunciation of the word “spectacular” during Inside the NBA inspired his friend and co-host Shaquille O’Neal to issue him a challenge. Shaq bet the former Auburn star $10,000 that he couldn’t spell “spectacular.” Barkley appeared to be thinking hard (while fighting giggles) before admitting that he needed to write it down in order to spell it....

August 29, 2022 · 2 min · 252 words · James Lund

Elizabeth Arden White Tea Mandarin Blossom Radiates Kindness And Warmth

Imagine if everyone you met suddenly felt an innate sense of warm and fuzzy kindness. That’s the aim of Elizabeth Arden’s upcoming fragrance, White Tea Mandarin Blossom—and we have to say, it couldn’t come at a better time. It’s bottled Southern charm, and it’s exactly what we want to be wrapped in now and when these times of physical distancing are over. Elizabeth Arden wants this to be your new simple pleasure....

August 29, 2022 · 2 min · 276 words · Sherry Walker

How To Grow And Care For Snapdragons

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are cool season, annual flowering plants, also known as hardy annuals. They prefer cool temperatures to flower, such as early spring or a very mild winter. These flowers are called snapdragons because the individual florets resemble a dragon’s snout. Children enjoy squeezing the florets to separate the top from the bottom, like opening the dragon’s jaw. Easy to grow from seed, snapdragons have been bred extensively. There are cultivars with traditional “snap” flowers, open-faced flowers, or double flowers in all colors except for blue....

August 29, 2022 · 9 min · 1878 words · Teresa Grieco

Huntsville S Orion Amphitheater Set To Open With 3 Day Celebration

Around the time he turned 30, Grammy Award-winning musician and founding member of Mumford & Sons Ben Lovett had an epiphany. After more than a decade working in the music industry as both a promoter and an artist, he noticed a universal formula for how people talk about their favorite music memories. “The story always starts with, ‘I once saw artist x performing at y,’” he told Southern Living. “From an artist’s point of view … I think about places and the roofs over our heads as we have these moments....

August 29, 2022 · 5 min · 942 words · Sonia Bentley

Krispy Kreme Launching Artemis Moon Doughnut For One Day Only

If you already think Krispy Kreme doughnuts are out of this world, wait until you get a glimpse of this one. Krispy Kreme is unveiling the Artemis Moon Doughnut, a special-edition doughnut that will be available on Monday, August 29—and only on Monday, August 29. The extremely limited edition treat is being released in celebration of NASA’s Artemis I mission The Artemis Krispy Kreme has decided that the best way to mark this momentous scientific advance is with an extra-special doughnut made from a Cheesecake Kreme-flavored and filled doughnut that is dipped in Cookies ’n Kreme Icing and cookie pieces....

August 29, 2022 · 2 min · 246 words · Mark Smith

Mistakes You Should Never Make When Painting Your Walls White

I was convinced the 1960s brick ranch was it the minute I walked through the door. There is a lot less stress involved in the home buying process when you let your emotions take the wheel, as long as you two have a good track record. It was a combination of the one-level living, open floor plan, large yard, and, truth be told, white walls that did me in. Now I’ve watched enough episodes of House Hunters to know you never hinge the decision on whether or not to buy a house based on paint color, wallpaper, or hardware finish....

August 29, 2022 · 4 min · 722 words · Jacqueline Whaley

Paige Drummond S Instagram Post For Alex Drummond S Engagement Is So Sweet

After a few years of casually (okay, devotedly) tracking Ree Drummond’s daughter Alex Drummond’s relationship with boyfriend Mauricio Scott on Instagram, the day finally came: A bended knee, an ecstatic embrace, a sparkly diamond. Alex Drummond and Mauricio Scott are engaged! The couple met during their freshman year at Texas A&M University. They both graduated as proud Aggies in 2019. Read more about their engagement story here. Now, our hearts are warmed to see Alex’s younger sister, Paige, share her excitement on social media for Alex and her future brother-in-law, Mauricio....

August 29, 2022 · 2 min · 303 words · Betty Bowers

Reba Mcentire Wows With Heartfelt Oscars Performance

Reba McEntire treated viewers to an inspirational performance of the Oscar-nominated song “Somehow You Do” at the 94th annual Academy Awards on Sunday night. The song, from the feature film Four Good Days starring Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, and Stephen Root, was nominated for best original song. McEntire was introduced by Kunis, who described the tune as a “story of hope, perseverance, and survival that celebrates the strength of the human spirit....

August 29, 2022 · 2 min · 249 words · Ben Atherton

Sharks Might Be Able To Help Predict Tropical Storms

It seems that even sharks know when to get out of dodge during hurricane season. A growing amount of research suggests that the locations of some species of sharks could predict when tropical weather is about to strike an area. According to WFLA, one of the first indications that sharks know to flee the path of oncoming storms came from a study conducted by Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, in summer 2001....

August 29, 2022 · 2 min · 349 words · Jason Fife