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This Earth Day, April 22, at 6:11 a.m. four astronauts will leave this planet and head to the International Space Station from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. It’s an historic moment since NASA is sending their crew to the stars on a ship made by a private company.The SpaceX Crew-2 will take off in the Crew Dragon capsule spacecraft. This is only the second joint mission of NASA and SpaceX. NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough will be joined aboard the ship by Akihiko Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the European Space Agency’s Thomas Pesquet....

Walking into a kitchen in mid- to late December, might reveal the floors, and countertops of those who celebrate with food covered in flour and melted chocolate with dozens of cookies cooling on the island. This is Christmas cookie season, and staples like Italian rum balls and sugar cookies, might be accompanied by the traditional spritz, pecan snowballs and shortbread. Cookie experimentation could result in anything from intricate cookie sandwiches to stained glass cookies made out of crushed candy....

For many of us, our organizational habits were most likely developed from watching our mothers and grandmothers. We looked on as these matriarchs carefully curated kitchens and china cabinets. For many of us, stemmed crystal sparkled under the dimmed light of a breakfront while a collection of coffee mugs were stacked gingerly on top of each other in a shuttered cabinet. However, as you’ve organized your own home, have you ever wondered if what mama did really was the right way?...

Rice, whether as a crispy side dish or one-pot meal of chicken-and-wild rice casserole, is always a go-to pantry staple. However, it’s not without controversy, and it all boils down to should you wash your rice prior to cooking? We tapped Ed Kernan, Manager Culinary Operations at Sur La Table and Chef Masatomo “Masa” Hamaya of O-Ku to share their take on the rice-washing debate. Should You Wash Rice? Both culinary experts share that washing rice depends on the type of rice as well as the dish....

What would we do without jasmine rice? A dependable pantry staple, the long-grained, aromatic rice is the perfect side or cozy main dish, depending on the day. Not to be confused with basmati rice, jasmine rice is softer and richer. But even the most straightforward rice-focused meal can be ruined if the rice is mushy, chalky, or simply isn’t cooked through. How to cook long-grain jasmine rice to perfection? Follow these easy steps, and success is guaranteed....

Hallmark Christmas movies are adored for a number of reasons, especially for their ability to help us escape reality. Predictable, wholesome, and barely realistic, they transport us to places where the guy and girl always end up together in the end. Where tight-knit communities rally to do the right thing. Where Christmas spirit shines bright. But not every piece of the Hallmark universe is a fantasy. Take, for example, the latest installment in the network’s jam-packed 2020 Christmas lineup....

Tucked up against the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville has built a reputation for great Southern food and hospitality, but this place really turns on the charm come December. From outdoor events that make the most of cooler temperatures to ice skating and tree trimming, there is fun to be had for the whole family in and around the South Carolina Upcountry. Find Magic on Main Street Each year, the city lights up with community activities, and you can find something around every corner....

In addition to nearly every aspect of our daily lives, the coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we celebrate the holidays this year. While we hope to find new traditions we enjoy at home this holiday season, we’re already looking ahead to a time when we can safely gather once again. With several coronavirus vaccines on the way, we’re optimistic that time will arrive before Christmas 2021, and if that’s the case, we’ve officially got our first holiday event to look forward to: Vince Gill and Amy Grant returning to the Ryman for their annual “Christmas at the Ryman Residency....

When I was a girl growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, holidays were spent at Aunt Julie’s house. It was a beautiful brick home with a large front porch, pocket doors, and tiny spaces underneath the stairs where my cousins and I would play together. Family gatherings were loud, somewhat disjointed events with the adults laughing from the dining room and the kids carrying on from our own table in the nook off the kitchen....

The sun has just edged above the Atlantic horizon to cast its morning glow on Riviera Beach, and even that dawn brushstroke grips the June day with a simmering heat. Does this slow the step, the scrambling, the chirping commentary of Debbie Sobel? Not a bit. Sobel is on her daily dawn patrol of this half-mile-long stretch of sand—her beach, she’ll remind you. She’s on a mission, and that relentless South Florida sun seems like a form of solar power for her....

Jordan Maywald has been in charge of his family’s Christmas decorations since he was nine. Each year since, Jordan, now 23, has added more to the light display that has turned their Austin property into a holiday destination. “It started very small, just a few things in our front yard,” he tells Southern Living. “Over the years I expanded across much of our property and now it covers about 3.5 acres....

What was once a segregated Greyhound bus terminal in downtown Savannah is now home to one of the city’s most celebrated restaurants, and the unlikely duo behind it (The Grey’s managing partner, John O. Morisano, and its James Beard Award-winning executive chef and partner, Mashama Bailey) is sharing the story of their eatery in a new book: Black, White, and The Grey: The Story of an Unexpected Friendship and a Beloved Restaurant....

Alan Jackson has a new feather for his Stetson cap. The country singer is set to be honored with CMT’s artist of a lifetime award. The country crooner behind a whopping 26 No. 1 hits and beloved party-time favorites like “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” and “Chattahoochee” will be given the accolade in a primetime special airing on the CMT channel on Friday, Oct. 14 at 9 p.m. ET. “We’re honored to recognize the incomparable Alan Jackson as this year’s CMT ‘Artist of a Lifetime’,” CMT producers said in a statement shared by music magazine, Billboard....

The Corolla Wild Horse Fund issued a stern warning to visitors after a yearling colt named Danny died in a “horrific, devastating, completely preventable way” last week. “Danny choked on an apple. Read that again—Danny choked on an apple,” herd manager Meg Puckett wrote on Facebook Monday. “When we say that apples and carrots KILL wild horses, we are not kidding. We are not being overly dramatic. We are not using scare tactics....

Maybe you didn’t Marie Kondo your life last year. Maybe you sparked plenty of joy in 2019 but you’re still looking to tackle your kitchen pantry clutter. Maybe your porch is in need of some serious sprucing up. Whatever the case, here’s some good news: It’s January, and with the arrival of a fresh start comes the perfect moment to double down on your resolve to declutter. Here’s the not-so-superb news: Starting this task can feel pretty daunting....

There’s a common cliché about Southern food: that our vegetables are smothered in butter, cream, and cheese. Some clichés are true—and mighty delicious. Only in the South will you dig into a vegetable side dish that’s richer than most desserts. And while yellow squash is at the center of this old-school casserole, it’s the outrageously creamy sauce (traditionally made with cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream) and the crunchy, buttery topping that have folks requesting seconds....

When it comes to cocktails closely associated with the holiday season, eggnog tends to get a great deal of attention, but it’s far from the only festive drink choice for a December party. Mulled wine, a winter libation with a centuries-old history, features toasty spices (like cinnamon, cardamom, and clove) and a perfectly-cozy hot temperature. Also, it’s an easy treat to prepare as a large-format cocktail and to make ahead of time, helping you cut way back on your party-day tasks....

If you’re anything like us, these long weeks spent sheltering in place have reinvigorated our interest for our hobbies of yesteryear. For some, that’s meant brushing up on playing a musical instrument, or maybe in relearning a language in which we were formerly fluent. For others, its ushered a resurgence in a childhood love of baking, or hula-hooping, or endless rounds of Scrabble or gin rummy. And how about buffing up our stickers collection?...

The legendary singer Kenny Rogers died on Friday, March 20, at the age of 81. As we all mourn the loss of the Gambler, for many, listening to his music can be a source of comfort and a reminder of his continuing legacy. In fact, many, many people, are listening to his music. For the week concluding on March 26th, Billboard reports that the The Best of Kenny Rogers: Through the Years charted as the number one album on Billboard’s top country albums—the first time one of his albums has secured that coveted spot since The Heart of the Matter in 1985 and into 1986....

As summer winds down and autumn arrives, the garden breathes on last glorious hurray. Plants that slept through the heat of summer come alive with blooms, while foliage begins to shift toward autumn hues. Not all the colors of fall are warm and golden. Radiant purples are just as plentiful, as are vivid pinks and soft blues. Celebrate the season by creating lush and lasting late-season color in the garden with bountiful blooms and vibrant foliage....