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Need an excuse to get out and explore the natural beauty around you? Well, we’ve got good news for you! The National Park Service is waiving entrance fees at park sites across the country for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday—the first of its five entrance-fee-free days at national parks in 2020. “Across the country, more than 400 national parks preserve significant natural and cultural areas, each one an important piece of our national identity and heritage,” David Vela, National Park Service Deputy Director, said in a news release....

This article originally appeared on People Property Brothers’ Drew and Jonathan are celebrating their shared birthday today. And while their 38th year was certainly jam-packed with excitement between Drew’s engagement and and, ahem, their PEOPLE cover, there’s already plenty of evidence that 39 is going to be just as magical (pun intended) for the HGTV stars. In honor of the dynamic duo’s big day, here are 10 reasons to love Drew and Jonathan:...

If you find yourself cooking out of the pantry for the next couple of weeks, all those back-shelf cans of beans you bought in case of an emergency may just come in handy. But we’d make the argument that canned beans deserve a spot in your culinary routine year-round. Our Food Editor Lisa Cericola declares canned chickpeas to be the one canned food you should always have in your kitchen....

If you clicked on this article, you are probably: A. From Mobile, Alabama, (and its surrounding areas) and want to be sure the writer is as well, or B. From another geographic location and extremely confused as to what a hugger is. Welcome! To start, I was born and raised in Mobile, Scout’s honor. Second, a hugger is not that one aunt who holds onto you an awkward smidge too long during a hug....

When you’re rambling through the Smokies (cue the music) “heading west from the Cumberland gap to Johnson City, Tennessee,” there’s a small-town stop you’ve just got to make. It’s Jonesborough, Tennessee, a quiet town with big charm located west of Cherokee National Forest and just a stone’s throw from the aforesung Johnson City. Jonesborough’s calling card is its beautiful, tree-lined downtown. A meander down Main Street, which is lined with shops in historic red brick buildings, brings visitors to many must-visit spots, including the Historic Eureka Inn, Main Street Café and Catering, Kaley’s and Co Clothing, Gigi’s Pantry, Pink Whale Boutique, Downtown Sweet, The Lollipop Shop, Jonesborough Antique Mart, Mauk’s of Jonesborough....

Loretta Lynn means it when she says there’s no comparison between her childhood Christmases in rural eastern Kentucky and the ones she spends with her extended family at her Tennessee ranch today. The voice of the Southern singing icon, who has made a long career out of telling it like it is, doesn’t falter when she recalls all the years she spent hoping Santa Claus would stop at her home on the night of December 24....

This Giving Tuesday, Mooresville, North Carolina-based Lowe’s is doing something special to bring some holiday joy into the homes of those struggling in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. And when we say bring holiday joy, we mean that quite literally. Starting today, Lowe’s is donating $1 million worth of pre-lit Christmas trees in the next two weeks to families and facilities like youth centers, first responder stations, and nonprofit housing organizations....

When you get married, you not only gain a new family, you gain a new family’s old recipes. Luckily for me, that means Grandma’s Texas sheet cake and Boursin scalloped potatoes, my mother-in-law’s steak dinner magic, and my sister-in-law’s famous bruschetta. No beach trip or summer visit goes without a bowl of colorful bruschetta in the fridge, and it was my brother who finally asked her for the recipe after trying it himself....

Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, has erected a moving statue of Fred Rogers, the beloved TV host who graduated from the liberal arts institution 70 years ago. The bronze sculpture, entitled “A Beautiful Day for a Neighbor,” was commissioned by the college to honor Rogers’ legacy. It depicts Mister Rogers, as he is better known, wearing his iconic cardigan and surrounded by adoring children. It was unveiled at a private ceremony on campus yesterday afternoon....

Last week, we were so excited to learn that Magnolia Table Volume 2—a follow-up to Joanna Gaines’ wildly successful Magnolia Table cookbook—is on its way for spring 2020. Now, we’re thrilled to see that Gaines has given us a sneak peek of the deliciousness to come with two autumnal recipes from the tome: Friendsgiving Casserole and Holiday Cranberry Sauce. “Friendsgiving Casserole is one of my kid’s favorite dishes and a go-to of mine when I want to take dinner to a new mother or a family who could use a hot meal—mostly because it’s easy to love, even for the pickiest eaters....

The leaves are so beautiful on Chinese evergreens that you just want to reach out and touch them. Glossy greens, silvers, and grays with stripes, spots, and streaks create a subtle tapestry of wonder. And when you learn all the qualities of this forgiving and carefree houseplant, you’re going to wish that someone had told you about it sooner. It’s Simple Chinese evergreens (Aglaonema sp.) are easy right from the start....

You know that handy wooden board that slides out from under the counter in some old kitchens? The one you’ve been using for all kinds of slicing and dicing? Yes, that one. What if we told you that it’s actually not a cutting board, and that it was originally intended for a different purpose entirely? As it turns out, what you’ve been using as a pull-out cutting board is actually a breadboard: an old-world counter extension for kneading and slicing bread....

The stately brick house had curb appeal that Courtland Stevens just couldn’t curb. “It has such a cool presence from the street—this funky, boxy, fig-covered house—not what you normally see in town,” says the owner of Courtland & Co., a fine linens-and-interiors boutique in Savannah, where antebellum Georgian and Victorian architecture abounds. Smitten, Stevens and her husband tried twice to buy this place before finally snagging it in 2018. Built in 1923 by a Greek Orthodox family (the small upstairs was designed as two prayer rooms), the home has a traditional floor plan that appealed to her....

Whether coastal, mountain, lakefront, or in between, the small towns that speckle the South are brimming with storybook charm and beckoning with history, culture, hospitality, and beauty. If a small map dot isn’t atop your travel bucket list now, these reasons to visit will change your mind. Whether you crave a romantic escape, a toes-in-the-sand trip, or a destination that does it up at Christmastime, there’s a small town that’s just right for a visit....

Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with my air fryer. I will work it into the conversation any chance I get and have even been able to convince a few friends that they needed to add one to their kitchen. At this point, I’ve pretty much started to avoid using my oven whenever possible in favor of using my favorite kitchen appliance. From making homemade chicken nuggets to reheating pizza to baking potatoes, and more, there’s often not a day that goes by that I don’t use it....

It’s no secret Southerners love Sweet Home Alabama—lines from the film remind us of quips heard around our own dinner tables, and the scenery looks like home. It’s the kind of movie where you know every line by heart, and the plot simply never gets old. The film celebrates its 20th birthday in 2022, having debuted September 27, 2002. In honor of this beloved time capsule of life down South, we’ve rounded up a few behind-the-scenes tidbits from the making of Sweet Home Alabama....

Like most Americans, you’ve probably been enjoying the sweet, fizzy nectar of the gods otherwise known as Coca-Cola for your entire life. You’re likely also familiar with the tale of the soft drink’s slightly shady beginnings, as a medicine invented by Atlanta pharmacist Dr. John S. Pemberton in 1885. You’ve no doubt heard that it once contained actual cocaine. But there’s also plenty you might not know about Coca-Cola from the course of its 132 history....

It’s not uncommon to hear a generous person described as willing to “give you the shirt off their back.” It’s an idiom people use hyperbolically—but not when it comes to Troy Gentry. Last week, country music stars like Tracy Lawrence, Justin Moore, and Terri Clark gathered at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville to remember their fellow artist, who died in a helicopter crash in September 2017. Among them was Troy’s widow, Angie....

It pays to be a Chick-fil-A team member. For some, that’s to the tune of $25,000, as 12 team members recently learned during a “virtual retreat” that actually was a cover-up for the surprise announcement that they’d be receiving $25,000 in True Inspiration Scholarship funds to continue their education. In addition to money, the 12 recipients were also given laptops (two recipients, Estefanny Perez-Martinez and Jaquise Roy are pictured above and below)....

If you haven’t teared up today, we’re here to change that. To bring some joy to those in need this holiday season, country act Dan + Shay, comprised of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, partnered with Safe Haven Family Shelter, a shelter-to-housing program in Nashville, to surprise three families with beautifully furnished homes, complete with plenty of Christmas decorations. Also collaborating with Ashley HomeStore, Dan + Shay helped each of the three home enjoy a complete makeover with personalized décor for each family....