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It seems like everybody these days is extolling the virtues of weighted blankets. So-called weighted blankets, which are heavy throws filled with glass pellets or other materials so they typically weigh from 5-to-35 pounds, may help you sleep better, and even feel less stressed. So how do these magical—and heavily buzzed-about—blankets work? In short, the weight from the blankets are similar to a therapeutic technique known as deep pressure stimulation, used in massage, that can help relieve anxiety and pain....

Siggi the spotted rat terrier was born with a rare and debilitating birth defect: her front paws were upside down. Fortunately, the Dallas animal rescue group that came into possession of the sweet pup in May, knew exactly where to turn. Siggi was just 13 weeks old and weighed only four pounds when she made the journey to meet Dr. Erik Clary, a small animal surgeon at Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Stillwater, Oklahoma....

If we had a dollar for every time we listened to a Reba McEntire song and thought, “that woman was born to sing!” well, we’d be the proud new owners of at least five more Reba t-shirts. There’s no denying it: Reba has some serious vocal chops. Little did we know, however, the star once set her sights on some very different stages, specifically, at the rodeo and on the basketball court....

Ben and Erin Napier make Laurel, Mississippi, go ‘round, and they tug at our heartstrings with their sweet marriage (did we mention Ben writes Erin love letters every day?), adorable daughters Helen and Mae, and beautiful life in The Magnolia State. But we must admit we’re feeling a little jealous of the Napiers thanks to a reveal of their beautifully renovated Airstream trailer that’s giving us serious home envy. Just like every renovation on Home Town, it takes a village....

To settle the debate over salty versus sweet grits, we’re looking to history—but the answer might not be so clear cut. If there’s one thing we know for sure about Southerners, it’s that we have a lot of opinions—especially when it comes to food. You can ask ten Southerners how to make the perfect tomato sandwich and you’ll get ten different answers. Whether it comes to salting your watermelon or adding sugar to your cornbread, the Southern culinary field is ripe with debates, and everybody has an opinion....

Let me tell you a tale as old as time. Looking to stock the house with healthy snacks, you buy a bushel of pale green bananas, thinking they’ll ripen by the weekend. But then the weekend rolls around: Between loads of laundry and dish-washing, you’re shuttling the kids around to soccer games and ballet practice, and all you remember to grab as you’re headed out the door is a pint-sized bag of Cheetos....

An obsession with tiny houses has swept the nation. What’s not to love about these compact, cozy homes? Residents of quaint cottages have mastered the art of living small. Even some of our most popular Southern Living house plans are less than 1,000 square feet (like the 660-square-foot cottage shown above). By incorporating smart storage solutions and utilizing every inch of available space, tiny home dwellers understand how living with less can feel like more....

You’ve heard of all the hype about ‘Knock Out’ rose. “It never stops blooming.” “It never needs pruning.” “It never needs spraying.” “It’s the one rose you can plant and forget.” Are all of those things true? Well………………….. Compared to other roses, ‘Knock Out’ is pretty idiot-proof. It’s tough, grows in almost any well-drained soil in a sunny spot, and doesn’t need spraying for black spot fungus, the universal bane of rose lovers....

Meatloaf loves ketchup. It’s a fact. Whether you slather a thick layer of ketchup on top of the meatloaf before it goes into the oven, add a few tablespoons to the ground meat mixture, or serve extra ketchup on the side, this tangy-sweet, umami-rich condiment balances out the richness of the beef, making it an essential part of the dish. (Unless you prefer yours with gravy.) While ketchup is a pretty perfect thing on its own, we found a way to make it even better....

Forty-five minutes southwest of Austin, you’ll find the small town of Wimberley, Texas. Situated where Cypress Creek and the Blanco River meet, amidst rolling hills and sprawling countryside, Wimberley has plenty to offer those taking a trip to Hill Country. Enjoy the natural beauty surrounding you on a hike or visit to a popular swimming hole, head to town for shopping and a thriving arts scene, or sip your way through the area’s wineries and distilleries....

Southerners are no strangers to a quirky sandwich combination. There’s almost nothing we won’t put between two pieces of soft, white Wonder bread—from fat slices of tomato to canned pineapple rings—and cushion in a generous slathering of mayo. Growing up, tomato sandwiches and canned pineapple sandwiches weren’t a weird thing to see on a Saturday afternoon at my grandmother’s house. They reminded her of her mother, she always said. And to her, that was the tastiest part....

Christmas is a time of the year to celebrate family and holiday traditions. The season has plenty, from putting out cookies for Santa to hanging the stockings on the mantle. For all the talk during the Christmas season about a Yule log, the actual story behind the holiday tradition isn’t commonly known to most. Here is the history behind the yule log and why it remains a tradition today. History of the Yule Log While bûche de Noël is a dessert now commonly found on holiday tables across the United States, the origins of the original Yule log tradition go centuries back to Norway....

When we think of signs that say you’re from Texas, we once wrote that “you trot your kids out to fields of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush for pictures every spring” and “you’ve seen hail the size of baseballs,” were pretty good indicators you hail from the Lone Star State. But we didn’t think to include “You ship soil abroad for your newborn’s arrival to ensure they’re delivered over the Texas terrain” to our list....

Last week, after just an hour of searching, a visitor who spotted something “shiny” on top of the ground at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, ended up pocketing the park’s largest diamond of the year. Noreen Wredberg of Granite Bay, California, was at Hot Springs National Park with her husband Michael when she realized how close they were to Crater of Diamonds State Park. “I first saw the park featured on a TV show several years ago,” Noreen said in a news release....

There’s a video making the rounds on the internet that may have you rethinking your summer strawberry addiction. You’ve been warned. TikTok and other social media outlets have been flooded with videos of people putting their strawberries in salty water. What happens next in the videos is alarming: tiny larvae emerge from the otherwise unblemished fruit. According to Mashed, they’re the larvae of an insect called the spotted wing Drosophila, or SWD....

Okay, we’ll admit it: Sometimes we act like the South has a monopoly on polite behavior and good etiquette, and that’s not totally the case. But while we’ll acknowledge that there are plenty of gracious, friendly people all over the world, we maintain that Southerners are true pros when it comes to good manners. And that’s because for us, etiquette isn’t just knowing which fork to use or the ins and outs of a thoughtful thank-you note, it’s about treating people with warmth and kindness....

The holidays can be stressful and perhaps nothing that adds more to that stress than finding out you’re short of a specific ingredient. Maybe another member of the family used the last lemon without telling you or perhaps you just forgot to pick up sugar on your way home from work. Whatever it is, take a deep breath. Dinner can still be served without an emergency trip to the store. Simply substitute ingredients you already have on hand....

It has been almost a year since work-from-home life began, and at this point my sofa and I are practically inseparable. In fact, we’ve started to resemble each other. Since “permanent couch-potato” has never been one of my life ambitions, I think it’s time to make a change. I need a healthy work-life balance, and that begins with creating a productive home office. Follow these simple secrets to easily design a work-from-home space that’s perfect for your career goals....

Wave petunias have been favorite flowers in Southern gardens for decades. According to The New Southern Living Garden Book, “Wave petunias blazed the trail for better performing petunias with the introduction of the landmark Purple Wave petunia in 1995.” After that auspicious start, they’ve only become more and more popular with each passing year. They’re grown from seed and produce a profusion of blooms wherever they’re planted. Here are five of the reasons we return to Wave petunias and keep planting them year after year....

Located off the coast of North Carolina, this overgrown, nature-loving island is rich in opportunities for adventure. For one, it’s the home of the state’s oldest standing lighthouse, Old Baldy. Its nature is also something of preserved wonder. It’s the northernmost subtropical island on the East Coast and 10,000 of its 12,000 acres are protected as preserves, and there are endless stretches of sandy beaches and palm-filled forests. Getting there and getting around will require a little planning, but once you’ve arrived you’ll see why it’s such a treasured secret....