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Four months after staff at the Waffle House in Center Point, Alabama, made headlines for helping their young co-worker attend his high school graduation, the “hard-working” teen has moved into his college dorm room. This month, Cedric Hampton, the manager who went above and beyond to help Timothy Harrison walk across the stage back in May, moved him into his room at Lawson State Community College in Birmingham. “Timothy is officially a full-time college student at Lawson State now....

Builder: Austin Pitner; bonterrabd.com Spotted In: Fredericksburg, Texas Year Built: 2012 Size: 1,000 square feet Why We Love It This casual Hill Country cottage pours on the Southern charm with its familiar farmhouse form, picture-perfect proportions, and inviting front porch nestled beneath a curtain of large oak trees. The stone facade and metal roofing nod back to Fredericksburg’s original German-style architecture. We’d love to kick up our feet and wind down our week in this soulful country home....

Some would say that dancing is at the heart of social life in towns across the South. From doing the Carolina Shag at the town dance hall to two-stepping at the local honky tonk, Southerners love any gathering that allows them to cut a rug on the dance floor. Of course, to dance the night away, you need the right tunes on hand. While there are plenty of songs to choose from when picking a tune for dancing, we believe that these timeless tracks could inspire any Southerner to take a spin around the dance floor....

For as long as I can remember, there are two things my grandfather has to have to enjoy his butter beans. The first is cornbread, which isn’t super surprising as it’s a pretty standard accompaniment for butter beans. The second thing, however, I’ve learned is not quite as common. Before he eats his first spoonful of butter beans from the bowl, my grandfather always adds a generous dollop of mayonnaise on top of the beans....

I just returned from a family trip to Oregon and the rhododendrons there were spectacular. Huge trusses of red, pink, purple, lavender, and white blossoms decorated large, leathery, green leaves beneath them. I quickly developed a serious case of rhododendron envy. The accomplished gardener that I am, I’ve never been able to keep a rhodie alive for more than a couple of years in my USDA Zone 8A garden in north-central Alabama....

Entertaining guests is what Southerners do best. We love to host friends, family, neighbors – and even strangers – in our living rooms, refilling their glasses with sweet tea and showing them hospitality. If you’re hoping to entertain in a space that could use some pizzazz, try out these simple tips for styling a coffee table. The Coffee Table Decor Formula: Using these elements, you can apply designer Phoebe Howard’s chic and simple method to dress up any space or tabletop....

Architect Brandon Ingram (of Atlanta-based C. Brandon Ingram Design) was less than thrilled when he was initially tasked with designing a garage for our Louisville Idea House. He understood, however, that it would be a necessity for cold Kentucky winters. Additionally, having a garage would increase the house plan’s versatility so it could be built to suit many different locations. (Find more details about the Riverbend house plan here.) Ingram decided, “If we were going to put a garage in front, then we are going to make it look really exceptional....

Are you hosting a baby shower? Start the celebration off on the right foot by following invitation etiquette. Believe it or not, there are right and wrong ways to announce a gathering in honor of the soon-to-be mother (or parents) and the new baby’s arrival. For this special event, planning when to host, what to send invitations, and what details to include are all essential factors to set your party up for success....

What’s your favorite childhood memory from your native East Texas?The joys of country life. We lived on a farm with a big garden and rabbits and hogs–some were pets and some were for food. It taught me how to live off the land, and that small-town life made me who I am. Speaking of living off the land, you’re an avid hunter. What’s your prized shot?A 12-point buck that I hit with my bow while hunting in Kansas....

Ready to get grooving from your couch? Today, Deere & Company announced that they’re hosting a benefit concert to support their nonprofit partner, Farm Rescue, on Wednesday, December 9 at 8 p.m. EST, livestreamed on YouTube. Billed as “The Farm Must Go On by John Deere,” all funds raised from the show will help support Farm Rescue’s mission to help family farmers suffering from major illness, injury, or natural disaster tend to or harvest their crops....

Alabama football coach Nick Saban sent a message of love and support to a former star player after he was diagnosed with leukemia. Just shows that once you’re a member of his team, you’re on the team for life. The Crimson Tide’s former wide receiver John Metchie III, who now plays for the Houston Texans, revealed in a statement shared by his team that he was diagnosed with what is luckily a curable form of leukemia....

There is no crying in baseball—at least when the Savannah Bananas are around. The team, which is part of the Coastal Plain League, a summer league for college players, believes in making baseball as much fun as possible. In fact, their team motto is “We Make Baseball Fun” and they live up that motto each and every game. They have danced in tutus, sung their own walk-up songs, played in kilts, called their own plays, and even had a flower girl walk one of their batters to the plate, throwing petals from the dugout to home plate....

There are so many reasons to love short hair. One of which is just how easy it can be to style. Unfortunately, short hair can also be mighty finicky and downright temperamental without the right TLC. No matter what your short hair length or texture, avoid these short hair styling mistakes to ensure you locks repay your efforts with endless good hair days. Overworking It Whatever you do, don’t force it....

The portable chair is a best-seller with 22,300 five-star ratings and almost 4,000 positive reviews. It’s comfortable and easy to carry because it folds flat, making it ideal for just about any outdoor event. BUY IT: $69.99; amazon.com “We love this chair so much, we bought three,” wrote one five-star reviewer who said their chairs are “the talk of the parents at every game.” Another shopper added, “It is so comfortable, and my back doesn’t hurt from sinking in an old folding chair anymore....

If you asked the average person to name as many foods made with mayonnaise as they could think of, they could probably list 10 or 12, tops. Ashley Strickland Freeman, author of The Duke’s Mayonnaise Cookbook, came up with a whopping 75 dishes. Like many born-and-bred Southerners, Freeman says Duke’s was a staple ingredient in her childhood home and the secret to many of her favorite foods—tomato sandwiches, deviled eggs, and of course, pimiento cheese....

When COVID-19 hit the U.S. in March, the entire county shut down. We transitioned to working from home, attempted to home school our children, and did the best we could to adapt to a life indefinitely indoors. Some of us found new hobbies, baked a lot of bread, or binged a lot of television shows. But the over-arching lesson we are all learning during this difficult period is how to be still....

On October 23, 1921, U.S. Army Sgt. Edward F. Younger was given a difficult task. The young man was selected to choose an anonymous fellow fighter to be interred in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, according to military news outlet, Stars and Stripes. He made his choice from four caskets and that unnamed soldier was sent home and laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier....

Here’s a helpful guide for all of your 2022 Idea House decorating inspiration. Throughout Windows and Exterior Doors: Marvin Elevate® collection, Marvin Signature® Collection Ultimate product line – Stone White exterior.Windows and Exterior Door Distributor: Windows & More.Engineering Services: Southern Consulting & Engineering, Inc.Hardwood Flooring: Eastern Wood Products – French White Oak.Interior Door Hardware: Emtek – Orb knob with Brass Disc Rosette in Unlacquered Brass, Pocket Door Tubular Round in Unlacquered Brass....

1. Using stale spices Aromatic, toasty spices are the foundation of a great chili recipe. Whole spices pack the biggest flavor punch. Toast whole spices in a dry pan until aromatic, then grind them in a spice grinder. If you’re using ground spices, give them a sniff before using them—especially if you can’t remember when you bought them. Ground spices lose their potency after about six months to a year....

For Andrea Castaneda, pressing flowers began as hobby. On her website, the Dallas-based artist explains how she started dappling in the old-school preservation process after receiving a bouquet from her boyfriend on Valentine’s Day. “I’ve always considered myself creative, but it wasn’t until experimenting with pressed flowers as a medium that I realized how far I can go,” she says. Today, Castaneda’s pressed flower artwork is well-known nationwide. From original prints to commissioned bouquet presses, her business, Designs by Andrea, is so in-demand that she can barely keep up—in a good way....