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If asked to point out the differences between peaches and nectarines, could you do it? Now the harder question: Could you choose a favorite? We love peaches and nectarines equally around here. Whether they’re plucked from the tree and eaten over the sink or baked into our favorite recipes, they’re two of our favorite stone fruits in the South. But what’s the difference between the two? According to The New Southern Living Garden Book, “At first glance, the nectarine (Prunus persica nucipersica) looks like a peach (P....

If you’ve ever visited a hair stylist who specializes in curls—or are a fan of Ouidad products for curls—chances are you’re familiar with the rake and shake. For those who are new to this method, you’re in for a treat because this might just be the trick to your best curls ever. Ouidad, a brand focused entirely on letting curls do their thing, was founded in 1984 and has since become a go-to source for natural-looking curls....

I’m stepping out here and ready to make a bold statement. I might have figured out how to make my Granny’s Old Fashioned Cornbread Dressing even better. In addition to using cornbread, she always included leftover biscuits, bread, or Saltine crackers. Well, sir, I made a batch of Sage and Onion Biscuits to throw in along with my Southern Buttermilk Cornbread (which Granny called eggbread). I also used lots of fresh sage instead of the poultry seasoning she always used....

It’s true that Southerners can add “bless her heart” to the most negative remark imaginable and make it sound genteel, even kind and sympathetic, as backhanded compliments go: “She couldn’t bake a decent pecan pie if her life depended on it, bless her heart.” But sometimes, we’re actually sincere when we bless the heart of another. For example, this Southern saying can be a genuine expression of sympathy: “My sweet Sissy fell off her bike and skinned her knee, bless her heart....

Southerners are a prepared lot. Many of us have a secret stash of hostess gifts to take along on last-minute gatherings. We have closets stocked with backup linens for every bed and pull-out in the neighborhood, and enough monogrammed towels to outfit an entire sorority house. But we’ve got another little secret: Walk out to garages, carports, or basements around the South and you’re likely to find a deep freezer (affectionally referred to as “the deep freeze”) chock-full of prepared foods ready to pop into the oven....

Allison Holker Boss and her family suffered a terrible loss when her husband Stephen “tWitch” Boss died by suicide on December 13. The So You Think You Can Dance alum and resident DJ at The Ellen DeGeneres Show was 40 years old. As she and their three children work through their grief, Holker shared a brief, heart-breaking message on Instagram. She posted a photo of her and Boss, writing in the caption, “My ONE and ONLY Oh how my heart aches....

Dip In the Piedmont of North Carolina, chopped pork isn’t dressed with sauce but with a thin, tomato-tinged vinegar concoction that the locals call “dip.” (Folks in parts of Kentucky call their sauce “dip,” too.) Burnt Ends No, they’re not actually burnt. It’s just what folks in Kansas City call the thin,crisp edges of beef brisket that get trimmed away and doused in thick barbecue sauce as a barbecue sampler....

A homing pigeon named Bob took more than a few wrong turns last month, and now an animal shelter is working to get him home. Monroe County Animal Shelter shared on Facebook that they are trying to reunite the four-year-old pigeon—who accidentally traveled 4,000 miles from its home in Gateshead, England, to Mexia, Alabama—with his owner across the pond. The Monroeville shelter learned of the wayward bird when an “elderly gentleman” sought help with a pigeon that showed up at his home and wouldn’t leave....

Working from home took on an entirely different meaning over the last year. Space is a luxury. So when you have extra space in your home, those “working” areas are becoming more popular and a priority for many families. Designer Sarah Bartholomew and architect Brandon Ingram made sure to keep that in mind as they approached the design for our 2021 Idea House in Louisville, KY. The team made sure to create plenty of designated spaces for working from home....

If Dolly Parton speaks at your high school graduation, chances are, it’s a dreams-really-do-come-true moment. Well, for high school seniors in Sevier County, Tennessee, this particular dream did come true. But when Parton addressed the graduating classes of five schools in her home county, the Smoky Mountain Songbird is urged the students to keep chasing all of their dreams. Our Southerner of the Year and Sevier County native stepped up to offer some cheer to high school seniors who missed out on an in-person graduation ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic....

Erin and Ben Napier have teamed up with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to honor America’s 5.5 million “Hidden Heroes,” the selfless individuals who voluntarily care for a wounded or ill veteran at home. The Home Town hosts are participating in the foundation’s fourth-annual Heroes and History Makers event, co-hosted by Tom Hanks and Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, which streams online tomorrow. The Napiers and other celebrities are taking part in the star-studded event by telling the powerful stories of people who have devoted themselves to a veteran’s care....

In the words of Honey Boo Boo, “mo’ butter, mo’ better.” But with more people cooking amid the coronavirus pandemic, home chefs are discovering what the Georgia reality star and restaurant chefs have known all along: that butter makes everything better. According to Bloomberg, a great butter boom is officially upon us. Land O’Lakes is reportedly selling record amounts of butter as Americans soothe their pandemic-addled souls with richer dishes. The dairy giant expects butter sales to reach a staggering 275 million to 300 million pounds in 2020, an increase of more than 20% from a standard year....

Raise your hand if you’ve already watched Sweet Magnolias and Virgin River. Two times apiece. What to watch now, you ask? Well, if you sit patiently for another day, we suggest you then get to streaming Netflix’s latest soapy series, Firefly Lane, starring Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke, debuting on Wednesday, February 3. Based on the eponymous book, Firefly Lane, centers around “best friends Tully [Heigl] and Kate [Chalke] support[ing] each other through good times and bad with an unbreakable bond that carries them from their teens to their 40s....

A rare show of sportsmanship between two young athletes competing at the Little League Southwest Region championship in Waco, Texas, this week is captivating the country. The moment occurred after Kaiden “Bubs” Shelton, the pitcher for Texas East, accidentally hit an Oklahoma batter in the head with a fastball. The pitch struck 12-year-old Isaiah Jarvis in the head, knocking off his helmet, and sending him to the ground. Seeing his opponent in pain, Shelton hung his head and began to cry....

The first look at Harry Connick Jr. as Daddy Warbucks is here, and you bet your bottom dollar the New Orleans native looks every bit the part. Connick Jr. is playing the bald billionaire in NBC’s upcoming holiday production of Annie Live! alongside actress Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan. Newcomer Celina Smith will play the titular role of Annie in the December production. With roughly a month to go before the live musical event, the Grammy-winner recently took to Instagram with photos of him in character....

HBO Max has given the green light to Julia, an eight-episode series based on the incredible life of chef Julia Child. Julia is inspired by Child’s life as well as her pioneering television series, The French Chef. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “the drama will explore the emergence of public TV, feminism and the women’s movement, the nature of celebrity, and America’s cultural growth. Sarah Lancashire is set to play Child while Fraiser’s David Hyde Pierce will co-star as Julia’s husband, Paul....

1. Skipping Inspections Don’t miss the opportunity to arrange every kind of inspection imaginable for your home–before you buy it, if possible (think electrical, HVAC, structural, roofing, termite, plumbing, etc.). Granted, inspections aren’t typically free, and they do add to the cost of the home-buying process. But, consider the upside: By giving yourself an aerial picture of the time, effort, and financial resources you’ll need to pour into a home, you can make an informed decision about what you can afford—or, whether or not you even want to take on the renovation in the first place....

A spatula is a spatula, right? I used to think that until I discovered GIR’s Ultimate Spatula—also known as my favorite tool in the kitchen. GIR, which stands for “Get It Right,” is a kitchen tools company that specializes in BPA-free silicone cooking tools like spoons, pot lids, baking mats, and ladles. But today we’re talking spatulas. GIR’s Ultimate Spatula has a not-too-stiff, not-too-flexible blade that incorporates dry mixes beautifully and scrapes up every last bit of wet batter in the bowl—no wasted ingredients left behind in the bowl!...

The South is a land of epic weather. In a single year, we can experience hurricanes, tornados, floods, droughts, a blizzard’s worth of snow, and a heat index in the triple digits. But there’s something about Southern heat that speaks to us like nothing else. It’s our sweat badge of courage—proof, in our minds, that we can stand mercury levels which would surely undo our northern brethren. And we do it gracefully....

Variegated vinca goes by many names. It’s a variegated form of ‘Vinca major,’ or greater periwinkle. It’s also known as bigleaf periwinkle (Vinca major ‘Variegata’), and the “variegated” part of its name means that the leaves of the plant exhibit markings of different colors. When planted outdoors, it’s an aggressive spreader, but when tended inside, it makes a lovely and easy-to-care-for indoor plant. In addition to its obvious good looks, there are a few other reasons it makes for a great houseplant—read on to learn why we love this elegant vine....