Cool and creamy desserts steal the spotlight from late spring throughout the hot summer months. Treats like homemade ice cream, fruity granitas, and icebox pies can bring refreshing relief on those warm days. Don’t forget to add sorbet and sherbet to your list of frosty favorites. These two frozen desserts really embrace the bounty of fresh fruit available this time of year. While very similar, there are some distinctions between the two....
Combining complementary talents, Mary Alice Ramsey (an artist and writer) dreams and imagines while her husband, Terry (a machine designer and engineer), brings her plans to life. Whether it’s the waterwheel, creek-spanning bridges, or an ambitious three-story tree house, anything is possible in the Ramseys’ Fairview, North Carolina, garden. Hailing from a long line of vegetable gardeners, they’ve tended this plot for 17 seasons. A border of coneflowers, bee balm, and Shasta daisies greets all who enter through the handcrafted gate....
The Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum is one of countless historic house museums facing financial hardship due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Unless it meets its fundraising goal, it may be forced to close its doors as soon as this December. The beautifully restored Queen Anne-style Victorian in Oak Park, Illinois, was built by the famous writer’s maternal grandparents in 1890 and was the first residence in the Chicago suburb to have electricity....
This year, we’re skipping the dye and heading to our local farmer’s market for natural, pastel-colored eggs. Blowing out the eggs (using just a few simple steps outlined below) will create a keepsake that you’ll enjoy for years to come. Local farmers’ market eggs (we used those of Easter Eggers, Olive Eggers, Black Copper Marans, and Ameraucanas chickens) give the gold accents a beautiful, natural backdrop. Your best bet is to hop on over to your local farmers market for fresh eggs, but if that’s not an option, brown eggs from the grocery store will work well too....
For avid baker William Cabaniss, inspiration struck while he was adding vanilla to a batch of brownies. The 14-year-old had just watched a news segment about how the coronavirus pandemic was resulting in long lines for food banks across the country. It just seemed wrong, and he felt compelled to help however he could. So, William decided to raise money for his local food bank by making and selling a baking essential: vanilla extract....
What we call radiator plants are species belonging to the genus Peperomia. They’re not-so-distant relatives of the plants that produce the kitchen staple black pepper. These are heat-loving plants native to tropical and subtropical regions. Radiator plants vary in appearance, though many have small, flat leaves, and thick stems. They’re generally compact plantings, making them good choices for indoor gardening, hanging baskets, containers, and greenhouses. It is commonly agreed that they received their common name from American horticulturalist Liberty Hyde Bailey, who—according to Charles Bixler Heiser in his 1985 book Of Plants and People—dubbed the species belonging to the Peperomia genus “radiator plants....
Elizabeth Passarella with her mother, Libba Schatz, and big sister Holland. Circa 1977 I should be too embarrassed to admit this—although here I am, doing it in a magazine—but when I tried to think of a dish of my mom’s that I make over and over in my own kitchen, I had to text my older sister to ask. “Hi! Quick question: What are the recipes of Mom’s that you make a lot?...
As the coronavirus situation escalates, handwashing has become an increasingly frequent routine. (Read the CDC’s guidelines for washing your hands here. You’re scrubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds, right?) And while you may be diligently following all of the CDC directives for doing so—if you’re anything like us—you may keep rings on during the process. As it turns out, you may want to play it “better safe than sorry” and remove your rings, and perhaps even watches or fitness trackers, before washing your hands, at least according to 2018 research on healthcare providers and handwashing from Georgia State University....
Everyone knows about the Clemson quarterback’s long blond hair and unimpeachable record but, as Trevor Lawrence and his teammates prepare to take on LSU at the Superdome tonight, we’re digging up some little-known facts about the 20-year-old sophomore. He’s undefeated: While the outcome of tonight’s game is anyone’s guess, it’s worth noting that since Lawrence took over for Kelly Bryant during the 2018 season, Clemson has not lost a single game....
With its ability to raise our spirits and unite a community, there’s perhaps never been a more important time for music. Yet, with the coronavirus pandemic upending tour plans for the indefinite future, concerts have been put on hold. That’s not about to stop country music artists from connecting with their fans and inspiring us with their soul-soothing powers. In recent weeks, we’ve seen many musicians stream concerts online, oftentimes for coronavirus-related relief efforts (hello, virtual Farm Aid!...
For the past fifty years, the iconic coming of age novel, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume has been a trusted source and friend to girls around the world as they approach that awkward and confusing phase of life—adolescence. Blume recently reflected on this milestone in a post on the website for her Key West bookstore, Books & Books @ The Studios of Key West. She recalls sitting down in her New Jersey home, where she lived then, mom to two young children, and her first two books accepted for publication....
Three cheers for Cheerwine! Dozens of people shopping at a Food Lion in Charlotte, North Carolina, last week were surprised to find that didn’t owe a penny for their groceries thanks to Cheerwine. Representatives from the soft drink company treated approximately 35 customers to a zero-dollar bill on Friday in celebration of the debut of Cheerwine Zero Sugar. Get it? According to a news release, the lucky shoppers also went home with a free two-liter bottle of Cheerwine Zero Sugar and a bag with Cheerwine goodies....
Recipes: Southwestern Spice Blend Zesty Chicken Marinade Mediterranean Rub Italian Marinade Classic Steakhouse Blend Classic Lasagna Moroccan Hamburgers Sharon Gray needed to change the way she prepared family meals. Cooking had always been a hobby and creative outlet for her. But now with two children, a husband, and a growing business (she’s a senior director for The Pampered Chef in Mount Juliet, Tennessee), she needed ways to make homemade meals easy....
There are certain makeup products we all swear by, and this product is mine. I first purchased it two summers ago after stumbling upon it in the drugstore makeup aisle. At first, I was intrigued by the iridescent bottle, the affordable price point, and the generic claim that this product, somehow, would make my skin look luminescent. At the time, I was new to the concept of a glow-y, dewy face after years of covering up with layers of matte bronzer and translucent powder....
No doubt about it. ‘Knock Out’ rose is one of the most popular plants around. Millions upon millions have been sold to people looking for constant color with zero maintenance to the point where it’s hard to find anyone growing a rose that isn’t ‘Knock Out.’ But perhaps for the average homeowner, there might be something better. See, one of the misconceptions about ‘Knock Out’ is that planting it is the only demand it ever makes of you....
Let’s face it. We might fancy ourselves modern Southerners, but when it comes to our gardens, we dream of a Memaw landscape—one loaded with classic Southern plants like azaleas, camellias, gardenias, and hydrangeas. Most especially hydrangeas. Before you plant them for the first time, you’ve got a map to read and a couple of decisions to make. How to Plant Hydrangeas First, what plant zone do you live in? Different species thrive in different zones, so you’ll need to find out which ones work best in your area....
For a new hydrangea selection that puts on a spectacular season show, we suggest the ‘Felicity’ hydrangea. It’s a part of the popular French hydrangea family. ‘Felicity’ produces lacecap-like blooms, with smaller flat clusters of flowers are surrounded by larger showier ones. The wow-factor of this hydrangea? Its flowers change colors as they mature throughout the season. ‘Felicity’ first produces blooms that open as a rosy pink. As they mature throughout the summer, the flowers will turn into pastel lavenders and seafoam greens....
If you’ve never hosted a holiday before, it can feel intimidating. Hosting comes with a lot of responsibility and a long to-do list, but with the right amount of preparation, it can be a breeze. While Thanksgiving means more dishes than normal, chances are you’ve mastered most of the classic ones already. It’s important to get all your ducks in a row as far as the menu, the guest list, and the decorations go, so you can plan your time accordingly and make the day as relaxing as it can be....
Every January, we take the holiday decorations down and look forward to a fresh start. While keeping the house spick and span may be a New Year’s resolution, those usually fall off with haste. That’s why in 2023, we’re proceeding with a plan in place. This year, we’re focusing our efforts on one space a month. There’s a lot of deep cleaning tasks that apply to all rooms, like sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, and wiping down walls, baseboards, and doors....
Dust off your dirndl and lederhosen and head to the Great Smoky Mountains for Ober Gatlinburg’s 12th Annual Oktoberfest. The popular amusement park is celebrating its German roots with a traditional fall festival featuring Bavarian-style food, beer, costumes, an outdoor bier garten, and folk music from September 24 through October 31. The festivities will feature traditional Bavarian folk music with free live performances and dances daily. When you have had your fill of yodeling, schnitzel, sauerkraut, and Bavarian beer, check out all the other fun experiences the mountainside attraction has to offer, including the Alpine Slide, scenic chairlift and more....
