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Having crushed the absurd notion of planting carnivorous plants to control insects in my previous post, I now turn my jaundiced eye upon another half-witted gardening proposal making the rounds of social media these days – letting tons of leaves fallen from shade trees lie on your lawn all winter. This nutty theory suggests that doing so aids the environment, because beneficial insects such as butterflies spend the winter in leaf litter and only the most heartless villain would stoop to hurting butterflies....

Wake up by the water, walk the Gulf-facing coastline, and set up for an afternoon of fishing or birdwatching. Days at St. George Island float on easily and effortlessly, like a kayak bobbing on the Gulf’s clear waters. A peaceful barrier island off the Florida Panhandle, St. George Island is one of the Sunshine State’s best-hidden destinations. Unlike other parts of the Panhandle that have attracted large crowds and national attention, St....

As anyone shopping for Halloween candy knows, there are fun-sized bars and then there are really, really fun- sized bars a.k.a. full-sized Snickers and Goo Goo Clusters. Those are the candy bars that kids whisper about to other trick or treaters and remember fondly in years to come. Well, those full-sized bars have some serious competition this holiday season with Snickers and Kit Kats that clock in at over a pound—and after everything 2020 has dished out, we all need some super extra fun in our candy bars....

Marilyn Monroe famously sang that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and best friends deserve our love and attention. In the case of a diamond ring, that means cleaning it periodically so dirt and grime don’t interfere with its natural sparkle and shine. After all, whether you capitalized on the lab-grown diamond engagement ring trend, shopped for an engagement ring online, or were lucky enough to inherit a piece of heirloom jewelry, a diamond ring is a show stopper....

Rotisserie chicken is the beginning of many effortless recipes. You can cut it up and shred the meat as part of your meal prep early in the week, then turn it into a myriad of dishes. It’s great for weeknight meals, like soups and pastas, but also office lunches. And don’t toss out the carcass! It doubles as the base to a delicious stock, a task you can do while crossing off other cooking tasks....

If you want to start a garden but don’t know if you’ve been gifted with a green thumb, a succulent garden is a great option. Perfect for the patio or deck, this forgiving succulent container looks great even if you forget to water. Succulents are a great starter plant for beginning gardeners. While most plants require water daily, succulents can retain water for long periods of time making them low maintenance in comparison....

The small herds of ponies that roam Maryland and Virginia’s Assateague Island were first made famous by Marguerite Henry’s 1947 novel Misty of Chincoteague. But the legend around the stocky Chincoteague horse, whose annual channel swim still draws thousands of spectators, extends back much further. According to local lore, Assateague’s wild horses are the descendants of horses that swam ashore following the sinking of a Spanish galleon off the Virginia coast around 1750....

From its pristine bathrooms to its toothy mascot, there’s a lot to love about Buc-ee’s. But Chris Koerner knows that the best thing about the roadside mecca is its snacks—its shelves upon shelves of them. And the entrepreneur from Plano, Texas, wants to make sure that every Buc-ee’s fan has access to their favorite treats, regardless of location. “I went to Buc-ee’s with my cofounder, my cousin Kirk, when he was visiting,” Koerner told Texas Monthly....

What’s for dinner? If you’re still debating the answer for tonight’s supper, how does a feast from Olive Garden savored from the comfort of your couch and washed down with a glass of wine and perhaps an episode of Sweet Magnolias sound to you? If you ask us, it sounds pretty superb. You may not know it, but the Breadstick Maestros sell a collection of wines created just for the restaurant brand, including the recently released Confetti Pink Moscato Blend, which debuted in January of this year....

Fans at a recent Reba McEntire concert may have been a little confused when the band broke into the song “Pomp and Circumstance”, which is best known as a graduation song, not one of McEntire’s many hits. It was a completely appropriate choice, though, because the concert was a graduation ceremony of sorts. Turns out that when McEntire’s longtime drummer Garth Justice wasn’t behind a drum set, he was working his way through Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, Wide Open Country reported....

These days, Ree and Ladd Drummond are one of the sweetest celebrity couples we know. Married in 1996, the couple now share four children and a life on the ranch together. Together, their love is the foundation for all that they do and accomplish from their Pawhuska, Oklahoma, home base. The two savor the simple things in life, like movie nights, or perhaps a breathtaking sunset on their sprawling property before digging into a dinner prepared by the one-and-only Pioneer Woman herself (pass the baked ziti, please!...

Can you ever have enough cute home decor or handy kitchen appliances? We’d like to think not. Southerners take pride in our homes and love to have guests over, so having the latest and greatest is a must. It’s all about sprinkling stylish decor around everywhere, including your entryway to the living room as well as decking out the heart of your home—a.k.a the kitchen—with the latest gadgets to treat your guests to something delish....

The groom’s cake is arguably the best-known Southern wedding tradition, thanks to the classic film Steel Magnolias! We’re sharing the scoop on all the details behind this quirky and deeply-seated sweet. Groom’s cakes can be traced back to England’s Victorian era, when there were three cakes at a wedding - the wedding cake, which was served to the guests; the groom’s cake, which was served to the groomsmen; and the bride’s cake, which was served to the bridesmaids....

Have you ever cooked candy cane beets? If you haven’t, it’s probably because you walked right past them at the grocery store or farmers’ market without noticing them. With their dusty red skins, they don’t look like much from the outside and can be easily mistaken for regular red beets. But slice into a candy cane beet (also known as candy stripe beets, or Chioggia beets—named after the Italian town where they originated) and you’ll smile like a kid at Christmas....

My mom has always called little gifts “happies.” If she knows a friend is having a hard work week, she’ll bring by a “happy” to brighten her day. If a neighbor loses a loved one, the “happy” of pre-made lunch goes a long way. You get the idea. A “happy” can be as simple as a $5 coffee and scone brought to a coworker or a bouquet of flowers for a teacher....

Since way back in 1926, when the U.S. Foil Company introduced aluminum foil to the world, the handy product has been a staple in Southern kitchens. It’s an incredibly useful kitchen tool for making quick-cook dinner packets, throwing over the top of a turkey before it gets too dark, or tenting over a casserole while it’s in transport. While foil can do a lot, there are a few instances where its use is not advised....

Our hair wants out. Having spent a large portion of the year indoors, our strands are yearning to be seen and lavished with the elements (you might have seen your friends on social media finally getting those hair salon appointments). But summertime, with its humidity, sunshine, and air conditioning, has its pitfalls. Before you head out to the beach (or back to the office!), take the following expert tips into consideration....

Homeownership has been a longtime goal for April Stringfield. After years of hard work, the Virginia native and single mom finally realized her dream when she and her son moved into Habitat for Humanity’s first completed 3D-printed home on December 21. A second 3D-printed home in Tempe, Arizona is slated to close in February 2022. The 1,200-square-foot Williamsburg home was built through a partnership between Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg and 3D printing company Alquist....

If you’ve spotted grapes in the produce aisle that are much more cylindrical than the usual varieties, then you’ve seen Moon Drop grapes, also known as Sweet Sapphires. First developed in California in 2004, Moon Drop’s unique shape definitely helps it stand out among the other grape varieties. What Are Moon Drop Grapes? A type of black grape that largely is available in late summer and fall, Moon Drops have a number of qualities that make them a fantastic choice for anyone who loves snacking on fruit....

When I was a child, my grandmother would dust me with sulfur powder before I went out berry picking. The yellow powder helped to ward off the chiggers that could make me itch and be miserable for days. So each summer I was brave and fearlessly waded into enemy territory with only a small bucket in hand. Battling the chest-high briar thickets always left my arms and legs scratched. The mission was complete only after I had harvested enough blackberries for a cobbler or two....