When we think of the advantages of exercise, we often think of improved sleep, more energy, weight maintenance, stronger muscles, and a healthier heart. However, we seldom think about the effects of physical exercise on our bodies’ most vital organ: the brain. There has been a lot of research recently…
Summer conjures the warm feelings of being under the sun, enjoying the beach, appreciating nature, and just exploring the outdoors. It’s also one of the best times to pursue DIY hobbies that require a warm and dry environment. But while most people prefer to spend summer by getting away on…
Having a pastime that you love takes the edge off life. But having hobbies that make money also fulfills many other areas of your life. A hobby is a wonderful thing to have, especially when life is difficult. It can take your mind off your problems and even teach you…
The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there. —L.P. Hartley, The Go-Between To hear my sister Fran talk about it, we grew up in Mayberry with June Cleaver as a mother and Mr. Rogers as a father. I sit back and marvel at stories about turkeys…
When the summer is in full swing and the harvest picks up, I often don’t know what to do with myself. I have a productive vegetable garden and a few fruit trees that I don’t want to see going to waste. This keeps my evenings full of processing – peeling,…
A few nights ago, I decided to make bread pudding. Now, it wasn’t that the idea just sprung to mind and I acted on it; I had been thinking about it, actually sneaking up on the idea for a couple of days, which is how I roll as a busy…
“Your parents’ names sound familiar to me,” wrote someone named Linda in response to my post on a facebook page for people who have lived on Okinawa. She went on to say, “So I looked in my mother’s address book and there they were – Rex and Bettie George –…
Eating Roots Regional traditional foods in the south overlap and cross so many cultural boundaries sometimes we get caught up in terminologies. Soul food, Country food, White Trash, Appalachian, Cajun, Creole, Low Country, etc. One thing for sure that I think everyone agrees on is the term, Home Cooking! Traditional…
Buying and using various household and personal care products is so deeply rooted in our daily habits and routines that in most cases, we don’t even think about it. But some daily products are harmful to our health and the environment, not to mention that they can be pricey. Here…
Unhung pictures leaning against an oak armoire. Family photographs set under glass. Hand-painted jugs. Tiffany lamps. Faded blue-washed walls. In this house lived three daughters and one son, a mother, and a father. There were seven doorways in all. The family seldom used the main door. A piano stood in…