Now that Easter has come and gone and we can legally wear our white shoes, what’s a girl to do about her brooches? Have you been agonizing over the proper alignment of your sparkly jewels? The sheer madness of this cruel world! If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Well, worry no more. I…
Read MoreI’d like to take a moment and give my sincere thanks to Chef David Bancroft from the celebrated Auburn, Alabama restaurant, Acre, for properly serving Frito Pie in a bowl and thereby taking the stigma out of eating the . . . how do I say it, “uncouth” dish. The first time I’d ever…
Read MoreUntil recently, I’ve always felt safe in the South. Instead of staying out of each other’s business, we make it a point to know one another, which creates a feeling of security. We make eye contact, then smile and say hello when we pass on the streets. We carry chicken casseroles to sleepy parents with…
Read MoreSeveral years ago, I posted a list of my favorite Southern Belle words. It proved to be one of my most popular posts and was pinned on Pinterest a zillion times or so. After contemplating the original list, I’ve decided to freshen it a bit because I’ve realized there are other dandy words that…
Read MoreSwimsuit season starts early in the South. By the second week of February, my Mother would drag me to Gayfers to ensure I had first choice of the sturdiest of all the Jantzen suits. She knew if we waited too late, the selection would be picked-over and I’d have to settle for a flimsy suit…
Read MoreIn addition to some first-class Holy Rollers, Southern churches have also produced some mighty fine musicians, with many of the big-time stars giving credit to their religious roots for introducing them to the basics of music. But it doesn’t matter how many Grammys these stars have won, nor how many thousands of screaming fans their…
Read MoreStep Sing! It’s a 67 year old tradition at Samford University in Birmingham where my son is a student. When my parents attended school there (then, Howard College) Step Sing was a much smaller production, literally done on the steps of one of the buildings, although my Mother said she remembers Step Sing being held…
Read MoreStick your fingers in your ears for one minute, because I’m getting ready to squeal and tell you how much fun it is to shake up your schedule and do something artsy and different. Case in point . . . Theatre 98‘s new production of Neil Simon’s play, Plaza Suite is the perfect antidote…
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One of my favorite Alabamians is the Queen of Blues, Dinah Washington. Born in Tuscaloosa in 1924 as Ruth Lee Jones, Dinah rose to fame in the 1950’s with her earthy voice that thrilled fans, but baffled and often irritated the critics because she was able to bounce from one genre to the next with…
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This story can be found in my book, “The Majorettes are Back in Town.” It wasn’t the flowers, candy or twirling me across the kitchen floor that earned my husband a gold star on his romance chart. Instead, his most romantic move was when he scared the bejibbers out of our son. First of all,…
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