Uncategorized
Hooked on Homeworthy
(And a Fairhope House Tour!) My hot entertainment for the moment is the YouTube decorating fix, Homeworthy. It’s a runaway success that has surpassed the likes of old-guard design shows on HGTV and PBS. Airing on social media platforms instead of traditional television, it provides a format for everyday people to give tours of their…
Read MoreOh no, it’s April Fool’s day
I think it’s all fun and games, except when “trusted” news sources try to trick us. I think there has to be some small source of reliability in the world. But then again, this April 1st trickery has been going on a very long time. Click to watch this video I worked on with NY…
Read MoreWelcome to Club Scrutiny
A new television commercial seems to make men uncomfortable. A handsome man has an arrow pointing to the area around his eyes as the camera zooms in for a horrific close-up view. The voice-over declares, “Most men over 40 look in the mirror and see this.” It pauses dramatically, then triumphantly announces, “when they could…
Read MoreA gathering of writers
Above, you’ll see author, editor and publisher, Sonny Brewer, and his little friend Bobby, along with singer/songwriter Grayson Capps and the 2025 Truman Capote Award winner, Suzanne Hudson. And yes, they are all from Fairhope. I’m not sure who took this photo – I found it on Suzanne’s facebook page. My pictures weren’t so great…
Read MoreBless His Heart (and shoulder)
The latest status symbol amongst mature men is a black arm sling. It signifies a life of daring action, with rotator cuff surgery proclaiming to the world that they are, quite literally, movers and shakers. Our list of injured friends includes former football players, tennis champs, golf pros—and now, my husband. His claim to fame?…
Read MoreScenic98Coastal
If there was ever a publication that speaks my language, it’s the Scenic 98 Coastal website. Founding editor Zeb Hargett and his staff highlight stories that celebrate the Gulf Coast region of South Alabama and North West Florida — or in otherwords, my home. Since my latest book also covers this area, Zeb was kind…
Read MoreWhat we really need in Washington
Capitol Hill is abuzz with as many new programs as fire ants in Alabama. Each politician scurries to make a statement, promising to fix all the problems, but I think they’re forgetting a few basics. If we truly want to improve the country, let’s aim for something the people in our district actually need—like a…
Read MoreCooking Class
My husband is impossible to shop for. He buys most of his own clothes and loves good electronic gadgets, but he’s the expert of those, so I have to leave it to him. Socks? Boring. Books? He likes to read them on a glowing thing-a-ma-jig. But guess what Mr. Know it all doesn’t have? The…
Read MoreLeadership lesson from kindergarten
Here I am with Barbara James on a teacher workday – otherwise, she would have never allowed me to wear a T-shirt to school. She expected all her teachers to dress up every day. I keep this picture on my desk. The best lesson I ever learned in kindergarten was when I was 27 years…
Read MoreDear Northern Friends, I apologize
This story first appeared in Lagniappe News, Mobile, Alabama. South Alabama is usually as hot as the hinges of hell and plagued by hurricanes and humidity, but now our yards are covered in nine inches of glistening snow. It’s one of the prettiest and most unexpected things I’ve ever seen, and it’s made me realize…
Read More