Living
When a Southerner Gives Directions
Ever been on one of those back country roads in the South rambling through cornfields and pecan groves, passing by roadside stands, and circuitously winding your way through unfamiliar territory? On these roads, signs seem few and far between. Cell phone service is iffy, and your GPS hasn’t a clue. It keeps telling you turn…
Read MoreA Healthy Eating Philosophy via Michael Pollan
Don’t let dieting advice and convoluted nutritional science keep you from creating a simple, healthy eating philosophy. Healthy eating – it is an American obsession. We pursue complicated diets, telling us to eat this not that. We pour over food labels and nutrition guides. We rely on scientific experts to tell us what is healthy…
Read More7 Tips to an Organized Pantry + My Southern Pantry Essentials
Eat more healthy, home cooked meals with a well-stocked and organized pantry. Healthy eating is an important component to embrace gracious living. If we eat a healthy, vegetable rich diet, we feel better, we have more energy, and we see the doctor less – we all know there are countless benefits. Plus, when we feel…
Read MoreAn Afternoon Tour at Blount Mansion
As a newcomer to Knoxville and a public historian, I’ve made it my goal to visit all of the 7 historic homes of Knoxville. I like to start learning about a new city by delving into its past! So far I’ve spent a festive evening at the Mabry-Hazen House and a lovely afternoon tour at…
Read MoreDo You Know these Southernisms?
I just love a good Southern sayin’! There is no denying that we know how to turn a phrase. Even though I was born and raised in the South, there are still Southernisms that catch me by surprise every now and again. Sometimes our colloquialisms are down right poetic. Every so often they are next…
Read MoreSummer Reading: The Girl from the Savoy
This book had all of the right elements: Jazz Age London, the aftermath of World War I, romance, and an aspiring actress with a humble and sweet personality. It had the potential to hit every one of my buttons. But in the end, I am seriously ambivalent about it. The Girl from the Savoy by…
Read MoreEtiquette Guide – The Art of Paying a Call
So…I couldn’t resist creating a cute little print to go with my earlier post about the rules of paying a call in the South. Just think of this as a quick etiquette guide! Want to read the full rules? I would love to hear your opinion! Did I cover everything? Is there a ritual you…
Read MoreThe Art of Paying a Call in the South
In centuries past, women dressed up in their best day gowns and went visiting. They paid calls on friends and acquaintances within their social circle who were “at home” on such and such a day. Tea was served. Cakes eaten. Best manners displayed, and calling cards left. This was a great time for gossip, and…
Read MoreSummer Reading: The Museum of Extraordinary Things
The Museum of Extraordinary Things is a slow burn. You know almost from the beginning that the two main characters, Coralie and Eddie, are going to meet and fall in love. Hoffman follows their life paths through flashbacks and diary like entries as these characters mature and slowly, ever so slowly, draw closer and closer…
Read MoreHow Should We React to Hillary’s Nomination?
We could have a woman president in November! In watching the coverage of the DNC and reading reactions to Hillary’s nomination, I was struck by the number of comments from women who felt that her nomination was not a big deal. They felt it was not a historic moment for women and feminism, and they…
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