Upsizing

There’s a new sense of “Home” as a result of the pandemic. For many, there’s the urge to get out and travel after being cooped up for over a year. But as much as I love to travel and still…

brown sand near body of water during daytime

Same Joy, New Place

Papa Dewey, the patriarch of the family, relished the beach as much as the youngest in the family. Although he walked with a slight limp due to a work accident, we would find him on the beach playing softball with…

Standing Tall

It’s hard for a person barely reaching five feet two inches to “stand tall” in any way except as a metaphor – or when wearing a pair of high heels. My lesson in how to stand tall, however, came from…

Megan Coward: New Community, Same Home

If there is anyone who knows the secret to moving to a new community, it’s Megan Coward. After she graduated from the University of North Carolina Greensboro with a bachelor’s in human development family studies, she moved to Charleston, South…

A French Awakening

When I was 17, I fell in love with all things French. During the summer of 1972, my headquarters for a study abroad program was Orleans, France, an idyllic backdrop for amor. Orleans was like nothing I had ever seen…

man wearing black cap with love your neighbour print during daytime

Ingredients for the Perfect Home

The librarian scribbled down information for my new library card, pausing and lowering her glasses after I gave her my address. “My husband and I built that house,” She said. Requesting the ID to borrow books had seemed like a way…

green soup in white ceramic bowl

Summers with Guacamole

When I think of “must-have summer recipes,” several dishes immediately come to mind. Key lime pie; cheesecake; all manner of red, white, and blue desserts for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day; potato salad; deviled eggs; fried green…

Waste Your Time

When I was a child, my siblings and I always looked forward to the first day of summer. I’m sure other kids did too, but probably not for the same reasons we did. Other kids looked forward to a day…

Gigi & Chip Cox: Life at The Lakes

Gigi and Chip met on the board of Habitat for Humanity in Lancaster County. Gigi, a retired music teacher from Lancaster, was the secretary, and Chip, an Air Force veteran from Florence, was the treasurer. They came as a delightful…

Vacation Ups and Downs

Some years ago, my wife and I wanted to leave the comfort and security of home and take a summer vacation to a place foreign and exotic. We chose Mexico. A different language, food, culture. Off we flew to Acapulco.…

What I Did on my Summer Vacation

I was my dad’s namesake. He was George and I was Georgia. He called me, “Georgie Girl.” Dad and I had a lot in common. I’m grateful he encouraged me to become a writer. It all began when I was…

The Motion of the Ocean

I moved to Myrtle Beach thirty-seven years ago because I fell in love with the area when I visited while in high school. The smell of the ocean enlivens me. But the motion of the ocean is another thing entirely.…

Where I’m Supposed to Be

Today, with a GPS in the car and on the phone, getting lost has become, well, a lost art. It can’t even be used as an excuse for being late. When was the last time you heard someone say: Sorry, I…

Cover Artist: Karrie Evenson

Karrie Evenson is an international selling artist from Northwest Arkansas. Her creative journey has led to many adventures over the years such as hosting her own painting TV show, teaching workshops and traveling to art shows. Karrie has sold her…

Words of Wisdom

I couldn’t help but smile as I stirred the pot of chili simmering on the stove, filling my kitchen with warmth and enticing aromas. My mom was right, “Nothing beats the doldrums like a bowl of chili, and it fills…