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Alabama Snapshots – Sunflower Fields
Aplin farms in Dothan. Submitted by Allison Lumbatis, Dothan. My granddaughter, Caroline Vaughn. Submitted by Peggy Morris, Stevenson. Kaitlyn Jones Johnson. Submitted by Jolene Holloway, Geneva. Clarabel Richerson in a beautiful Baldwin county sunflower field. Submitted by Gwen Windham, Robertsdale. Cecil, Melanie, Hunter, Macie, James Camden and Maggie Davis at Dallas Ragan sunflower fields. Submitted […]
August Spotlight
Identify and place this Alabama landmark and you could win $25! Winner is chosen at random from all correct entries. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. Send your answer by Aug. 7 with your name, address and the name of your rural electric cooperative. The winner and answer will be announced in […]
2020 Photo Contest Winners
They’re off the beaten path, or right on your front porch. Sometimes they’re the first thing in the morning, other times they’re in the quiet of the concluding day. And some feature young ones in the first few years of life, while others feature those in their sunset years.The photos entered in this year’s contest […]
College Football: Just what the doctor ordered
By Brad Bradford Editor’s note: As of press time, the Southeastern Conference had not made a decision regarding the 2020 fall schedule. To say that 2020 has been in turmoil is sort of like telling Notre Dame quarterback Steve Beuerlein that Cornelius Bennet can knock you into next week. The coronavirus pandemic stopped the football […]
Cooped up?
Booksellers have some recommendations. With the number of coronavirus cases in Alabama climbing every day, it is beginning to look like many people will be spending the rest of their summer — and possibly a lot of their fall — quarantined, socially distanced and likely bored.Netflix, movies and hours scrolling through Twitter and Facebook have […]
Alabama People – Anna Brakefield
In 2012, Anna Yeager Brakefield took her graphic design degree from Auburn University and headed off to New York to work with high-end clients in the advertising industry. A couple years later, she returned to the South, moving to Nashville to continue her career path.But in 2016, she brought her skills and experience back home […]
Fresh produce, local traditions star at Cahawba House
In 2015, Tim Essary worked for several chefs in Atlanta. His sister, Tara Essary-Studdard, was a mixologist in south Florida. But when they returned home to Montgomery for Christmas, they agreed they were both tired of working for other people and wanted their own place. “We saw the development taking place in Montgomery,” says Tim, […]
Three healthy financial habits to start now
By Jacquie Johnson and Cecilia Waits Developing healthy financial habits can do wonders for helping us achieve our goals. The earlier you start, the better! Here are three habits you can start today. Keep a journal Budgeting is the foundation of personal finance. The first step to successful budgeting is to keep a journal of […]
A redesigned retirement benefits portal that works for you
By Kylle’ McKinney We are excited to tell you about our redesigned retirement benefits portal at ssa.gov/benefits/retirement. Keeping you informed about our products and services, and helping you prepare for making decisions that will affect your benefits is very important to us. Preparing for retirement is one of the most important decisions you can make.Our […]
Ferns are made for the shade — and more
This time of year, there’s nothing like spending time in a shade garden, and with the help of a few well-selected plants, any shady spot can become a garden. The list of shade-loving plants is extensive and includes annuals (such as impatiens), perennials (think hostas and caladiums) and a variety of shrubs, vines and trees […]
Hunting, fishing licenses help state’s conservation efforts
When sportsmen buy new hunting and fishing licenses, they help ensure that future generations will enjoy Alabama’s abundant natural resources.“We cannot provide services without those license dollars. We receive no general tax funds,” says Chuck Sykes, director of the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, which is one arm of the Alabama Department of Conservation […]
Sealing air leaks step by step
By Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen Q: I love my older home, but it’s drafty and uncomfortable at times. What can I do to reduce drafts that won’t cost me an arm and a leg? A: This is a common problem, particularly in older homes. In many homes, about half of the conditioned air leaks […]
Pleasing Pound Cakes
Grandma’s Pound Cake Go to almost any cookbook on your shelf, and chances are there are multiple recipes for pound cake. In the popular Calling All Cooks Two, (Telephone Pioneers of America, Alabama Chapter 34, 1988) we found 49 recipes for pound cake alone, with variations involving flavorings, the number of eggs, and types of […]
Festivals in the age of social distancing
Southerners have always liked to get together.Family reunions, church socials, birthday parties. We can even turn a funeral into a gathering.We particularly like festivals, and down in the South we have some humdingers.For example.Every year the town of Sally, South Carolina, hosts its annual Chitlin Strut, where everyone has a dandy time eating fried and […]