Chilly weather means chili time at my house. Yeah, I realize winter in the South is a breeze compared to some places, but a steaming bowl...

Talk about nosy neighbors, I have a few. Like the time I turned around to see what was making so much noise and found a raccoon staring...

If you’re a gardener in the Southern Appalachia area, winter is a bleak season and seems to last way longer than it should. No blooming...

Being raised in the Smoky Mountains, my grandmother believed in signs. No, not the street kind. I’m talking signs in nature. Several...

Just a few days until 2020. Wishing you a year full of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and...

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas filled with peace and joy. “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us . . . and...

Christmas party time! Office, church, friends, family, ladies' group—whatever the gathering, food is usually present. One of my favorite...

I know what you did last weekend—decorated your Christmas tree, house, and yard. Thanks to your love of Christmas, my drive home after...

I love Black Friday. No, not for the shopping bargains. I’m talking leftovers—turkey, dressing, potatoes, pies—whatever is remaining from...

Next time you’re in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, drive the recently expanded western section of the Foothills Parkway. What...

Folks living outside the South laugh at the snow dusting we received earlier this week, and I understand why. What’s an inch or two...

For an enjoyable hike in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, walk the trail to the Walker sisters’ cabin. Only a few folks were...

Crisp foggy mornings leave behind a reminder they’ve come and gone, maybe before some of us rise and shine. A thin layer of dew covers...

Cool mountain air, water trickling over rocks, and a campfire describe my perfect Fall Southern-Fried Friday. Relaxing to mind, body, and...

Fall arrived at my house with no rain for five weeks and a heat index of one hundred degrees most days. This week began with a drastic...

Reading a favorite author is wonderful, visiting with three of my favorite authors was awesome. Several days of listening, learning, and...

I’d rather do almost anything outdoors than inside housework. But occasionally dreaded indoor cleaning turns up a gem, defined as...

A Great Horned Owl is a big bird. How do I know? The owl’s wingspan filled the view through our windshield as it swooped toward the car....

Thank you to everyone for the kind words about my story “A Pinto for Pennies,” included in Callie Smith Grant’s The Horse of My Dreams....

I can’t believe it’s just a few more days until the release of my story “A Pinto for Pennies” appearing in Callie Smith Grant’sThe Horse...