Chasing the Choice Soil

By MARK G. STITH

Hello again! I'm so glad you found time to drop by. There's a lot going on in my garden, despite the drought, and I hope yours is growing like Jack's beanstalk.

I have to tell you my story of chasing down some dirt. Here's how it went:

How to Conquer Your Fear of Fresh Ingredients

By Emily Battle

This column is not for the cooks out there who have been at it for decades and have all of Julia Child's works on their bookshelf. We salute you, but we're not there yet.

Drought and Gardening: What Can I Do?

By MARK G. STITH

Been a little dry in your neck of the woods? You're in bad company. Every state in the Southeast is suffering some level of drought conditions. The National Weather Service ranks droughts according to their severity, using four levels. It gets bad when the ranking is Severe, and goes worse at the Extreme level rank. Exceptional is the worst of the bunch. There's only one state in the entire country with that dubious honor. That state is Alabama, where I live and garden.

The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail

By Joe Tennis

Reprinted courtesy of Marquee Magazine.

Every Saturday night, folks clap and clog at the Carter Fold. It's a ritual.

Blue Spring Manor: Vincent, Alabama

By GERRY H. DAVIS

I was on my way to Vincent, Ala. A dot on the map. Take the Pell City Exit and then 231 S. I drove and drove taking Highway 231S to Vincent. At the traffic light in Vincent you turn right onto Shelby County 83. The countryside was beautiful and farms were well manicured making the combined 231 S and 83 drive very pleasant. Finally, I see a small sign denoting Blue Spring Inn.

One Life to Live, One Garden to Love

By VIRGIL ADAMS

In Mother Nature's undisturbed garden, there is no beginning and no end. That's the way I'd like us to think about the gardens in our back yards. Living, loving and gardening throughout the year. For those of us who are fanatical about these blessings, they are inseparably and everlastingly wed- ‘til death do us part.

Wanted: decent margarita

By EMILY BATTLE

A couple of years ago, my husband and I spent a weekend in Austin, Texas, for a friend's wedding.

We visited a Mexican restaurant on trendy South Congress Avenue called Guero's Taco Bar. This place was so good, and the guide books did such a good job leading people to it, that we had to wait more than an hour and a half for our table.

 


In This Issue

Let the Fun Begin!
virgil adams: cultivating the soil in the Spring

BLUE SPRING MANOR: Vincent, Alabama
gerry h. davis: enjoy Blue Springs Manor in Vincent Alabama

New Year's Day: This year, I will eat more healthfully!
emily battle: new year's day:

Wanted: decent margarita
emily battle: make a magarita, an exceptional margarita


Most Popular Articles

Wanted: decent margarita
emily battle: make a magarita, an exceptional margarita

Happy Holiday Plants (and more).
mark g. stith: how to care for holiday plants

One Life to Live, One Garden to Love
virgil adams: being a great gardener

Drought and Gardening: What Can I Do?
mark g. stith: how to care for your plants in a drought.