Babyface

Everyone has a beard these days. OK, that’s a bit of an overstatement. Most women I know don’t have beards, but bearded ladies are another topic for another day. I know, I know, facial hair has been popular for a while now, and beards have had many meanings throughout history. Sometimes countercultural, facial hair has meant everything from … Continue reading Babyface →

Some beach, somewhere

Southerners don’t just go to the beach anymore. They go to a particular beach. These beaches aren’t just the popular ones: Panama City Beach, Daytona Beach, Myrtle Beach, Virginia Beach, Hilton Head. In the New South, it is fashionable to go to a boutique beach with its own charming small-town feel. There are still thousands of people … Continue reading Some beach, somewhere →

Are we there yet?

Summer road trips have been a part of the Southern landscape since rednecks first discovered their Riviera on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. For nearly as long, parents have been looking for ways to entertain their children in the car on the way to the beach. We’re just past Independence Day, and my … Continue reading Are we there yet? →

Center of attention

The only two homes I have owned – or, more accurately, been on my way to owning – have had a fireplace. And with the fireplace comes the obligatory mantel. I will explore the wisdom and necessity of setting wood ablaze inside your home in a different essay, but today I am concerned more about the … Continue reading Center of attention →

Teach your children well

It’s an understatement to say my dad taught me a lot while I was growing up. He taught me right from wrong, self-discipline, the value of a dollar, how to maintain cleanliness and order, the importance of doing a job well and how to nurture a strong faith. Dad also taught me a number of … Continue reading Teach your children well →

Stop, listen, what’s that sound?

By now, many of you have already discovered the unique pleasures of the emergence of Brood XIX. For about the last month, the 13-year cicada has been coming up out of the soil to sing its song, do its thing, die off and come back in another 13 years. By around July 4, it’ll be … Continue reading Stop, listen, what’s that sound? →

Baiting your own hook

For a moment I thought he was actually going to do it. With the early summer sun beating down on us, my two older sons, ages 10 and 6, and I prepped our fishing poles on the banks of Lake Hamburg. We had completed the sweaty job of putting up our tents and setting up … Continue reading Baiting your own hook →

Y’all be sure and drive slow

Not all trends in the New South are welcomed by traditional Southerners with an appreciation for history. In fact, their voices tend to be among the loudest decrying the increasing recreationalization of Memorial Day. It’s hard to disagree with their case. I doubt very seriously that when Gen. John Logan proclaimed May 5, 1868, the … Continue reading Y’all be sure and drive slow →

The dangerous South

For an observer of Southern trends, it’s hard to ignore the tornadoes and floods afflicting the South this spring. I’ve always thought California was the most disaster-prone region of the United States. They have earthquakes, wildfires, droughts, mudslides and traffic. But lately, the South seems to be giving the West Coast a run for its … Continue reading The dangerous South →

I’m just sayin’ bless his heart

The not-so-secret code of Southern passive aggressive speech is most fully realized in the simple phrase “bless his heart.” This quintessential put-down has become so cliché that every Southern sit-com from “The Andy Griffith Show” to “Designing Women” to “Evening Shade” has referenced it. What’s interesting is that “bless her heart” is being replaced. In … Continue reading I’m just sayin’ bless his heart →