Browsing: Living

Yeah, the class slogan for my Pascagoula High School Class of 1966 was “We’re as great as great can be, the Seniors of ’66 are we.” Pretty corny I’ll admit, but it did—and still does—kind of speak to the feeling my classmates and I had/have about each other. That sentiment continued to be evident as we gathered in Pascagoula last week for our 60th class reunion.

I am somewhat ashamed to admit this, but I had no idea that Mississippi has an annual Pickle Fest. Much to my amazement, the Pickle Fest, held each year at the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum, was voted the “Best Small Festival in Mississippi” in 2022 by the Mississippi Tourism Association. No wonder it is billed as a “Kind of a Big Dill!”

A second opportunity is not given to make a first impression, so it is important that the first impression be one to remember. With I-10 as the gateway to coastal Mississippi from Alabama with more than 40,000 guests annually, there was a need to upgrade the current Mississippi Welcome Center to help create a positive impression for guests.

As a child, summers in Mississippi always included trips to some of our state parks. Those trips included hiking, swimming, boating, fishing, and lots of outdoor picnics. But my favorite memories of Mississippi state parks in the summertime involved short little getaway trips and staying in one of the park cabins with cousins and friends.

When you’re a child, you assume the world you know is the world everyone knows. Growing up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I never stopped to consider how lucky I was to have the barrier islands sitting just beyond the horizon. 

Let’s be honest—everything feels a little more expensive these days. From groceries to gas, many Mississippi families are keeping a closer eye on their budgets this summer. The good news? You don’t have to spend a fortune to make great memories.

It is often said that we can learn a great deal from nature, and that is true. But sometimes, the lessons we learn surprise us more than we care to admit. 

Long before backyard barbecues and red-white-and-blue sales, Memorial Day began in the silence after the war—a silence heavy with names unspoken and dreams unfinished.

There is something to be said for people of habit — folks who follow a familiar rhythm each day and find comfort in routine. I happen to be one of those people, and several of my friends enjoy giving me a hard time about it.

Peaches and summertime are a perfect pair. The fuzzy, sun-kissed fruit is loved for its sweet, juicy bite and bright, floral aroma. For many, sinking your teeth into a ripe peach over the sink or out in front of you while the sweet, tangy juice drips down your hands is a quintessential summer experience. And peaches taste even better when they’re grown in Mississippi.

Now, I’m not Willie Morris, and my dog is not named Skip. But this week, we had an unusual Mississippi dog story unfold on the Lucius homestead.

There is a certain point in a Mississippi summer when tomatoes stop being a side dish and become the whole reason for the meal.

The city of Poplarville will celebrate 42 years of the Blueberry Jubilee with a pageant and festival featuring outdoor activities, local history and community events. 

I had lived in McComb for over a year before someone casually mentioned there was an exotic pet shop in town.

I remember being genuinely surprised. Somehow, I had completely missed it.

Not long after that conversation, my kids and I decided to go check it out for ourselves, and now it has become one of our favorite places to visit.

There’s a moment that happens almost every day somewhere in Mississippi. A stranger holds the door open a little longer than expected. Someone waves from a two-lane backroad. A neighbor checks in after a storm, not because they have to, but because that’s simply what people around here do.

The Ocean Springs Chamber–Main Street is excited to announce that Ocean Springs, Mississippi, has been named one of the top destinations in the 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Small Town Cultural Scene.