Browsing: Living

Storm clouds threatened and laughing gulls called as my three children and I made our way to the crowded beach where a portion was sectioned off. This was our second time attending a sea turtle release. The crowd of all ages beamed with excitement and anticipation. Up ahead, a table displayed literature, stickers, and turtle skulls. Staff from the Institute of Marine Mammal Studies were ready to educate, interact, and host this real-world science lesson.

June is National Dairy Month,  a month to celebrate the hard-working dairy farm families and the nutritious dairy foods they provide. Mississippi is home to 25 dairy farmers, most of whom operate family-owned farms. In 2025, Mississippi produced 8.8 million gallons of milk, with the top two milk-producing counties being Walthall and Marion. Did you know that Mississippi’s most consumed dairy product is ice cream, no surprise, followed by milk. Here are some simple ways to support your local dairy farmers and bring nutritious treats into your summer routine.

There is something special about the foods we associate with our fathers. It may be a recipe they perfected over decades, a meal he cooked only on weekends, or the simple dishes he always requested when the family gathered around the table.

From the beginning of time, dads have been known for dispensing advice. Whether solicited or unsolicited, this advice has helped children deal with whatever situation they are facing. It may be given during a conversation before an important life event, while taking care of household chores, or even while just driving around town. No matter how it’s given, it often stays with us long after being spoken, and more poignantly, it becomes a cherished memory once dad is no longer here.

I want to take you back to Tatiana Martin’s beautiful yard in Vicksburg this week to look indoors at her orchids to see that her passion for gardening extends beyond the landscape beds.

There are certain sounds that define a Mississippi summer.

The hum of cicadas on a hot afternoon. The squeak of the back door opening and closing a hundred times a day. A basketball bouncing in the driveway. The mixer running because someone decided it was the perfect day to make brownies. The laughter coming from a backyard adventure—or the inevitable, “Mama, come look at this frog!”

If you know where to look, there are secret Ole Miss spirit messages written over north Mississippi, all thanks to University of Mississippi alumnus and pilot Joshua Gregory.

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.