Welcome to my blog. Here are some true tales about growing up Southern and some stories about how everyday things are sometimes more meaningful than they seem.
It Happened Like This & Other Stuff
Are You a Yankee Now?
A number of years ago, when I was living in Nashville, Tennessee, and traveling the country for the American Association for State and Local History, I was called home to Arkansas while on a trip [...]
Traveling on the Sound of Tires
I love how the Internet and my smartphone allow me to hold a massive virtual library in my hand and search for almost anything I want to, when I want to. Like checking the statistics [...]
You Ate Squirrels?
Late last summer in a special issue about the South, Time magazine carried an article about how immigrant food entrepreneurs are blending the new with the old in restaurants across the region, thereby increasing acceptance [...]
What’s in an Empty Suitcase?
Have you ever stood in line at an airport carousel trying to spot your luggage and thought about how most bags look alike? Or silently swore because this sameness makes your bag hard to spot? [...]
Granddaddy Sang Shape Notes
Music does many things for us. It lifts our spirits, brings us together, inspires us, soothes us, and even eases our pain. We love to hear our favorite songs over and over, in part because [...]
That Boy Has Torn His Britches with Me
The driver of car number one, a four-door Ford sedan heading east with three passengers, slowed and dimmed his headlights as he passed the last house on the narrow street. The moon slipped behind growing [...]