Great Smoky Mountain Hospitality
Record high temperatures have blanketed the Carolinas. We find ourselves apologizing for bringing a sweltering inferno with us from Alabama. But we’ll cool down soon. Our railway car on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad is air-conditioned. And they serve cold beverages too. We stop by...
Mayhurst Estate Planting Seeds in a Dry and Weary Land
In a previous feature, I remarked that B&Bs are “hit or miss.” Well, I’m happy to report on a B&B that’s, in my book, a big hit. Driving there is also a treat, at least when you get on Highway 81 up in the Shenandoah...
Reviving the American Spirit
When an American church announces a homecoming picnic for its “online viewers” and people show up from 40 states and 4 foreign countries, does this reflect revival is in the air? It sure looked that way to me and Cindy when we attended an exciting...
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
My designer wife Cindy must have been channeling Birmingham Botanical Gardens during the weeks leading up to a special Mother’s Day event. She was working diligently to create a beautiful tablescape complete with a hand-crafted bouquet of crepe paper flowers that looked so real they...
Are You Thirsty?
In 1972, the U.S. Army taught me what it means to be thirsty. I was an eighteen-year-old member of “A-2-2! The best damned company at Fort Dix, New Jersey, Sir!” It was late July. Ninety degrees in the shade. A large water bag hung nearby....
Fiddler’s Green
Celtic mythology speaks of a place bereft of toil where old sailors go after death—a bountiful green valley full of mirth and beauty called Fiddler’s Green. And cloistered in scenic hills near Jacksonville, Alabama, Chris and Heather Dempsey have developed their own place of mirth...
Keep Moving Forward… A Trip to the History Museum of Mobile
A few years ago, a talented young Mobile entrepreneur named Brad May purchased my memoir, “How Prayer Helped Me Escape the Corporate Rat Race.” He later contacted me via email to convey his thoughts about my book. His exact words were: “I put it above...
It’s Been a Good Ride
Boom! Magazine Founder Jim Watson was one of the nicest men I’ve had the privilege of calling a friend. He was also, at times, a mentor. In his honor and memory, hereinbelow is the first feature that I submitted (and he graciously accepted) back in...
Magnolia Springs Getaway
I’m often asked, “How do you come up with travel ideas?” There’s no formula. But sometimes, the best adventure is the brainchild of impulse. For example, I turn to Cindy—who’s ogling her iPhone. “Hey, let’s drive to the gulf for some fresh oysters. What say...
Start Your Engines: The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
Cindy and I recently attended the 1819 News’ 1st Annual Albert Patterson Gala titled “An Evening of Courage.” 1819 News is Alabama’s fastest growing independent, donor financed media group with a growing subscriber list, allowing it to produce unbiased Alabama news on politics and culture...