Colorful Art for a Happy Home

Daisy Faith sits in her home studio in Wilmington. A recent piece is propped on a small side table next to a bushel of eucalyptus in a white vase. One can’t help but feel that somehow this art was designed for this exact space. That perhaps this would make a swoon-worthy Instagram post, whether it…

Read More

Wrightsville Sounders

On calm nights, the ambient thrum of the surf drifts beyond Wrightsville strand, reaching the tree-lined mainland at Summer Rest — that timeless waterfront enclave on the banks of the Intracoastal Waterway. The muffled cadence of rolling waves sounds like a late-night lullaby or an early morning mantra. It’s here the Peebles family has dropped…

Read More

Casting for Cobia

Kit Taylor is in the dockside bar at the Bridge Tender, within sight of the Intracoastal, just across from where the old Wrightsville Beach Marina used to be. It’s a bright, warm day in early April, a perfect day to be on the water, or just to talk fishing — cobia fishing.   There is…

Read More

Support for Foster Parents and Kids

May is National Foster Care Month and a good time to learn ways the community can support children in emergency situations and the families that bring stability in a time of turmoil.  There are more than 300 children and youth currently in the custody of the New Hanover County Department of Social Services. The DSS…

Read More

River Walk

THE CAPE FEAR RIVER WATCH (CFRW) recently added a one hour guided walking tour of downtown Wilmington to its ecological offerings that include kayaking tours of Eagle Island and Greenfield Lake. “Because not everyone feels comfortable kayaking, I realized we needed to incorporate a tour of the Cape Fear River that was via a leisurely…

Read More

Art at the Harbor Way Gardens

Come to Wrightsville Beach’s Harbor Way Gardens and stop and smell the roses on Mother’s Day weekend, May 8-9. That’s when the Witherspoon and Drift roses will be in full bloom, making it the perfect weekend for an event. Presented by the Harbor Island Garden Club and Wrightsville Beach Parks and Recreation, the first ever…

Read More

Palate Pleasing Prickly Pears

Though the name is often applied as a euphemism for a cantankerous person, the real prickly pear can actually be a sweet and endearing addition to the plate. That is, of course, if you are successful at navigating its treacherous, protective exterior. This invasive cactus with purplish, reddish fruits can be found pretty much all…

Read More

Up Front

Who would have ever thought normal could feel so good? Everywhere you turn people are out walking, biking, running and gardening, including me. Well, no running, but it has been wonderful to dig in the dirt again and see blooming flowers. My bike rides have been stellar. I spotted a full wetsuit swimmer in the…

Read More

Scenic Byways

The siren song of the open road can be heard as soon as the weather warms up. Spring is the perfect time to get in the car, wind the windows down, open the sunroof or lower the top of the convertible, cue up the road trip playlist, and hit the highway. It’s a low-cost way…

Read More

Kitchens That Cook: Pride of Place

 Is it obvious to say the pandemic exerted a range of unforeseen societal impacts? In hindsight, the fact that many turned to home improvement projects as a way to cope or simply fill the hours does not seem all that irrational or unexpected. For many homeowners, the result of having so much downtime was that…

Read More