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ramblin’ man

Mai McLean cutting to hair
Ramblin' Man Columns

Trims & Travels

More than 20 years ago, the Ramblin’ Man found a hairstylist and a kindred spirit — and discovered the transportive power of a well-told story.

by T. Edward Nickens
The author arriving in New Bern by boat
Ramblin' Man Columns

Land Ahoy!

Arriving by water offers fresh perspectives on familiar places along the North Carolina coast.

by T. Edward Nickens
Two mules harnessed to a plow
Ramblin' Man Columns

Hoofin’ It

In Johnston County, some who till the soil still know the value of plowing with a mule.

by T. Edward Nickens
Dustin Coffey fly-fishing in the Watauga River
Ramblin' Man Columns

Casting Light

Decades spent on High Country waters prepared one fishing guide to dispense wisdom about life and trout.

by T. Edward Nickens
Boat on the ocean as a summer storm rolls in
Ramblin' Man Columns

Local Color

The kaleidoscopic beauty of life in North Carolina can hardly be put into words. But that doesn’t stop some keen observers from trying.

by T. Edward Nickens
Illustration of our Ramblin' Man about to prune his yard hedges
Ramblin' Man Columns

Next-Door Nature

Backyard encounters remind us that we share North Carolina with all manner of neighbors — furred, feathered, and scaled.

by T. Edward Nickens
Author hikes past a rhododendron bush with tightly curled leaves
Ramblin' Man Columns

All Curled Up

March finds North Carolinians feeling like a rhododendron leaf: still wrapped up against winter’s chill and eagerly awaiting spring.

by T. Edward Nickens
NC Highway 45 across the Roanoke River in Plymouth, NC
Ramblin' Man Columns

Where Rivers Meet

When one stream flows into another, the two chart a new course for the future — together.

by T. Edward Nickens
Illustration of tree with wrapped presents
Ramblin' Man Columns

That’s a Wrap

For a pair of empty nesters, abundance under the tree — and a careful choreography of ribbons and wrapping paper — keeps the magic of Christmas morning alive all season long.

by T. Edward Nickens
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