Although their own kids have flown the coop, a Raleigh couple still shares their home with little ones each spring. As every Southerner knows, a front-porch fern is irresistible to certain nesting neighbors.
Roots & Wings
In Morehead City, a father’s gift to his daughter reflects the lessons of parenthood. Loved and nurtured, the garden box they share grows with grace, confidence, and beauty.
Armchair Odyssey
Accounts by European explorers who visited North Carolina centuries ago let us travel back to another era — but their words only tell part of the story.
March of the Salamanders
Across the state, tiny feet are on the move: North Carolina is alive with amphibian activity this time of year. On a rainy night, you just might spot a salamander scurrying toward its ancestral breeding pool.
The Secret of Camping in the Cold
Spending a frigid night outdoors in the Uwharries, or at the base of Grandfather Mountain, is fun — really! — as long as you come prepared. Let the Ramblin’ Man show you how it’s done.
Forever Frosty
There must have been some magic in that basement workshop in Raleigh: After more than a decade and countless trips to the craft store, a father’s determination brings his handmade gift to life one day.
On Turkey Time
Preparing the perfect Thanksgiving entrée — especially outdoors, in the fickle weather of a North Carolina November — is a delicate process that cannot be rushed. Just ask the Ramblin’ Man.
Banner Elk: Discovering a Blue Ridge Town
To answer a question that’s confounded him for years, the Ramblin’ Man — a Piedmont-dweller since birth — goes west.
The Seed Saver
A passion for indigenous grasses and wildflowers turned a ninth-generation farmer into a steward of seeds. On a ramble down to Johnston County, our roving writer learns how Don Lee is helping restore native landscapes across the South.
