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Hurry Up and… Relax!

With Thanksgiving in the rear-view mirror, and the past five days now sporting monikers that encourage shopping, running errands, and over-planning, we are just days away from the “countdown” to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule, even the Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe, not to mention New Year’s Eve. So, if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, you are not alone.

Why do we do this to ourselves? We just seem to get so swept up in the frenzy of festivities, that we forget to enjoy the season!

Care and Maintenance of Refrigerators for Thanksgiving

The week of shopping has begun – or at least we’ve been making our list and checking it twice… for Thanksgiving. Don’t worry- shopping for gifts begins next week, just as we’re figuring out what to do with all of those leftovers in the fridge.

But before we even get to the leftovers, this is a great time to sort out the contents of the fridge in order to make room for the ingredients for next week’s feast, that will then become the leftovers.

It’s November, and Celebration is in the AIR

We’re just one month away from the official beginning of the 2023 holiday season, when folks take to the highways and skies to visit friends and relatives, which is why it makes sense that we recognize November as National Aviation Month.

Dream Home is a Work of Art

The day has arrived, when you hold in your hands the keys to your dream home, after visiting the model, choosing your floorplan and homesite location, meeting with the design team to decide on finishes for floors, paint colors, cabinetry, and everything in between.

Forging New Friendships As An Adult

If you’re like most people who have been on this earth for more than a few decades, you’ve likely amassed a number of friends – some acquaintances, some “in it for life.” Friendships began with those we met in school, activities in which we were involved, even at work. We formed relationships with the parents of our kids’ friends and teammates, and neighbors in the places where we raised those kids.

Location, Location, and Lifestyle

So often we hear that the three most important things to consider when buying a home are location, location, location. But underneath those words are the meanings we assign to the place in which we choose to live, so that it’s not just convenient, but conducive to the life we wish to enjoy.

Homeowners Rise & Shine for Coffee Days

Celebration is in the air, and it smells like coffee! This Friday, September 29 is National Coffee Day, and Sunday, October 1 is International Coffee Day.

Across the nation, coffeehouse chain establishments are offering specials in observance of either or both Coffee Days. But if you really want to celebrate, consider supporting one of your local community coffee shops:

Fall Cleaning: Like Spring Cleaning, But With Pumpkin Spice!

Fall officially arrives this Saturday, September 23^rd, as we observe the Fall Equinox (when the sun is directly over the equator, and folks all over the world experience exactly the same number of hours of daylight and night).

So, how do we celebrate the arrival of Autumn? Let us count the ways: football, festivals, “leaf peeping” (yes, it’s a thing, but peak color in the North Georgia Mountains is still about 5-6 weeks away), apple-picking, and pumpkin spice, to name a few.

What Season Is It, Anyway?

Fall is in the air… or maybe it’s just the aroma of pumpkin-spice everything, because summer temperatures sure don’t want to loosen their grip. In fact, there’s an internet meme that says, “It’s almost Fall in Georgia. Do you know what that means?… Absolutely nothing! It’s still 90 degrees!”

Georgia has just entered its “fourth month of Summer,” so don’t put the shorts and flip-flops away quite yet. According to both meteorologists and travel experts, the earliest Autumn begins in Georgia is late September, but the Fall season here in the South is observed (by trees and wildlife, at least) in October and November.

Neighbors Kick Off Tailgate Season

Thankfully, the extreme heat of the past two weeks seems to be diminishing just in time for National Eat Outdoors Day (Today, August 31) and National Tailgating Day (first Saturday in September). While not “official” observances, both tailgating and eating outdoors are great reasons to celebrate.

Today, August 31, make plans to observe National Eat Outdoors Day by sharing a meal with friends at a restaurant that has outdoor dining space; enjoy coffee and a muffin on a park bench; pack a sack lunch and eat at a picnic table with friends or family; or prepare a home-cooked meal and eat in  your own courtyard or on the front porch.