Pecans, America’s only native major nut, have a storied history in the United States. Today, American trees produce hundreds of million of pounds of pecans — 80% of the world’s pecan crop. Most of that crop stays here. Pecans are used to produce pecan milk, butter and oil, but many of the nuts end up in pecan pies.
Most Americans probably don’t realize that we have a very limited understanding of the first Thanksgiving, which took place in 1621 in Massachusetts. Indeed, few of our present-day traditions resemble what happened 400 years ago, and there’s only one original account of the feast.
Every fall I anticipate the winter holidays with almost childlike joy. I look forward to familiar traditions with friends and family, eggnog in my coffee, and the sense that everyone is feeling a little lighter and more connected. At the same time, I feel anxious and annoyed by the manufactured sense of urgency around gift giving: the endless searching and second-guessing shaped by advertisers, retailers and cultural expectations.
It’ll probably happen sooner than you’d like: waking up to frigid temperatures, scurrying from your house to your vehicle, and rubbing your hands together while waiting for the car heater to kick in. And once that gloriously warm air rushes through the vents, thawing your frozen face and clearing the fog from your windshield, you […]
For most, granola is simply a snack, enjoyed atop a morning bowl of yogurt or when the midday munchies hit. For refugees working with Beautiful Day, though, it’s a pathway to a better life. By teaching these individuals to make and package granola, the Rhode Island-based nonprofit helps equip them with the skills they need […]
If you feel as though others are constantly ruffling your feathers, or that any mention of a particularly sensitive topic can push you over the edge, here’s some insight to consider: Although everyone takes offense at times, doing so too easily may be more detrimental than you realize. “Learning not to be so easily offended […]
Despite how natural friendship can feel, people rarely stop to analyze it. How do you know when someone will make a good friend? When is it time to move on from a friendship? Oftentimes, people rely on gut intuitions to answer these kinds of questions.
Update as of Dec. 3: The Winter Egg sold for a record-breaking $30.2 million Tuesday. A world record-setting egg is going under the hammer for a third time — though it’s not the kind you’d eat on toast. Carved in rock crystal and adorned with over 4,500 diamonds, The Winter Egg is heading to auction […]
I’m in the habit of kicking my shoes off when I come home, and I respectfully oblige when directed to do so at another person’s house. But I’ve always felt a minor flash of panic in the latter circumstance — as I’m caught wondering whether I’m wearing my good socks or the ones with only a […]
The childhood home of iconic singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone has been fully restored — and one day, you may be able to visit it yourself. Located in Tryon, North Carolina, about two hours west of Charlotte, the house had fallen into disrepair and was facing potential demolition until it was purchased by […]
Where some simply see ski slopes as a fun way to zoom down a mountain, others also see a catwalk. And the latter outlook only seems to be growing: Peruse ski outfits on social media, and you’ll find everything from puffy, supersized boots to hot pink one-pieces, along with comments of approval comparing the looks […]
This article was written by Emily Ronay Johnston, an assistant teaching professor of global arts, media and writing studies, at the University of California, Merced, for The Conversation — a nonprofit news organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge of researchers and scientists, under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here. Ordinary and universal, […]