Alabama wild ginger
by Tony Avent I grew up in a wooded section of west Raleigh. As a shy kid, I spent most of my spare time roaming through the woods along Crabtree Creek, where Crabtree Valley shopping center would eventually sprout. One of…
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InterAct on a mission
by Samantha Thompson Hatem photographs by Jillian Clark Typically, about half of residents in domestic violence shelters return to their abusive relationships. But in 2013, 89 percent of InterAct shelter residents did not return. Last year, the number was 90…
Eating well on the way to the beach
text and photographs by Dean McCord I sometimes forget how vast Eastern North Carolina is. Flat sandy farmlands extend for mile after mile, with an occasional small town breaking up the tobacco and soybean fields. I forget how southern the…
Nature as muse and partner: Jewelry artist Megan Clark’s elegant patterns are intricate, but never busy
by Amber Nimocks photographs by Juli Leonard An oval necklace of flat silver rectangles is carefully hinged and clasped together. The finish on each link gradually brightens from gunmetal gray to bright silver. Gold accents highlight the curves, and it…
Thief at the garden party
by Kevin Barrett photographs by Nick Pironio I asked a friend of mine at the bar recently if he had any travel plans coming up. He’s an adventurous guy who always seems to be going somewhere off the beaten path or just…
A bouquet of silver
by Tony Avent illustration by Ippy Patterson Pulmonarias, or lungworts as they are commonly called, are bold-textured, clumping woodland perennials, prized for their unique silver-spotted, deer-resistant foliage. Long a favorite of shade gardeners in temperate climates, Pulmonarias flower in late winter…
They sell resell: Vintage, new, collectible
by Jesma Reynolds photographs by Tim Lytveninko Raleighites have options when it comes to clothing consignment shops. These houses of style feature previously owned, often near-mint-quality clothing and accessories at a fraction of their original prices, appealing to those with…
Pictures of music: Skillet Gilmore and Caitlin Cary
by Tracy Davis photographs by Tim Lytvinenko If there is a modern, downtown version of a Renaissance couple, Skillet Gilmore and Caitlin Cary may be it. They’re both musicians. They’re both artists. They’re both mover-shaker types in the city’s arts…
Spotlight: Humans of My World
by Jessie Ammons photograph by Nick Pironio On a recent trip to Sri Lanka, Raleigh native William Moore wandered just a few streets over from the strip of five-star hotels where he was staying. “It was like entering this impoverished secret garden,”…
The local who knows: Jim Dodson’s Pinehurst picks
by Liza Roberts When the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open come to Pinehurst June 12-15 and June 19-22, as many as 400,000 fans are expected to converge on the quaint village known as “the cradle of American golf.” They’ll…
More a cathedral than a cowshed
text and illustrations by Frank Harmon The Dorton Arena at the N.C. State Fairgrounds was a technological wonder when it was built in 1952. Its cable-supported roof spanned the length of a football field and comfortably housed 7,600 spectators under…
Memories of Vietnam: 45 years and counting
by Larry Stogner While shooting a story at RDU recently, I recalled the day I returned home from Vietnam in late 1968. There were no jetways then. There were stairs. A 50-yard walk led to the only doorway into Raleigh-Durham…
Glad for my purple prince
by Tony Avent illustration by Ippy Patterson Growing up in North Carolina, it’s not uncommon to see gladiolus growing along country roads through older rural communities. For that reason, I could never reconcile why all the gladiolus I ordered from mail-order…
Tree of hearts
by Tony Avent illustration by Ippy Patterson I was first introduced to Aleurites fordii (also known as Vernicia fordii) through the wood sealer called Tung oil, which is made from the plant. That was long before I met Aleurites fordii in person….