State of Mind: The High Ground
Finding the allure of small town life in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina — and learning how to bring it home
Category: Noted
Simple Life: Letter to a June Bug
From a homegrown Ogden Nash by Jim Dodson | Illustration by Gerry O’Neill My daughter, Maggie, was born in 1989. It was a year of revolutions, a turning point in world affairs that witnessed the opening of the Berlin Wall,…
May Poem: Spring Storm
Amid the sweet smell of flowers, the temperature dips and a pouring rain comes through — but the sun dries it up quickly
Bridge Closed: The Last Rites
When the Old Boylan Bridge was deemed unsafe, locals stepped in to say goodbye to the 1987s aging steel truss structure
Sweet Spot: The Power of the Porch
In his inaugural column for WALTER, longtime journalist Tommy Tomlinson reflects on the unique perspective you find in front of your home
April Poem: Pre-Nuptial Rituals
A lyrical meditation on ancestry, tradition and personal transformation, exploring how rituals shape identity across generations
Simple Life: A Garden Reborn
Through patience, planning and a lot of hard work, an overgrown yard is turned into a vibrant, tour-worthy landscape
Rooted in Rawlee: Hearing a Hometown Accent Across the Globe
A deep dive into Raleigh’s changing accent, tracing how migration, culture and time have shaped speech in North Carolina
March Poem: Time Begins
Observing the emergence of honeysuckle and the bees it feeds, this writer feels that the years are passing ever more quickly
Simple Life: The Winding Path
Finding the Kingdom of God in my own backyard — and the friend who helped me discover it
Some Like It Hot: Learning to Love a Little Spice
Texas Pete on a taco? No way! A hot sauce aficionado discusses the finer points — and correct applications — of the fiery condiment
February Poem: Without Work, There is No Love
This poem explores how a father shows love for his son in concrete but unspoken ways — and passes the practice to the next generation.
Simple Life: The Man in the Mirror
Lessons learned from a father — including the power of a slow and careful shave.
Grace Down Under: To Australia and Back Again
An ambitious relocation to the other side of the globe offers this author a fresh appreciation for his home state of North Carolina