On the Grounds: 170 Years of the N.C. State Fair
A look back at the origins and evolution of this annual celebration of agriculture and innovation, which was first held in Raleigh in 1853.
Category: Noted
October 2023 Poem: What I Kept
A writer reflects on the items she held on to after her mother passed away.
A Farewell to Golf
Reflections on a decades-long friendship and fairway rivalry, sparked by a beautiful fall evening.
Rambling Ways: David Menconi’s New Book about Rounder Records
The longtime North Carolina music writer tells the history of an influential Americana music label in his new book, Oh, Didn’t They Ramble.
September Poem: Getting to the Bones
A sad sight by the side of the road invites the writer to contemplate how humans and animals are the same.
Simple Life: Squirelly Business
A seedy family of rodents that‘s constantly attacking Jim Dodson’s bird feeder drives him nuts — so he takes action.
Rainy Daze in Beaufort
What to do when a thunderstorm threatens to ruin a summer vacation weekend at the beach? Grab the rain jackets and go…
Split by Valerie Nieman
A Rockingham county writer shares this short fiction story about a women who finds herself in a curious house with a mind of its own.
Sugar & Salt by Brendan Slocumb
In this work of fiction, a man is forced into a suspicious road trip with a friend and has to come up with an exit plan.
August 2023 Poem: How I Want to Love You
In this poem, a couple contemplates whether to continue with their relationship.
One More Game: The Lure of Pickleball
A pickleball enthusiast digs deep into his enthusiasm for the popular sport — and finds that what it really delivers is a sense of community.
Simple Life: Let There Be Darkness
A trip abroad reminds this writer’s of the night sky — and that the trees and songbirds in his yard back home are worth preserving.
Hot Heat
There is no reprieve from the boiling cauldron of humidity that surrounds you in the Carolina summer. You must become one with it.
The Wish Book’s Final Chapter
Saying a fond farewell to Sears’ last North Carolina store, where this writer got his first bike and ogled mannequins.