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“One time, I went to a Cher concert here in Jacksonville with my wife. We had a few cocktails, and the next thing I know I’m out in the audience hollering ‘Free Bird!’ ‘Free Bird!’ at Cher. My wife told me to shut up.”
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Mission control in Houston in 1969. (Photo courtesy of NASA)
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To the Moon, Southern Style
From mission control in Texas to rocket builders in Alabama to the launch pad in Florida, the South played a critical role in sending humans to the moon fifty years ago. In honor of the anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing on Saturday, events throughout the region will mark the historic achievement. In Houston, visitors can see the Apollo Mission Control Center as it looked on July 20, 1969, down to discarded coffee cups on the consoles and the ashtrays where workers snuffed out celebratory cigars. In Cape Canaveral, Florida, home of the Kennedy Space Center, the city’s Summer of Space exhibit collects 1960s photos and memorabilia submitted by residents of Florida’s “Space Coast.” And in D.C., the Apollo 11 launch will be projected onto the Washington Monument, part of the Smithsonian’s Apollo 50: Go for the Moon show. Get details on these and more ways to celebrate the anniversary.
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Be Mindful of Manatees
Wildlife officials in Florida are asking boaters to use caution to help protect manatees. So far this year, manatee deaths from boat strikes in the state are on pace to break a record, with 89 of the slow-moving giants already killed by watercraft. Patrick Rose, the executive director of the Maitland-based Save the Manatee Club, told the Miami Herald that good weather this year, low gas prices, and growth in waterfront development have all played a role in higher numbers of boaters on the state’s waters, which means more potential for strikes. Boaters are encouraged to keep an eye out for the animals, which favor shallow waters and surface to breathe, always obey posted speed limits, and avoid seagrass areas, where manatees are likely to forage.
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From CJ Lotz, Senior Editor
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A Book for Everyone
I devoured I Miss You When I Blink, Mary Laura Philpott’s delightful collection of essays about motherhood, minor identity crises, and finding contentment. When the Nashville-based author visited Charleston on her book tour recently, I asked her to inscribe a copy for my mom. After mailing off the gift to my parents’ house in Mount Dora, Florida, I was surprised to receive a text from my dad, an avid reader and apparently an active mail-screener. “Blowing through I Miss You When I Blink,” he wrote. “Love the way she affirms her husband, lots of great vignettes.” He promises me—and my mom—he’ll share it when he’s done.
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The Write Stuff
We still edit plenty of story drafts on paper at Garden & Gun, and a few of us are old-school pencil fans. The favorite among editors here are Blackwing pencils, which are perfectly weighted, write crisply and smoothly, and are topped with a replaceable smudge-free eraser. I recently treated myself to Blackwing’s Volumes subscription program, which mails out a limited-edition set every few months. The most recent set, the Blackwing Volume 10, felt special to me: The pencils, with a matte-gray newsprint finish, honor a pioneering nineteenth-century female journalist named Nellie Bly.
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A Classic Boat Hat
Now, I need some advice. I’m still figuring out my on-the-water sun-protection strategy, namely the perfect boat hat. A company called Quaker Marine Supply recently revived the hat that Ernest Hemingway made famous, the Oysterman. It’s got an extra-long bill, and Hemingway was known to wear it on his fishing adventures in Cuba and Key West. Anyone tried it? Do you have to be a gray-bearded, sun-weathered, absinthe-swilling writer to pull off the look?
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From Haskell Harris, Style Director
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When I spotted these artful pillows by the Dallas, Texas–based designer and illustrator Caitlin Wilson on a friend’s porch, I couldn’t believe the delicate-looking prints would stand up against wind and rain and heat. Turns out, they’re made to weather the outdoors, and I love the cheerful summer style they bring to porches, patios, and pool loungers. $60-$70 each; caitlinwilson.com
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We recently asked, “How would you complete this sentence? Summer in the South means…” A few of your responses:
Mater sandwiches, family reunions, and a week of gritty beach britches. —Rod F.
Sweet tea and deep porch-swing sitting. —Monica C.
It’s hotter than the hinges on the gates of hell. —Lee L.
Fishing. —Timothy S.
Friends over for peach pie with homemade ice cream or cold watermelon and BBQ pork ribs. —Larry T.
Burning my front at the beach and my back on the seats. —Stephanie C.
In my youth, fried green tomatoes on my BLT sandwiches and fried okra with my fried catfish or crappie. Now, my doctors say lay off the fried foods and try to learn to like yogurt. —Ed H.
Sweaty people, sweaty glasses full of tea. Catching the evening porch breezes and watching the fireflies dance. —Barbara
Two showers a day. —Lisa M.
Heirloom tomato sandwiches with juice running down your arm. —Suzanne A.
Watermelon seed-spitting contests off the back porch with my brother. —Stacy F.
Beers in a neighbor’s driveway—or neighbors in ours—as the sun goes down and it’s finally tolerable outside, plus kids and dogs in the yard chasing lightning bugs. —Tracy G.
Grilled everything. Cool salads and lots of vegetables. —Suzanne H.
It’s almost football season. —Harriett F.
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THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONSummer getaway: Mountains or beach, and why?
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Through July 21 Calling All Cocktail Lovers
The 17th annual Tales of the Cocktail descends on New Orleans this week with a variety of boozy competitions and events. Browse cocktail tomes and grab a few items for the bar at the Bookstore and Bitters Market, and taste new offerings of rum, absinthe, and more from top brands.
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July 19–21Sustainable Appalachia
At Beattyville, Kentucky’s 9th annual Whippoorwill Festival, eco-friendly Appalachian know-how takes center stage with workshops that cover beekeeping, mushroom growing, blacksmithing, basketry, and more.
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July 19–27
Mountain Classic
Now in its sixty-ninth year, the Georgia Mountain Fair in Hiawassee is one of the North Georgia mountains’ premier summertime events. More than just a carnival, it includes demonstrations on soapmaking and moonshine-distilling as well as performances by the likes of Pam Tillis, Del McCoury, and Ricky Skaggs.
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July 21 and 24
Glory Returns
The Oscar-winning 1989 film Glory, which tells the story of the first black Union regiment in the Civil War, celebrates its 30th anniversary by returning to the big screen for two days only. Find a location near you.
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July 21
We All Scream for Ice Cream
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| Summer Sipper:
A Pimm’s Cup with
a Twist
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