I love farmer's markets. They read like a seasonal calendar, which they are in a fresh food kind of way. A good farmer’s market begins to burst with color this time of year. I caught up with Darrell Lundy, who with his wife, Sandra, and his 24-year-old twin boys, Ethan and Isaac, and their two sisters, Emma, 20, and Clair, 18 own and operate the family business, Hazel’s Market in Daphne.

Gabriel Hargett is a native Mobilian but spent most of his growing-up days on Mobile Bay at Point Clear. An avid mountain biker, fisherman, and all-around good guy, Gabriel’s tale has lots of twists and turns but is always forward. It’s an impressive story that just gets better and better every day.

‍On rare occasions, neighbors peer into shallow waters along our Bayfront with shouts of “Jubilee!” Like an Eastern Shore alarm, the excitement from the sight of fresh fish coming ashore spreads word of mouth, prompting Baldwin Countians to “Come, now!” and gather as much wiggly shrimp, fresh crabs or flounder as their coolers can hold. The phenomenon of a free, bountiful catch is one of legend. When I raise the subject with artist Katherine Taylor of Jubilee Flowers, Jubilee Flowers Fairhope – Wedding & Events Florist in Fairhope Alabama Eastern Shore, she laughs.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Rebecca Dunn Bryant and her architectural firm, WATERSHED. The more we visit, the more I learn how we can better plan ways to tie the Scenic 98 Coastal community together. It turns out that WATERSHED is involved in many wonderful projects from Bayou La Batre and Mobile, to the Eastern Shore and Gulf Shores. It’s just remarkable.‍

“Drink with the Goat” is a term you will certainly be familiar with if you grew up around the Scenic 98 Coastal area and ever frequented the iconic saloon that Jack West built on the outskirts of Daphne called Judge Roy Bean Saloon.

You may have seen the Chris Francis Tree Care bucket trucks, debris trucks, spider lifts, or other equipment in a neighborhood near you. Whether it’s trimming limbs, total tree removal, installing tree canopy lighting, providing supplemental support, or taking care of your plants’ health every month, as they do for us, you know the job will be done professionally, and the result will be exactly as they promised. It’s a reputation that has been earned since Chris was 12 years old.

Nothing connects people to a city like food and drink. Chris Andrews and his wife, Laney own and operate two local food tours, Bienville Bites Food Tour in Mobile and Taste of Fairhope Food Tour in downtown Fairhope. What’s a food tour, you may ask? In this case, they are walking tours to six of the more iconic eateries in Mobile and Fairhope with a dose of history talk thrown in.

Have you ever had a professional chef come into your home and cook for your party or family gathering? Or be able to enjoy entertaining your guests and not have to worry about getting dinner ready or what wine to serve? If not, let me tell you about my nephew, Chef Seth Hargett.