Life at Southern Living

Dear Friend,

March in the South means spring to me. In some parts, cold days are still with us, but by the end of the month, warm days will outnumber the cool ones. This change marks the peak gardening month in our region. One of the first things I always do is freshen my winter-weary containers with color. This year I'm looking to our Southern Gardener Special Section for inspiration. Associate Garden Editor Ellen Riley was in charge of this feature, which is all about container gardening. It starts on page 93. By the way, be sure to check out additional information and ideas about spring gardening on our Web site, southernliving.com (AOL Keyword: Southern Living).

Other seasonal activities that my family always enjoys are exploring new places and updating some part of our home for spring. In this issue, Senior Writer Karen Lingo explores one of her favorite things: folk art. Now, I can tell you quickly that my wife and I are not collectors, but if in our travels an object strikes Pam's or my fancy, we buy it and then find the perfect spot for it in our house. As a well-traveled senior member of our editorial staff, Karen knows more about places to find folk art in the South than almost anyone else. Let me assure you-when Karen mentions particular artists, you can be certain their work is unique, Southern, and fun to take home. Her story, illustrated by Art Meripol's photographs, begins on page 120.

Spring-cleaning to our family means throwing out dusty houseplants, recovering a chair, or simply adding a new special touch to a room. If you're ready for a change-large or small-the master bedroom may be a good place to start. See Homes Editor Rob Martin and Senior Photographer Van Chaplin's "10 Tips for Tired Interiors," beginning on page 142.

Whether you throw open the windows for the spring air, get your hands dirty in the garden, or spend time traveling the South's byways, enjoy the month. I hope this issue of Southern Living will add to the pleasure of the season. Thanks for reading our magazine.

Best regards,

John Alex Floyd, Jr., Editor

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Mar 2003
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