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  • 🎸 Where to catch free summer concerts in Virginia

    Plus: Access this free, confidential mental health lifeline Share with a friend     Hey, y’all. It’s Amie. Is it really summertime if there’s not a free concert on the books? It was June 2016. My fiancé and I were in Blackstone for a wedding and had a choice afterward: drive a couple of hours…


  • 😂 Virginia stereotypes that are actually pretty accurate

    Plus: Voucher program harms VA’s most vulnerable families Share with a friend     Hey, y’all. It’s Amie. I’ll spare you a long “howdy, it’s Tuesday” in hopes that you scroll to the end today. Why? Spoiler alert: after years and years of patiently waiting, I finally met my favorite writer over the weekend, and…


  • VA State Parks Turn 90! 🎂

    Plus: What are your plans for America’s 250th? Share with a friend     Hey, y’all. It’s Amie. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I fully understand that our beautiful country has some—how do I put this nicely?—issues right now, but I’m actually getting more and more excited about America’s birthday the closer…


  • 🏳️‍🌈 Celebrate Pride all month long at these VA events

    Plus: VA Republicans vote against bill to speed up union negotiations Share with a friend     Hey, y’all. It’s Amie. The weekend’s back once again, and it’s looking like a hot one where I’m at in Virginia. In the Southside, the highs won’t dip below 90 until Monday, when we get a still-sweltering reprieve…


  • Virginia sites that helped shape US history 🇺🇸

    Plus: Martha Stewart called this VA restaurant a ‘splendor’ Share with a friend     Hey, y’all. It’s Amie. Have I ever told you that I love history? Just kidding—if you’ve been a Dogwood reader for longer than this past Tuesday, you already knew. And if you’ve been here far longer than that, you’re probably…


  • Where to run with wild horses in Virginia 🐎

    Plus: Bobcat kittens found in Russell County Share with a friend     Hey, y’all. It’s Amie. Nearly 10 years later, I’m still trying to convince my husband that the half-acre our house sits on is plenty large enough for a horse. Thus far, my mission remains vastly unsuccessful.  It stands to reason that if…


  • Here’s what $1,800 rent gets you in VA 🏡

    Plus: SUN Bucks could save your family some grocery money Share with a friend     Hey, y’all. It’s Amie. When we first got married 10 years ago, Kody and I very briefly discussed renting an apartment instead of financing a house. Technically, we even more briefly discussed living in his dad’s basement for a…


  • Why are some Virginians so afraid of women pastors? 👀

    Plus: What Virginian would you put on a $250 bill? Share with a friend     Hey, y’all. It’s Amie. Did you have a restful weekend? I’d planned to after packing in such busy days last week—but by Friday afternoon, a renewed sense of adventure already had a grip on me, and I plotted out…


  • How a small VA town became the heart of D-Day 💔

    Plus: Richmond botanical garden workers are ready to go on strike Share with a friend     Hey, y’all. It’s Amie. One of these days, I hope to make it up to Bedford on June 6. I’d love to go to the National D-Day Memorial to pay respects to the brave individuals who stormed the…


  • 🍔 VA mom-and-pop restaurants where a meal is < $10

    Plus: Can I feed my family for a gallon of gas? Share with a friend     Hey, y’all. It’s Amie. Have you ever left a restaurant and couldn’t stop staring at the bill? That’s happened numerous times to my family. Sometimes, we just simply can’t believe how much wonderful food we’ve gotten for such…