Jelly Beans and Burritos: My Sweet Journey Through This Spicy Life

Jellybeans and Burritos is a place for front-porch stories, told by Philip Qualls, about family, food, music, memory, and the small moments that quietly shape a life. These stories wander through concerts and kitchens, childhood and fatherhood, laughter and loss — always looking for what’s hiding inside everyday life.

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

A Tale of Two Hares

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I shuffled from side to side as the line for the giant Easter Bunny slowly moved forward. It looked like the same chair in the Blue Ridge ...

Monday, March 16, 2026

Spaghett-a-plenty

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Little Philip: Hey, Mom! What’s this? Mom: Spaghetti LP: In a box? How much is in here? M: A pound LP: How much does a pound weigh ? M...

Thursday, March 5, 2026

Forecasts, Sledding, and Soggy Jeans

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I have never won the big, life-changing, instant-retirement lottery. But then again, I only play when it reaches $1B, because I can’t be b...

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Operation: V-Day

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Valentine’s Day in the year 2026 was a different one for Matty and me. We had decided instead of gifts and cards we would just do a nice din...

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Sunday, February 1, 2026

Apple IIe, Dysentery, and a Truth Lasso

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I’m not sure what age the dizzying blur of red, white, blue, and gold caught my attention, but I do remember being fascinated with the ab...

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About Me

Philip Qualls: Stories live in songs, old photographs, jars of moonshine, kitchen smells, long drives, and the spaces between what we remember and what we almost forget. I write about family, love, music, growing up in the mountains, and the small moments that quietly become the story of a life. So pull up a rocking chair and stay awhile. Jellybeans and Burritos is the personal archive of Philip Qualls, a writer based in Villa Rica, Georgia. Since 2013, this blog has served as a collection of Southern storytelling, focusing on family life, music, and Appalachian heritage.

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