1.   Athens is a quintessential small Southern city, where pecan shells litter the sidewalks and handshakes are firm.

2.   Oil sponge, used to clean up oil spills, is made of ground pecan shells and absorbs wetness and odors.

3.   Phillips came over, stooped and squinted at the smooth object, about the size and shape of half a pecan shell, protruding from the dirt.

4.   She smokes her scamorza over pecan shells, adds ancho and serrano chilies and Texas basil to her caciotta.

5.   The machines, sounding like muffled jackhammers, delicately peel away whole sides of the pecan shell so that the fruit is visible and easily extracted.

6.   You can also soak things such as grapevines and pecan shells.