Being Southern

Thought for the Day

"In the South, the breeze blows softer...neighbors are friendlier, nosier, and more talkative. {By contrast with the Yankee, the Southerner never uses one word when ten or twenty will do}...This is a different place. Our way of thinking is different, as are our ways of seeing, laughing, singing, eating, meeting and parting. Our walk is different, as the old song goes, our talk and our names. Nothing about us is quite the same as in the country to the north and west. What we carry in our memories is different too, and that may explain everything else."

--Charles Kuralt in "Southerners: Portrait of a People"

I love this quote!  I remember when I first moved to Texas I felt such a longing for Alabama.  How I missed the familiarity of all my favorite stores, restaurants, family and the peace that comes from a southern environment.

I mean in the South – you can order tea and let’s face it – there is only one type of tea in the South…~SWEET~

You order tea here in Texas – and they ask sweet or unsweetened.

And Thanksgiving dressing?  One word here – CORNBREAD!  What is up with this stuffing?  That is just so not-Southern.

To this day I still make my southern dishes even after living in Texas for 38 years…oh my I have lived longer in Texas than I lived in Alabama.

What can I say about cheese straws, petit fours, magnolia trees  *sigh*

And let us not forget the sweet melodic southern drawl and the kindness of the southern belle?

You can take the girl out of Alabama but you can never take Alabama out of the girl!

I feel like I have come full circle now.  An Alabama girl born and raised…graduated from Bama…got married and shortly after moved to Texas.  I have raised two wonderful sons who have been exposed to the Alabama lifestyle and our Southern Family.  Jmmy - my oldest son has decided against both Alabama AND Texas and made his home in Colorado.  My youngest son made the decision to make Alabama his home – as he is now a student at Bama.  After all the years when I dreamt of moving back home to Alabama – my son Chris has realized my dreams!

Sweet Home Alabama and Roll Tide!

With love - Pat