I’m excited to announce that Embracing Beauty was recently voted as one of the Top 25 Southern Mom blogs. After I received my reward I was asked to participate in an interview with them. It was fun to be interviewed and I wanted to share one of the questions from the interview with you. I was asked “In what way is the South unique from other places you’ve lived or traveled?”
*Preface- I know that some or even all of these things are true in other parts of the country/world. I meant no offense to anyone or any region.*
Here’s my answer:
In one word “atmosphere” is why I love living in the South. This atmosphere is unique and charming. It’s probably impossible to adequately describe the atmosphere but I’ll give it my best shot!
I live in the South because I want:
– my kids to value manners and their elders
– to live in a place where I can hear a wooden screen door slam shut
– to lay outside at night and see a blanket full of stars
– to hear crickets and watch fireflies
– to see women with teased hair and sun dresses
– to see men in overalls and cowboy hats
– to hug people I just met
– to smell honeysuckle so strong I can taste it
– to feel the ground beneath my feet
– to eat blackberries off the vine
– to drink Cheerwine and RC
– to fall asleep on a porch swing listening to the birds
– to hear banjos and fiddles
– to go for a walk and leave my door unlocked
– to actually know my neighbors
– to not be the only woman who brings a homemade cake to a get together
– to see spray painted graffiti on rocks and water towers
– to drive past walls of beautiful kudzu covering the landscape
– to let my kids swim in a creek and learn how to fish.
If you live in the South, why do you love it? Or if you live anywhere else, tell us what you love about that area.
About Ashley
I love your list! I live in Miami and while it’s not the same as other places in the south, I still consider myself a southerner because I used to live in NC lol
No way! I live in NC now. Too bad we missed each other!
I live in the South and I love ti because the people are so friendly and helpful. Last year, while we were on vacation, a package arrived on my doorstep. Before the day was over we had 17 phone calls, text messages and facebook messages from neighbors letting us know we had a perishable package. Plus, one of them picked it up and stored it in their fridge until we arrived home.
Wow, that is incredibly nice! You must live in a nice neighborhood. 🙂
I’m a British transplant living on the West coast, and I’ve only been in the South briefly on flight layovers, so I can’t add to your list; but I think you would enjoy visiting my town on the Oregon coast, for many of the same reasons! It’s a small town, so it’s quite safe and friendly. I also love to bring homemade cakes to get-togethers – and I mean REALLY homemade, not box mix! Although I’ve been making a lot more box cakes lately because I have no time, LOL!
A friend of mine lives in Oregon and I visited for a weekend once. It was lovely and the people were extremely friendly! Really homemade and semi-homemade both count as homemade in my opinion. 🙂
i’ve never been in the south. except to florida and that doesn’t count. congrats!!
Thank you, Brett! 🙂
I lived in Florida 6 years, hated it. Never again. Being up north is wonderful. My kids can run in the grass without worry of fire ant, poisonous snakes and spiders. They can play in the snow! They can see the leaves change and go on fun hikes without sweating:) I love the north but do understand why many enjoy the south!
I had no idea so many of my friends live/lived in Florida. Oh, I didn’t know ya’ll didn’t have poisonous snakes! That would be a plus!
Congratulations! I have heard great things about living in the south and that’s a fantastic list of reasons. I could definitely move there and never miss the snow.
Thank you! I do kind of miss the snow from when I lived in WV. I never thought I would but I miss it just a little around Christmas.
you make the south sound like an amazing place to live. I went to school in the south and did not enjoy it but maybe that is b/c I was stuck on campus 99.9% of the time b/c I didn’t have a car. I like your version of the south!
Ahh yea, I’m sure campus life is a bit different.
I was born in NC, and remember all that…but we have most of that in California, too! Don’t judge a state/region by it’s cover/stereotypes!
I’m not judging another state or region, simply singing praises to the area that I love and am glad to call home. 🙂
I love all your reason for liking the South. Although many are true of other parts of the US the South has its own particular grace and charm