Being Southern.

This is as close to a column as I have, but if your pretend, you might think you were in New Orleans. 

Great Southern Homes cherish there Old Paris Porcelain

My Banana trees are  not so great this year, with out the rain.

   No, I never grew up in the South. No. my parents or grandparents are not Southern either. Yes, it is true I never have lived in the  South. I have visited it many times, I love it, want to live there and wish and dream to be Southern. Most of this started with the movie, "Gone with the Wind." a great epic of Southern greatness. There were others as well, like Beguiled, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte and endless others. All created that Romantic Southern life that I have longed  for and dreamed of. That life does not really exist. It is mostly in a novelist mind or the vision of a screen play writer. Oh some of it is real, there is a  Southern drawl, the manners, the proudness and most of all ,that  sugar slopping sweetness. Well I grew up and live ,  North of the Mason Dixon, but I still feel, claim to be  and am, a Southern.

My Niece and her son all dressed up to help give tours. 

I built this to hide my neighbors garage.

My Pride and Joy, the two  Magnolia trees in the side yard.

     Honey, I'm fixin' to tell you something about being Southern. Being Southern doesn't mean that I'm not educated. I may say, "ain't and "Y'all" and call you,"Sweetie" or "Bless a lot of Hearts" and might even ,"piddle around." I'll greet you with a big -  Ol'- "Hey" and a hug.I'm polite and say,"Ma'am." and "Sir" and if you hear a Southern say, "Oh hell no!" You better run! And if you don't know where yonder is, you probably are not Southern. Well all the above are in my realm. It's my everyday world. I add a little expression or two, like,, "Set  a spell", have a glass of sweet tea and "Y'All come back now."

Hitch your horse and set a spell.

A Little Romance in the garden.

The family , very important

     I don't believe you have to live in the South to be Southern. I know a lot of Southerners don't like the picture that a lot of us paint about there culture. Believe me, it is all good ,as I love it and live it.There is nothing that can compare to there graciousness and generous hospitality.
    In the South we see giant Magnolia trees, there prize big white blooms are the envy of gardeners every where They keep there leaves all year, and provide flowers most of the summer. I love them in vases for any season, but especially Christmas when in the dead of winter, greenery from the garden is a welcome sight.Gardens smell of there blooms in a gentle breeze. Columns line the countryside and lawn jockeys are at every curve. Gardens are divine with statues, trellis, banana trees and hanging moss. A cool breeze invites a visitor to linger and enjoy. Houses are full of the finest, Old Paris, Silver, Portraits and carved furniture. A true Southerner, spares no expense on there home.
   The South that I know and love is full of Romantic stores, plantations and gardens. There are endless homes to tour, tea rooms and garden cafes to spend the hours in. I have tried to add a little bit of the South in my home. I know it is in the  North, but if you close your eyes, one might think they are truly in the South. I do, and I love it ,because for now, dreaming of the South, is the best I can do.
    Come visit me some time for a real tour. I will leave the lights on and Sissy Dog will always meet you with a jump and a Kiss. I'm just down yonder a spell and around the bend, right on the river bank. Hear the frogs and waves? Set a spell while I fix us a glass of tea.

A group of ladies tour, My Old Historic House this morning, we had sweet tea on the porch after.

A Southern Belle and her child and pets in needlepoint

The 1845 Historic Elgin/ Cottrell House Museum. A little bit of the South  in the North.