what makes us southern

one day i was sitting in our classroom cutting out pictures from the august 2013 our state magazine. as i was looking for particular pictures to cut out, i was also skimming the articles, features, events, and stories. it is such a soft, sweet, and inviting magazine. i wish everyone spoke with the grace and kindness that this magazine is written. the feature article particularly struck my fancy. it is entitled what makes us southern. there are so many amazing things about living in the south and being southern. i am quite certain that among all of us we could come up with a very lengthy, yet accurate list.

the our state article listed only six things. i find each of these things so important to being southern and to being north carolinian.

screen doors. you just can't live in the south without a screen door. [at least] three seasons of the year, there are days where it beautiful enough to have the windows and doors open. [last night was a perfect example of that].

grits. most people either love them or hate them. southerners love them. they complete the country breakfast. what is breakfast without grits? well, it just isn't.

tobacco barns. our state is covered with farm land. and with farms comes old tobacco barns. some are falling apart and a complete mess, and some are still intact and used today. both are quite beautiful. all of these barns tell a story and share our history.

from our state august 2013

swamps. i don't think i appreciated the beauty of swamps until i moved to eastern north carolina. they are so mysterious. so silent and so still. they are eerie. and they are full of life, hidden right before your eyes.

copyright: me :)

cheerwine. i don't think this one really needs an explanation. if you are from north carolina, you love cheerwine. there is no other option.

kudzu. it's nice to look at, but it ruins everything. it takes over the world because it is so invasive. it fills in gaps and softens jagged edges, but it is cumbersome. it is everywhere! as a southerner, you understand the love/hate feelings that are associated with this plant. it just wouldn't be the south without it.


i encourage all of you to read the full article [scroll down to FEATURES and you will see each item listed] to learn more about why these six things are just so important to being southern. other than being an old "stand-by" or simply present in a southerner's daily life, together, they have created a way of life.

i find all of these things truly southern. what i loved the most about this list, is that it wasn't overly cliche. these things truly represent the south as a culture instead of a stereotype. these simple six items show that the south is made up of far more than BBQ and football. i would suggest that each region/state of the US represents a specific culture that consists of its own history, traits, and functionality to which each respects and is extremely proud of.

and the south is no different.

xoxo,
ks