True Southerners in Oregon

[bluebird39]

Oh, the warm rain!!! I miss that for my kids more than for me. I remember playing in summer rains all through childhood. Here, it rains so little in the summer, and when it does, you don't want your kids out in it. Cold rain is no fun. And I almost never see the "waterfall rain" here, where you can't even see across the street for half an hour! But then what usually comes next is watching the steam rise off the pavement as the heat returns. I don't miss the mosquito trucks either, or the pesticide person spraying the baseboards once a month . We had Spanish moss, but I only saw fireflies in Texas when we'd visit relatives. I see them now mostly when we go to the Midwest.

After moving from Oregon to the Midwest, I missed the mountains so much that I don't ever want to live away from them again! I do know what it means to miss New Orleans, and still love the place, but love it here too. I've lived in Oregon longer than any other state, so now I consider myself more an Oregonian than a Southerner .

[orgonebox]

As a semi-southerner moved to Oregon, there's not much I miss about the south. Then again, I consider myself to be more appalachian than southern, and think there's more in common among hill and mountain folk worldwide than there is between someone from Hazard and someone from Memphis. The three years I lived in Chattanooga felt more alien and disconnected than anywhere I've travelled, whether I spoke the language or not. But eh, I suppose I miss cicadas.

Really, though, I think the south is subject to this endemic insular xenophobia that constantly probes and questions your commitment to integration. The attitude remains superficially civil enough that no one turns too red on you provided you don't throw your deviance into a person's face, but underlying all initial social interaction and query into your southern disposition is a love-it-or-leave-it, fish-or-cut-bait prerequisite for true acceptance, and I never had the patience for it. I'm far better off in a place that let's me be me and you be you without worrying about who goes to church where.

Balls.

[bluebird39]

Funny that you mention that orgonebox. I really didn't have that experience growing up in the South. I found that after I moved away, both here and in Michigan, as soon as people find out I grew up in the South, the first, maybe second question they ask is how much racism I saw or if my family is racist, is it really as bad as it seems, etc... and so many other stereotypes. I don't know HOW many times the movie "Deliverance" has been brought up mere minutes or hours after someone finds out I grew up down there.

I must admit that it was actually worse in Michigan. People there would remind me many times that THEY "won the war".

Crazy thing is that I was part of school desegregation there, was bussed to African American schools, where I was the minority, marched at MLK marches in New Orleans, and my dad left a church who wouldn't admit African American students in the 60's. But because I'm white and from the South, I've carried this really strange stigma my whole life...

I've seen racism every place that I've lived. In some ways it's worse in mostly white states like ours, because there is very little exposure to diversity, but hey, what do I know....

[orgonebox]

Eh, I wasn't addressing racism in particular, or even thinking of it at all. Certainly it's an easy aspersion to cast against southerners, but not what immediately leaps to mind when considering the sense of alienation the south can engender. The question of race is probably rather temporal in nature compared to the long-term question of southern identity and how the inhabitants of the south choose to regard themselves as southerners by birthright and progenitors of the next iteration. The culture of insularity and xenophobia I refer to derives from a general mistrust of "outside." Progress and innovation past major urban centers happens slowly, with reluctance. I don't think southern culture has a special franchise on this molasses perspective towards the future, or even think it's something you'll find throughout the south. Perhaps it suffices to say the south, in general, embraces a deep and historic commitment to vertical social integration, and regards most external influences as possible hostile disruptions towards this grand sedimentary gravity which seeks to eschatologically sort society by its own biblically attributed definitions of wheat and chaff. Once you choose to leave this order, whether by perspective or relocation, you encounter the divide that wouldn't let Thomas Wolfe feel at home again.

[symbasmommy]

Geez here is someone that would give her "eye tooth" to move out of the south..particularly South Carolina to the Pacific Northwest....

Originally from Pennsylvania, where people are truly friendly...I have lived here for 9 years and NEVER ONCE experienced southern hospitality...just the opposite...they are like GO HOME...DAMN YANKEE!!!!

Pay is low, weather is horrible, jobs are non-existent, economy poor except for the retirees...etc...anyway, sorry to go on....I would definitely not hestitate to move back to Oregon....just sayin'......still living in the Civil War days here...

[Nell Plotts]

Well.... there are probably more 'true Southerners' in Oregon than 'true Yankees' in the south.

Really, who cares??? No one I know. Just be true to yourself whether Southerner or Yankee.

[SevenMile]

The mountains in Oregon are very big, stately and beautiful. But they’ve always kind of felt a bit cold and lonely. At least to me. (Majestic… ohh by all means). But I guess I didn’t really know it until I started exploring the mountains of north Georgia. In Oregon I spent a lot of time snowboarding, hiking, biking, rafting.. all that fun stuff. But when I went to the mountains in north Georgia, it just felt so warm and welcoming. And fall time is the best. The towns themselves... the people… just everything. “Down home” takes on meaning here. I can’t really put in words. I think you’d just have to see it for yourself. The towns are closer together. The people are really awesome. The lakes, the hillsides, the country homes, old wooden barns that never got torn down. Yes. Those things exist in Oregon too. But it’s just different. Again, words can’t replace what you feel and see. Really bright blue skies set against the changing of the leaves.

Well.. no need to go to heaven. I’m already here. JJJ

Unicoi, Toccoa Falls, Amiacolla, Tallulah Gorge, the AT, Helen, Dahlonega… I better stop now… I’m already wanting to cancel my flight back home (lol)

Below are just a few of the things that you guys have posted in your replies to my original post that I will truly miss:

Thunderstorms!!! --- Oh, heck ya! Rain, thunder and lightning in biblical proportions??? Yes sir. Bring it on. So exciting to watch. I never got tired of sitting on the back porch (covered of course) and watching what looked like God’s wrath. Boy, somebody must have ticked him off today. (heh heh heh) (I joke of course)
Warm rain --- I never really liked that cold stuff I grew up with. Summer rain is awesome.
The green of the South --- I think the foliage is affected by the abundant sun light here. So it’s brighter in color and hue.
Southern Food --- Give me some fried okra, pulled pork, brisket, home made peach cobbler, roasted pecans… I could go on. And some fried green tomatoes too. If you live in GA, go to the Whistle Stop Café in Juliette. And with your fried green tomatoes, order the Powerman Burger. Of course, then there’s Vortex in Little Five Points and Mid-town. Even friends flying in from Hawaii couldn’t wait to go back there.
...I think more than anything, I probably turned Southern just from eating the food
Fireflies --- So cool to watch when the sun goes down
Crickets --- As loud as a canyon full of echos!! (Hey keep it down out there!) (heh heh heh)
Gettin’ my “Y’all” fix --- I love the Southern accent. I even catch myself talking that way without even realizing it. It feels more personal than always trying to be formal all the time. Yeah, love it!
The skies of the South --- Awesome pictures you’ve posted. Yes the skies here are beautiful here. So alive.

[SevenMile]

I will also miss…
Braves games, Piedmont Park, Savannah, watching SEC football in person, outdoor concerts at Chastain Park, the Big Chicken, world of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, Tybee Island, Chickamauga Nat’l Battlefield, exploring the history of Georgia (and the South), hiking Kennesaw and Stone Mountain, kayaking the Chattahoochee, being close enough to just be able to drive down to Florida, and of course… exploring the mountains of north Georgia

I don’t think I’ll miss having to fly outta Hartsfield to get somewhere.. but then again.. I’ll probably miss that too.

Thank you guys for your replies. Maybe we can connect sometime out in Oregon so I can get my “y’all” fix. (heh heh heh)