Hopeful 2011 SEC PNM from "The North"

[Benzgirl]

Well shoot. There are parts of Ohio that are even considered Southern. Like anything south of I-70, to some and south of Dayton to others.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SthrnZeta

And I don't know anyone who would call DC southern.

Apparently, the Census Bureau does.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

In my opinion, there isn't A southern accent.

This is very true. There are many Southern accents.

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Northern:
Maryland and DC didn't secede
very liberal---this is A LOT of what in my mind makes us more northern.
. . .
not as religious---of the ones who are, most are Catholic, and Jews are a very prominent minority
. . .
lots of immigrants
diversity

I think there's some validity to this list speaking of Southerness culturally. But, in addition to what Dr. Phil said about transpants being true of many Southern cities, I have to note a few things that make even these observations a little blurry.

While Democratic doesn't necessarily equal liberal in the South, North Carolina has only elected 2 Republican governors since Reconstrution, and Democrats have controlled the state legislature consistently since Reconstruction, except for a two, two-year periods when Republicans have controlled or shared control of the House of Representatives.

Many Southern states have a long history of the presence of Jews as a prominent minority, and there are parts of the South with historically strong Catholic infuence.

I'm not disputing these differences exist, but because the South (like any other region) is not monolithic, almost any example can be followed by a "yes, but . . . ."

. . . and we don't automatically load our iced tea with sugar

Except this one. There is no "yes, but . . . ." This is just wrong.

Ah, this thread is fun.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Ah, this thread is fun.

It is.

[AlphaFrog]

^ My Pastor's wife made some tea that wasn't "that sweet". OMG Cavities!! I could feel my teeth rotting.

[IrishLake]

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

Well shoot. There are parts of Ohio that are even considered Southern. Like anything south of I-70, to some and south of Dayton to others.

Hell, there's parts of Eastern Ohio that I consider "South." Anything that is considered in Ohio's Appalachian foothills is "south" to me. It's a lifestyle versus geographic location. It's always a matter of perspective!

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

^ My Pastor's wife made some tea that wasn't "that sweet". OMG Cavities!! I could feel my teeth rotting.

That's the kind of tea I make . My husband yells at me, says his teeth hurt. I may be from northern Ohio, and he's from southern Ohio, but I make the better sweet tea.

My gramma was born in Little Rock and raised in Alabama, and my grampa is the oldest of 16 born and raised dirt poor in southwest Mississippi. Going to their house is like walking into the "South." I didn't learn my love for pan fried cornbread, fried okra (has to be done JUST RIGHT, if the okra is slimey I won't eat it), ham n' beans, grits with honey and butter, biscuits with real sorghum molasses, homemade fruit pie with homemade crust (made from real lard!) and just about any kind of wild game stewed with veggies and gravey of mysterious origins (I don't recommend the opossum, but squirrel and rabbit are good). It is because of these same grandparents that I grow and can my own vegetables, among doing a lot of other things a normal 30 year old mom from the "north" wouldn't do. I'm putting up beans and banana peppers this weekend. I kick myself for not paying attention when gramma taught me how to crochet when I was a teen. She made the best blankets. I'm going to have to re-teach myself. It's a dying art form. Her hands are too arthritic to do it anymore.

Damn. Now I'm going to have to go to Northern Ohio to get me some Southern Food, because I'm starving!

[southbymidwest]

Originally Posted by IrishLake

Damn. Now I'm going to have to go to Northern Ohio to get me some Southern Food, because I'm starving!

So you gonna drive up the Dixie Highway going through northwestern Ohio to get there?

[MUSK81]

Originally Posted by IrishLake

Hell, there's parts of Eastern Ohio that I consider "South." Anything that is considered in Ohio's Appalachian foothills is "south" to me. It's a lifestyle versus geographic location. It's always a matter of perspective!

In fact, in Cincinnati, people of Appalachian origin are considered a protected class for hiring purposes ... I've told my husband we should move there (or move back there, in my case.)

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by MUSK81

In fact, in Cincinnati, people of Appalachian origin are considered a protected class for hiring purposes ... I've told my husband we should move there (or move back there, in my case.)

This reminds me of the part in The Dukes of Hazzard where the cop calls Bo & Luke hilbillies and he says something like "we prefer Native Appalachian".

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by IrishLake

and just about any kind of wild game stewed with veggies and gravey of mysterious origins (I don't recommend the opossum, but squirrel and rabbit are good).

Duck and squirrel gumbo. (Sometimes my dad likes mixing genres)


Although he would throw okra in there and I use to never eat it because don't like okra that isn't fried.