Southern Living
I just finished reading through a recent issue of Southern Living, and it got me to ruminating about what "southern living" means to me. If you were to believe the magazine, southern living is comprised of multi-million-dollar homes, family birthday celebrations that require a whole team of chefs, and plenty of time for meandering drives punctuated by stops at overpriced boutiques and four star hotels. Apparently, it's about spending a fortune to look fashionably carefree, to live in an old (or built-to-look-old) home, or to buy the ingredients for supper.
My idea is somewhat different.
For me, southern living does not exist separately from family, the country, and summertime (which, if you live in the South, lasts almost the entire year anyway). Southern living is having an old (or at least well-memorialized) homestead that, every so often, beckons the return of family members from far and wide. Southern living is long porches with strategically placed swings, rockers, and ceiling fans. It's pine trees and big backyards. It's praying for rain from the pulpit. It's watermelon and lawn sprinklers. It's stifling hot weather in summertime (and sometimes at Christmas, too). It's small towns, where you'd better Get Dressed before you even think of heading to Wal-Mart (because you will run into your high school nemesis/sweetheart/math teacher before you hit Aisle 9). It's hammocks and tent camping. It's sisters and mothers who conspire to bake all the richest desserts from the latest issue of Southern Living - and then moan together about needing to get back on Weight Watchers. It's a separate fridge for sodas (the "old" fridge - not a fancy nice, new one, of course). It's cicadas and swimming after dark. It's making do with what you've got. It's a mother who cooks for you, even when you're old enough to do that sort of thing yourself. It's the freedom to let kids run wild without (too much) adult supervision. It's singing hymns in the open air.
Southern living is the comfort of just being one's self - but also the challenge of tackling something bigger.
We're livin' it southern this weekend at my parent's house - in the country, during the peak of summer, with a large family reunion. Life is sweeter'n sweet. Now back to that porch swing.
My idea is somewhat different.
For me, southern living does not exist separately from family, the country, and summertime (which, if you live in the South, lasts almost the entire year anyway). Southern living is having an old (or at least well-memorialized) homestead that, every so often, beckons the return of family members from far and wide. Southern living is long porches with strategically placed swings, rockers, and ceiling fans. It's pine trees and big backyards. It's praying for rain from the pulpit. It's watermelon and lawn sprinklers. It's stifling hot weather in summertime (and sometimes at Christmas, too). It's small towns, where you'd better Get Dressed before you even think of heading to Wal-Mart (because you will run into your high school nemesis/sweetheart/math teacher before you hit Aisle 9). It's hammocks and tent camping. It's sisters and mothers who conspire to bake all the richest desserts from the latest issue of Southern Living - and then moan together about needing to get back on Weight Watchers. It's a separate fridge for sodas (the "old" fridge - not a fancy nice, new one, of course). It's cicadas and swimming after dark. It's making do with what you've got. It's a mother who cooks for you, even when you're old enough to do that sort of thing yourself. It's the freedom to let kids run wild without (too much) adult supervision. It's singing hymns in the open air.
Southern living is the comfort of just being one's self - but also the challenge of tackling something bigger.
We're livin' it southern this weekend at my parent's house - in the country, during the peak of summer, with a large family reunion. Life is sweeter'n sweet. Now back to that porch swing.
Awwww - you got me all teary-eyed! Hope you guys have a great time together this weekend. Give my love to all!
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