Friday, March 20, 2009

Where I'm From

I am from bikes, backyard ditches, locusts shells and homemade decks, from Barbies, Oodles, Disney World, The Dukes of Hazzard and Clue and from parties thrown by my parents, found kittens, first sips of beer from my dad and sleepovers.

I am from the suburbs of Jackson, MS, from the brick house at the end of a street right across from the bus stop where Corey kicked me in the thigh and my mom went and cussed him out in private, from a room with dark yellow wallpaper with little blue flowers and twin beds, from a neighborhood in the ‘80’s where you could run from your house to your best friends house 2 houses down without encountering a fence or an angry old man, from a brand new stucco house in central Florida where I could walk to school, from a house where the beach and Disney World is only 45 minutes away, from a neighborhood where many of my friends lived within walking distance, from a house where my first pet disappeared, from a house in New Orleans (but not THAT house as depicted by The Animals) where my daughter was born, from a house that barely survived Hurricane Katrina, from a house where I had the most incredible neighbors, from a house that is a little crooked and in the country, from a house that I love more than any other, from a house where I got my first dog and where many, many memories will be made.

I am from the white dutch clover beds desperately searching for an elusive 4 leaf clover, the dandelions with their puffs blowing my wishes into the wind, the honeysuckle growing all over the neighbor’s fence where we would stand there and suck the nectar from hundreds of flowers, the onion weeds that grew everywhere and smelled so sweet that I just had to pick a bunch and present them to my mother with all the love I had in my little heart. I am from the gumball trees that caused me to make my first trip to the ER after slipping and falling on one while playing in Amy Wooten’s backyard, from the ditch that ran behind the houses in the neighborhood where we would catch minnows, frogs, crawfish and the occasional snake or turtle.

I am from crackers at Christmas, from walking on the dining room chairs at Christmas dinner before everyone sat down and eating an olive every time we passed the relish tray, from eating Twinkies with my Paw-Paw, from eating Werther’s candy at my other Paw-Paw’s house and from going away for the weekend for Mother’s day.

I am from stubbornness that runs in our family, from not listening to anyone when they’re talking, from the “I’m always right” mentality, from the generosity of pocketbooks and time, from the always there for you no matter what family, from the creative and funny mother.

I am from mom, Mee-Maw, Frissy, Candy, Sonny, Paw-Paw, Maw-Maw and Pete.
I am from the we always talk over one another family and from the no one wants to do anything until it’s almost too late family. I am from the “I’ll drop what I’m doing to help you in a crisis” and from the “I love you” family.

From the “always wear clean underwear” and “Tootiebug, Tupeliten and Turkey Turd” as terms of endearment family.

I am from the family that claims to be religious of a sort but never goes to church. I am from a family that doesn’t understand my hesitation to get involved in an organized religion. I am from a family that even though they don’t understand my hesitation, the don’t bother me about it.

I'm from Jackson, MS and am a Heinz 57. I am English, Norwegian and a bunch of other stuff. I am fried green tomatoes, catfish and butterscotch pie. None of which represent anything other than my Southern heritage.

I am me.

Later,

Mama Dawg

P.S. I stole this from Jaden Paige over at Bendy Ruggles.

21 really cool people who give a rat's patootie:

mo.stoneskin

I could give you a good run for your money. I eat any olive I see. It isn't theft to take olives from the deli counter, it is simply necessity.

Mama Dawg

I agree on that. I was a Whole Foods type of store last weekend and I just had to get the provolone stuffed olives, calamata olives, roasted garlic stuffed olive and something else. I was in HEAVEN!

Anonymous

Wow. I absolutely love this post. So creative and beautifully written. Well-done!

Jaden Paige

I'm so glad you did this one! It came out fabulous!

It's so sweet and rare to get a little glimpse into the past- the childhood you never got to see- of your *friends* here in blogland.

Bijoux

This is a fantastic post. But I've never heard of butterscotch pie. I'm such a yankee!

Amy

Great post! We could have been neighbors, I did all those things too. Fun times :)

Anonymous

You sound like "you are" a pretty neat gal. "Turkey Turd"... I like that.

Wonderful to learn more about you and your family. Sounds so loving.

mrsf5

OH I JUST LOVE THIS SO MUCH. Felt a sharp pang of sweet familiarity with nearly every line: honeysuckles and sweet onion weeds? I'm in a homesick swoon. Beautifully written.

Someone

Great Blog! sounds like you had an amazing childhood, and a wonderful family :)

scargosun

I absolutely loved this. You are such a great combo of things. :)

Heidi R.

This si awesome!! well written and funny!! :)

Captain Dumbass

That was a fantastic post, MD. If you make some butterscotch pie can you invite me over? Maybe give me a few days notice though.

Bobby G

Nice post! Great writing! I should do this....lol

sassy stephanie

I LUV this post. LUV it! So many things that I could claim as my own!!

Kelly

This is a TERRIFIC post!! I cannot wait to steal it and do it myself! thanks for sharing such great memories with your blogging family!

derfina

Love it! Fits in great with this weeks Sunday Scribblings theme of "I come from".

Jennifer and Sandi

Hi Me!! I like fried green tomatoes!

Have a super weekend!

- Jennifer

jen721

Fantastic post.

I'm with you on the olives. Can't pass um up.

Pseudo

Loved this post, it read like poetry. I want some of that butterscotch pie. Really never heard of it before.

Unknown

Great post!

Trooper Thorn

Sounds like a pretty good place to be from.

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