I Moved North to The South

It's a fun connection to make with people when I tell them I'm from Florida. It goes sour when I have to tell them I moved to the great state of Georgia when I was 3, so I have zero recollection of that heavily fluorided water in Tampa FL. The first time it became apparent that I was officially a Southerner was a telephone call I took from a friend of my mom's. When he called from Tampa, I politely informed him my mom was out in the garden picking "bayens." That was 25 years ago and it's still the first thing he mentions on the rare occasion I see him.

Then, there was my introduction to biscuits and gravy. Oh, that fateful day. I'll never forget the disbelief on my friend's mom's face when she found out I'd never had, let alone heard of, this Southern delicacy. While some Southern food might be an acquired taste (grits, okra, etc.) my first bite of biscuit and gravy affirmed my rightful place in Southern society.

So, when I tell you I'm from Florida it's only to see if you and I have any connection to the Sunshine State. More importantly, I was raised in Blairsville, GA a small town in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains that only makes it on the map because the temperature is always at least 10 degrees colder than anywhere else in the state. It's a beautiful place with super nice people and some of the best water you'll ever drink - straight from the tap.