Welcome to my world. My world is deep in Georgia in a place that is well known for it’s civil war prison (Andersonville). Georgia peaches, pecans and cotton are also well known at least they are to those in the rest of the world who have even heard of Georgia.
Oh we have other uniquely Georgia experiences. We have our own language for instance that mirrors English but is not quite English and takes at least two years to understand a lot of it and about ten years to master it. We have not just 4 seasons we have 5. We have one of the most annoying insects that God ever created. We have the most friendly unfriendly people in the USA. At the same time we have some of the most incredible people anywhere. In my corner of Georgia we have some of the most peaceful acres of any of God’s green acres.
The language spoken here sounds a lot like English and it kind of is but so many people here think that the first consonant in every word is the only necessary consonant to pronounce. The use of an interpreter may be necessary for the newby especially if the newby is a Yankee. One is rarely greeted by “Hi” or “Hello” but by the much friendlier “Hey” and sometimes followed by “y’all.” We say “Y’all” and “All y’all” quite a lot here. A popular expression used in surprise or frustration or delight is “Dad gum it!” Even after 10 years I am still not sure what “dad gum it” means but I use it all the time. No one in Georgia is “about to do” anything, we don’t move that fast. Instead we are “fixin to do any number of things. Ladies have an expression in Georgia that only ladies use. the expression “Bless his, her or it’s heart” is one that they use after severely insulting someone. For example ” Would you look at that boy’s hair. It looks exactly like a bunch of turnip greens, bless his heart.” Only women can get away with that. if a Georgia good ol boy were to use that expression he would most certainly be talkin to his self for a good long time.
Georgia as I wrote earlier has 5 seasons include 3 weeks of spring 2 weeks of summer the season of HOT that lasts sometimes from late April through the end of October. Spring and summer pass by so quickly that it seems like they are just a memory even as we are experiencing the few days of spring and summer that God gives to Georgia. We then have 3 and sometimes 5 weeks of autumn and winter slams in to us from November until March. Our 5th season is a season that no one not even politicians with all of the hot air they generate could enjoy. This is a season that is not just hot, it’s HOT. Hotlanta didn’t get it’s name by accident. I grew up in the North East and thought I knew HOT. I was wrong. Today is just 98 degrees. Only 9 more weeks of HOT………………sigh.
Tomorrow: Gnats For anyone reading this who does not know what a gnat or a gnat line is thank your lucky stars.
pambrittain said:
Kevin, this is so much fun to read. I am so glad to see you here, sir. Gnats? We have the ‘no see-ums’—nasty little tiny creatures. I’m so looking forward to reading you gnat story.
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georgiakevin said:
Man Pam have I ever missed you. I expect to write/post a blog almost every day.
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pambrittain said:
Oh, I’m not following you. Do me a favor and hug/nag Heather. She told me she signed up, but hasn’t posted yet.
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pambrittain said:
I meant I’m now following you. Tired and shutting down the computer.
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georgiakevin said:
Give me a few days and I will encourage heather to start posting here. She really is a talented poet.
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pambrittain said:
I completely agree, especially when she writes fiction. She’s got talent.
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katlnhat said:
I am definitely following you! 🙂 Took you long enough! No-see-ums? We have those sometimes, too. They’re awful, bless their hearts. 🙂
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georgiakevin said:
I have never been exposed to no see ums. I have been told they have them up in BC and Alaska. I have found some stuff here that really keeps them out of my ears and nose called “No Gnats.” It really is effective. I have tried everything from dryer sheets to skin so soft. Dryer sheets don’t work at all and Skin so soft works for about 10 minutes. This stuff works for about 7 hours. I am very glad you liked my blog.
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katlnhat said:
Reblogged this on katlnhatwrites and commented:
And another Gather good person starts wandering around, and ends up here. YAY Kevin!
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georgiakevin said:
You make me feel so welcome, thank you. I look forward to catching up on your work in the next two days. I have missed you.
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Marissa Bergen said:
I have a neighbor from Georgia…this explains a lot!
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georgiakevin said:
I will be post a lot more about Georgia at least from my eyes but I will share my world as a teacher and my almost 5 acres as well. I hope that you will like my blogs. I will be reading your work tomorrow. Thank you for reading my blog ma’am.
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Marissa Bergen said:
Of course. I look forward to more from you as well!
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Almost Iowa said:
Hey, y’all.
You ain’t kidding when you talk about the HOT season. I attended a seminar at Georgia Tech one August and I will tell you how hot it was.
At lunch, my table-mate asked why I wasn’t eating. I told him I was waiting for my food to cool down. He blinked and looked at me oddly. Finally he said, “Greg, that’s a salad you are picking at.”
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georgiakevin said:
Your comment is delightful! I look forward to reading your work. Thank you for commenting and for following me.
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Almost Iowa said:
BTW, stop by the Writing Essential Group and consider taking up your old position as an editor.
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georgiakevin said:
What a nice thing to say, thank you. Let me respond to a few challenges first to see if I have any talent in writing, then if you think I have even a little we will talk OK?
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DogDharma said:
“Dad gum it” is another version of “dog gone it” or “gosh darn it,” roughly equivalent to “Oh, shoot!” 🙂
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georgiakevin said:
You are right of course but dad gum it with a southern drawl really sounds southern though not as much as “fixin” does.
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pambrittain said:
DogD, what’s wrong with “gull durnit.”
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georgiakevin said:
I am sorry, got sick last night will post another post this evening I promise and hope to fry.
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DogDharma said:
Pam, I don’t think I’ve heard the “gull dumit” version. What area of the country is that said in? I think all the language and cultural differences are fascinating.
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pambrittain said:
It’s in the land of the birds. Actually, it was a word given to me (due to my icon) on a no longer writing group called Gather. I like you, Dog D. Maybe I’ll follow you. Poor you. No, I mean lucky you.
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DogDharma said:
Pam, how ‘tweet’ of you! 🙂
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pambrittain said:
DogD, welcome to my world.
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DogDharma said:
As someone raised in Arkansas, I prefer “southern twang” to “southern drawl.” 🙂 If you stub your toe, you emphasize the syllables. If you are just mildly annoyed, you slur the syllables to “daggumit.” 🙂
You might like this post of mine:
http://dogdharma.wordpress.com/2014/08/22/whats-this-thing/
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georgiakevin said:
Point well taken but I am not sure if I have ever heard a twang in Georgia we prefer a softer sound, now Texas that is a different story.
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DogDharma said:
Shouldn’t your name more rightly be “JahjuhKevin? 🙂 I have only passed through Georgia, so never had the chance to enjoy the softer accent.
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GP Cox said:
Well, that about does it – I’ve been on every post!!
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