southern roots

 
 
 
 

southern roots

many probably already know this but i was born in atlanta, georgia. i spent the wee years of my life as a southern babe. this by default precludes me from native vermonter status, which requires that you (and your 7 previous family generations) all be born on green mountain soil. so. i found myself in the south once again this weekend to celebrate the marriage of a peace corps friend, allyson (who in my mind wins the tough cookie award having endured many difficult and random issues in mongolia, including her ger burning down), to her longtime sweetheart pearce (who i hadn't met until the wedding and now of whom i heartily approve), at gorgeous neverland farm near cumberland GA. i arrived in SC and drove, in the dark, to north georgia and became very very lost en route while navigating with a miniscule mapquest image and didn't arrive at my lodgings until 2 am. but i was greeted sweetly by angie, another peace corps pal, with whom i stayed at the black bear lodge, after her coaxing and encouraging me on my fleetingly battery powered mobile phone which did not receive or send signals very well in the mountains. we slept well that night and started our next day in the hot tub at our cabin! i could probably handle that kind of start to each day. saturday was mellow, including biscuits and gravy (!!) for breakfast at a local diner - talk about southern comfort - and a pedicure in the small town of helen, which is apparently the oktoberfest capitol of the state with permanent german-motif alcohol facilities everywhere. i arrived too late in the week to partake in the pre-wedding activities, which included a hillbilly golf tournament, karaoke, and polka dancing. and so, i am heading north again, so quickly after seeing such dear friends. i am blogging on my phone from the greenville-spartanburg airport in greer, SC, fortunate to have snatched the very last seat on a northbound plane after arriving at the check-in desk and learning the flight i needed had been moved to 11 am instead of 3:30 without my knowledge. ah, adventure american-style...