Mine is Southwestern PA's Washington County, and the Southern, South Hills Suburbs of Pittsburg, -just to the North of it. Both "Back where I Come From!", -as Mac MacAnally used to say! (Early 90s New Country).

I'm a County north of there now, -but my Heart of course remains Fondly back in both Places! The NE Washington County Countryside the more so, -in that of course its so Spandiferously (Don't Bother, -you won't find this one in the Dictionary!) Country and Rural ! Than even the also Spando enuff "Southern Subs".

There's of course much that yet applies to and from me, -from that ole adage, -"You can take the Boy out of the Country, -*But you Can't take the Country out of the Boy!*" Not one bit of my earlier such, -has ever since faded away! (though I've certainly since picked up some Good non-country ways, as well). Also John Denver's "Take me Home!, Country Road! (...to the Place, I Belong!...!). And of course his "Thank God I'm a Country Boy!" And while at it, -a slight adjustment in Chicago's late 70s "Take me Back to Chicago!... To by now you know what!

My Heart's of course Warmly and Ardently still Back There! In Washington County and those South Hills!

Back in late '68 as a 11 year old upon the Move, -it was like moving onto the Kentucky Frontier! Not that the Half Wooded Blue Collar neighborhood I'd previously Grown Up in in South Pittsburgh was Bad either! But the Place was growing So So and Stale! Got out at just the Right Time!

To soon Experience what I like to call a "Personal Golden or Classic Age", (a la Ancient Greece, the Rennaissance, a Vintage Year and Harvest, Portuguese Ships Boldly Setting Out to Explore the World!, etc.), -over the next Two or so years. That First Apollo Moon Landing, Getting Bitten by the Stamp Collecting Bug, -and a Good number of Other Things Else! (Not the least of which was beginning to Discover Gals! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> and All !).

A Lesson you Learn, -from the later, much more Humdrum and "Fish Out of Water" of Times!, -is to *Not* take that earlier, Spandro, Golden Age!, -for *Granted*! -As you once did!!! "Make New Friends!, -while Duly Keeping the Old Ones!..."

(And speaking of Kentucky Frontier, -I just happened to get assigned to do a Report on Daniel Boone!, -there in my new 5th grade. Of among other things, -him moving over into the Yadkin Valley, -and then Moving Out again! Further Westward! "Because its Getting Too Crowded!...).

I'd noticed my first Cloud Shadow moving across the Roadway and Ground!, -something which previously never even occurred to me as "Happenable"!

And speaking of "Southern" and the Southland, -I was then, including Washington County itself, -only two Counties North of the Mason Dixon line! So while the Burg may seem as Yankee as Boston or Chicago to a Southerner, (and quite Correctly and Understandably so), -I was and yet am, "Almost" a Southerner! (Now 3 Counties North, including my current own).

I once took a Nice Trip down to Atlanta, -a Long Held Dream. I stayed there for 3 or 4 weeks, -long enuff to to now Fondly enuff Feel that that was a Place I once Lived! -Not only Visited. I rode their MARTA all over the place! Whenever I catch WSB Atlanta in the course of my DXing, -which is pretty Solidly Regular, -I *get* that Feeling of Familiarity! Whenever I hear them talk of this or that Road, Suburb, or whatnot. (And "O'Neill Outside" is a Good to Great Outdoors Radio Show, -emanating from there at nearby Kennessaw Mtn, on Saturday mornings). I also once Climbed Stone Mountain! (via its typical Trail), one Summer Evening in the gathering Dusk. Another kind of Long Held Dream! I've mentioned this in more detail, -back in an earlier post.

Well the point that I was here leading up to, -concerns this Good Ole Redneck Shopkeeper I ran into. Upon telling him that I was from Pennsylvania, -he said something to the effect of "I Like you, -even if you are a Yankee!" Followed quickly by a Good, Hearty, Understanding, Laugh! Helpful Guy in a moment when I Really Needed it, -for which I of course remain Appreciative.

While there is much that I of course Like and Love about the South, -I have not jumped Fully, -every last bit into the "Southern Pool". and remain in many Respects also, -in a Good, Great, and Spando Northern one! (Things are "Cooler" here! As well as right now *Colder*, -here on the bottom edge of this Northern Winter! -But I'm keeping Perfectly Warm!). (Heck!, Philly and Bucks County over on the other end of my State, -are even Closer to the Southland! But quite Understandably enuff don't think themselves so!). (I'm *Glad* we've Preserved the Union, by Beating ya all down there, back in the Civil War! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. I Hasten to Add, -"With All Due Respect!, -for the South and its Reasons!").

I of course Live every bit in the Present, -as well as being one hoo Warmly and Fondly Looks Back to the Past and to the Great Outdoors Countryside, -from which I came! A Sunny Summer Afternoon Lawn!, for example,-is as Spando now! As it ever was back then! And so on concerning many things else. Often the more things Change, -the more they Stay the Same!

"Take me Back!, to the Country!, -Urban Sidewalks are *Not* my Style!....!"..... [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]