Florida, Snowbirds, Yankees, and the Mason-Dixon Line

[christof139]

On my way to Ft. Jackson, Columbia, SC in 1991 I stopped for the night at a truckers' motel in Spartanburg, SC, beautiful country there. Whilst visiting the motel's tavern I struck-up a friendly conversation with the bartender and a customer, both Floridians by birth, and we had a few ales etc. [:)]

So, I eventually asked this question: 'What do you think of all the Snowbirds, Yankees from north of the Mason-Dixon Line fleeing the North and invading Florida?? That's what it is, an invasion and flight from the cold Winters, a mass migration. Michigan is being depopulated. My family even has a place there.'

Well, one fellow looks at me, and gives a little smile and says, 'Mason-Dixon Line!??! Yankees!??! Hell, anyone north of the Florida border is a Yankee!!' [X(][8|][X(]

So, upon nearly choking on my beer from surprise and spontaneous laughter , I bought this fellow another beer and told him "You know what, I am never going to forget what you said. That is so funny and maybe true. Honestly.'

And to this day, I have not forgotten this bit of wonderfully humorous and partially true wit and words of wisdom. Honestly. [X(]

Chris [>:][>:][>:]

[GenGrunt]

[:D] The same attitude applies here in Texas, you're a yankee if you're from north of the red river [:)]

[Maurym]

I thought if you were from anywhere outside of Texas you were considered an alien. This fact is validated by the label on Lone Star Beer (the National beer of Texas).

[captskillet]

Justin Wilson (cajun humorist and excellent cook) used to say the same thing..........."He was a Yankee from way up around Shreveport"................to him if you lived north of Alexandria (about half way between Lafayette & S'port) you were a Yankee!!! [;)] [:D]

[captskillet]

Gengrunt.............being a native Texan.........if you're from N of the Red your an Okie and thats worse than a Yankee.........esp. if they're an OU backer. [;)][:D]

[Gil R.]

My father grew up in Tulsa, went to school in Dallas, and now lives in the New York City area. So what would a Texan make of him?

[Drex]

An Alien?

[Gil R.]

I forgot to say that he worked in Dallas for a few years. That has to make him somewhat more Texan.

[Drex]

I lived in Texas( San Antonio and Del Rio) as a kid and all I can remember of it are the Chiggers.

[christof139]

There is also a Detroit, Alabama and a few other places, so they must all be Mini-Motowns?? Mini-Motor Cities??
 
I just don't know anymore. [&:]
 
I served with a few Texans in the Army, Addy or Addie was one fellow. I think Reyes was also a Texan.
 
Not many people know of the Texas Navy and the war in, where was it, the Yucatan or thereabouts. There is a good site on the inet about this, but i don't have it anymore since my old HD crash.
 
Chris
 

[captskillet]

Dont forget Paris & Karnack Texas..............(bet no one knows where the latter is at) [;)]!

[christof139]

I lived in Texas( San Antonio and Del Rio) as a kid and all I can remember of it are the Chiggers.

I contracted what appeared to be Lyme Disease here in Detroit. There are deer in the Rouge River bottomlands where I was working, and I remember the large ticks. It wasted me a bit.

Large ticks for large deer. Largest deer ever taken here was over 400lbs. 200 to 600lb. plus Black Bear too, but they're up north thankfully, otherwise I would have an encounter with one no doubt about it. They can be amusing to watch when rollicking around in garbage dumps.

Chris

[christof139]

Dont forget Paris & Karnack Texas..............(bet no one knows where the latter is at) !

Karnack, as in Johnny Carson and his Great Karnack or Karnak act??

Chris

[Maurym]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

My father grew up in Tulsa, went to school in Dallas, and now lives in the New York City area. So what would a Texan make of him?

I would think that would make him the reverse of Jerry "Up Against The Wall Redneck Mothers" Jeff Walker (from upstate NY to Austin TX).

[hedererp]

ORIGINAL: christof139

On my way to Ft. Jackson, Columbia, SC in 1991 I stopped for the night at a truckers' motel in Spartanburg, SC, beautiful country there. Whilst visiting the motel's tavern I struck-up a friendly conversation with the bartender and a customer, both Floridians by birth, and we had a few ales etc. [:)]

So, I eventually asked this question: 'What do you think of all the Snowbirds, Yankees from north of the Mason-Dixon Line fleeing the North and invading Florida?? That's what it is, an invasion and flight from the cold Winters, a mass migration. Michigan is being depopulated. My family even has a place there.'

Well, one fellow looks at me, and gives a little smile and says, 'Mason-Dixon Line!??! Yankees!??! Hell, anyone north of the Florida border is a Yankee!!' [X(][8|][X(]

So, upon nearly choking on my beer from surprise and spontaneous laughter , I bought this fellow another beer and told him "You know what, I am never going to forget what you said. That is so funny and maybe true. Honestly.'

And to this day, I have not forgotten this bit of wonderfully humorous and partially true wit and words of wisdom. Honestly. [X(]

Chris [>:][>:][>:]

Chris,

That's a good story. What I find funny about it, having lived in Florida for a very long time, is that if you travel to the rest of the South, and mention you're from Florida, your status is a bit like being from California. People from out West don't consider California as part of the West, it's more it's own country, and the same seems to hold fro Florida and the South.
Thing is (and one of the things I love about America) is that Florida is really four States rolled into one. We are from North West Florida, which we affectionately call "Lower Alabama." We have about as much in common with Miami as we do with London!

Paul

[christof139]

That's a good story. What I find funny about it, having lived in Florida for a very long time, is that if you travel to the rest of the South, and mention you're from Florida, your status is a bit like being from California. People from out West don't consider California as part of the West, it's more it's own country, and the same seems to hold fro Florida and the South.
Thing is (and one of the things I love about America) is that Florida is really four States rolled into one. We are from North West Florida, which we affectionately call "Lower Alabama." We have about as much in common with Miami as we do with London!

Paul

Ha ha ha!! The Florida Panhandle, there's cowboys and cattle there!! Lower Alabama makes sense!! At least the Suanee(sp?) River is thereabouts, good fishing and all.

It's the same with Michigan's UP (Upper Penninsula), in that the more western part of the UP near the Wisconsin border is more Wisconsian and even is in the Central Time Zone as Wisconsin is. Those Uppitty Yoopers. I just don't know anymore. [&:][X(][8|]

That's a true story of mine too, about the two Floridian fellows in SC, and about a good maybe 95% of my stories are true, believe it or not. [8|]

Chris [>:][>:][>:]

[DrewGator]

Well, one fellow looks at me, and gives a little smile and says, 'Mason-Dixon Line!??! Yankees!??! Hell, anyone north of the Florida border is a Yankee!!'

Those of us who actually live in Florida (I'm in the Orlando area) have an expression, "The farther south of Jacksonville you go - the farther north you get!" (West Palm, Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami look a lot like New York). We also call people who move to Florida from "up North" and then move to the Carolinas "Half-Backers". I'm sure you can figure it out.

As a yankee who was transplanted to Florida 33 years ago I like to say, "I'm a proud Yankee - first we conquered and now we occupy!". Actually, other than sympathising with the Union position in the Civil War, I have almost nothing in common "a Yankee", but I'm no redneck either.

DrewGator

[christof139]

Yeah, it doesn't matter to me where someone is from, or of what ethnic or racial or religous etc. background they have, as long as they're honest and not a crook or whatever, then everything is kosher with me.
 
Chris
 

[christof139]

Justin Wilson (cajun humorist and excellent cook) used to say the same thing..........."He was a Yankee from way up around Shreveport"................to him if you lived north of Alexandria (about half way between Lafayette & S'port) you were a Yankee!!!

Some of my friends and I when much younger would watch Justin Wilson and The Galloping Gourmet just to catch the humor. Justin and his 'awhnions' (onions) and his substituting of the word 'did' for it was 'do' and 'is' I think were pretty good.

The Galloping Gourmet used to always sip the wine, and I do believe he was half-crocked at times. Seems he got in some minot trouble for that with the TV station.

Good food and recipies though!!

Chris

[Sonny II]

I really liked Justin's stories I gar-on-tee!