Smiles on the sidewalk, waves from front yards as you drive by, magnolia trees, a yes ma'am or a no sir, sweet tea, front porch sittin', food so good that it sticks to your lungs as my grandpa says, church Sunday's, and the possibility that just about anything can be fried. The south is a place full of wonder to outsiders, but it's where I call home.

I was inspired by something my art professor said in today's class as we are studying the photography chapter. He explained how southern images are "hot" in the art world today.

As he flashed Charles Hemard's #3 Okaloosa County, Florida from the "Pine" series [pictured above], he said that these contemporary southern photos create a "dreamy" aspect that people in the north (or anywhere other than the south) admire. His explanation and Hemard's picture, for some reason, flipped a switch in my brain. Thankful that I have family in Pennsylvania, a best friend in California, and a best friend from New York but now lives in Alabama. I took full advantage of their brains for this question: Why do people not in the south, love it so much?

I have three cousins in Pennsylvania (one recently moved to Florida): Ben, Jason, and Rod. These guys are pretty much my brothers especially since I'm an only child. I asked them all the same question and Ben's response was too beautiful not to put in here. He explained:

"So when we (northerners) think of the south, we think of a different lifestyle. It's slower, more calm, laid back, more friendly. [The south] is kind of a step back in time. Way different than I view New York City for example. I think that "dreamy" type of idea comes from the idea of a sweet southern belle, or a family-tight culture, something that a lot of people maybe don't see or experience in the north. And I think the artwork captures that idea or a portal into the world for people who don't normally see it"

I asked my best friend from Bakersfield, California, Lindsey Davis, her thoughts about the south and she answered :

"I love all the trees, lakes, rivers, and other scenery that we don't really have here because it's so dry. I love Taco Casa and the millions of other fried chicken restaurants (for example: Zaxbys, Bojangles). I love southern hospitality, and how it doesn't seem like people are in a hurry they way they are in California. I love the adventures, bonfires, "four wheelers", fishing, and river days that come with being in the south". The reason she put four-wheelers in parenthesis is because apparently people in California call them quads to my surprise. I had never heard a four-wheeler called a "quad" before. The only quad I knew was on my leg.

So it seems that this "dreamy" aspect of the south comes from our general slowness. We don't rush anything. I don't really notice that we are moving so slow until I try to fight Atlanta traffic and it always sends me into a full blown anxiety attack.

We don't push shopping carts, they are buggys.

We hand each other the clicker, not the remote control.

You can experience all four seasons in one week. Maybe even a day.

Football is a religion here, so God bless the SEC.

You can say just about anything about anyone, as long as you follow it up with a "bless their heart".

When the prayer is said, you better not open your eyes for anything.

And we always end up being the people who do stuff like this:

Which is funny...until there are a couple trips to the hospital.

I take for granted the wonderful things the south offers as a home, but I would't want to live anywhere else.