Growing up Southern is a privilege, really. It's more than where you're born, it's an idea and state of mind that seems imparted at birth. It's more than loving fried chicken, sweet tea, football, and country music. it's being hospitable, devoted to front porches, magnolias, moon pies and coca-cola... and each other. We don't become Southern - we're born that way.

Hey Y'all! (And if there is more than one person reading this - Hey All Y'all!) I don't like to brag but not only do I have the good fortune of being a Florida native - I am twice blessed to be a GRITS (girl raised in the south). Now, all y'all who live north of the Mason-Dixon just settle down.  Northern women have their assets & advantages too but we southern gals seem to slow down enough to really revel in ours.

Southern girls know bad manners when they see them: Drinking straight out of a can. Not sending thank you notes. Velvet after February. White shoes before Easter or after Labor Day.  Southern girls appreciate their natural assets:  Dewy skin  A winning smile  That unforgettable Southern drawl Southern girls know their manners: "Yes Ma'am"  "Yes sir"  "Why, no, Billy !" Southern girls have a distinct way with fond expressions: "Y'all come back!" "Well, bless your heart." "Drop by when you can." "How's your mother?" "Love your hair." Southern girls don't sweat... they glisten. Southern girls know their summer weather report: Humidity...Humidity...Humidity Southern girls have more fun than should be allowed. Southern girls know their vacation spots: The Beach The Beach The Beach (from the web - author unknown) Carla & her mom Susan Sharks teeth found just walking up the beach Speaking of the beach.... I ran into 2 sassy beach-loving southern ladies on Barefoot Beach in Bonita Springs.  Carla is an online friend from the iLove Shelling facebook page.  Carla always finds interesting shells, fossils, & sharks teeth while she is beach combing.  She has a real eye for seeing the treasures in the sand & wreck that other folks just pass right by. Her home is full of her shell creations & now jewelry that she is creating from her shelling excursion finds. Carla found the sharks tooth & made this gorgeous necklace Another Carla creation from sea glass her mom Susan found A few weeks back Carla found an ancient arrowhead  on top the sand under a fallen tree. She told me she literally had to sit down when the magnitude of the find hit her. Her arrowhead has been looked at by an expert and she was told it is 2,000 to 3,0000 years old. She has been sharing pictures of all the cool stuff that has been washing up from the dredging at Wiggins Pass which is next to Barefoot Beach. I drove down to take a first-hand look at what super moon & a -.05 low tide would bring in. Carla found the arrowhead on the other side of the tree  This arrowhead has been estimated to be 2-3,000 years old. It is spectacular  with glints of the crystals still intact (picture by Carla )    Carla's mom Susan is originally  from Georgia. She shares Carla's love of the beach. Susan told me she feels southern women find more treasures on the beach because our pace is slower. We are not in such a hurry to get anywhere. With that being said she turned & sashayed up the beach to keep looking for goodies in the low tide sandbars. The tide is just going out & look at the sandbars starting to emerge Barefoot Beach is what SWFL beaches are all about. Laid-back & preserved in their almost natural state

Looking at Wiggins Pass in Naples  across the channel to the south

Susan took our picture.  Carla told her mom "Don't cut our heads off". It's a southern-thing. All our mommas cut the heads off.

All the birds like to come south too!

Just kidding... Susan took a great pic of us

I'm just saying...........