Zectron2348, here's your reply.....

[TreasureDigger]

Hi Lisa,

We had/have lots of family in and around Monrovelle and Evergreen Alabama, down in the southwest quarter of the state. Not very big towns, lots of farming in and around there and most of our relatives lived out in the country on small farms. My grandmother on my moms side was born and raised in Evergreen, but moved her immediate family to Arizona back in the late 30s or early 40s. Her family goes way back in that area. She passed away a number of years ago at 92, and when she did she still owned her farm there in Evergreen which one of her cousins was living on. If I recall it was over 10,000 acres of land she still owned, much of it still covered in valuable timber. Unfortunately, she had huge medical bills here in Arizona when she passed, and my mother had to sell the farm back in Alabama to pay the bills. I tried everything I could to come up with enough money to buy the farm, but just could not do so. It really hurt to see it leave the family. Don't know what I would have done with it, don't know anything about farming, but I might just have moved my family back there and given it a go. I could have gotten used to the bugs and humidity. At least there would not have been any dust, ........nice and green. How often to you guys dust your house? We have to dust at least twice a week here in Arizona, ..... dust, ...... dust, .....dust! I'll trade dust for the bugs, even those little red ones, what are they called, ..... chiggers?.

I have to tell you, my first visit to Alabama was when I was about 14. I will never forget trying to understand my relatives when they were talking. I remember looking at them sometimes with a puzzled look and my mom would get on my case for not responding to them. I just couldn't seem to initially understand them due to their southern way of talking. I soon picked it up, but I felt like an idiot. I remember apologizing to my aunt; "I'm sorry," I said, "I just didn't quite understand what you were asking. You know you guys kind of talk funny down here. " "Oh it's OK hun," she said "but it ain't us. You folks from Arizona are the ones that talk funny." We both laughed.

My greatest memories of the folks in Alabama? Some of the nicest, most respectful, and cordial people I have ever meet. Sadly, you won't find much of that here in Arizona, not anymore at least.

Ahhhh... so your family was from "LA." That's "Lower Alabama" for those who need an interpreter. The areas you mentioned are below the fall line so the terrain is much different down that way than the area I'm in. Everything is pretty much flat down there. Where I'm at, there are mountains in any and every direction I look. 10,000 acres is a lot of acreage. Could it have possibly been an old plantation at one time? There were plantations all over Alabama but they were plentiful down there in the Black Belt (named the "Black Belt" because of the soil, not because of the slaves). I'm sorry that you weren't able to get the farm! That's too bad. The bugs and humidity would most definitely take some getting used to if you aren't from this area! As well as the snakes and storms/tornadoes. You're right, those tiny red bugs that you are referring to are chiggers. They can get on you when you're out in the grass or woods. They burrow into your skin and make places just like mosquito bites, which, btw, we have waaay more than our share of mosquitoes too. As for the dust, we have plenty of dust here. Probably not as much as Arizona, but we've got plenty. It gets especially dusty in the summertime during dry weather. Personally, I dust once a week. Yes, things here are very green here (lots of other colors too), fertile, and rich.

I don't know if you were on the forum when we had our discussion about Southern accents and dialect. It is sooooo different from the rest of the country! Your aunt was right! It is the REST OF YOU who talk funny!!! Hahaha! I have to agree with you about being the nicest, most respectful, and cordial people! So many times when we encounter people from certain sections of the country, we often end up saying, "WHAT JERKS!!!!" they are. It's the Southern hospitality you experienced! It's still here! Come on back for a visit!

Lisa

 

[Zectron2348]

Hi Lisa, thanks so much for the reply.

That's interesting about the northern part of the state as compared to the southern part, I did not know that.

My last visit to Alabama was in the late 80s, so it's certainly been a while. Every year my cousin and I talk about making a trip to Alabama and looking up any kin we may still have there, but seems all we do is talk about it. I need to convince him that we really need to do it. I would like to see the old farm again one last time as well, even though it belongs to someone else now.

It's funny how we often stereotype folks who live in different parts of the country, and make a lot of assumptions.

Back in the 80s some of our elderly Alabama relatives came out to visit us in Arizona for the very first time, we had a great time. GOD Bless em they kept asking us to take them to see Indians and Indian villages. I pointed out a Native American family at one of our malls here, and they just couldn't believe it, they expected what they had seen in western movies, and were so disappointed. I also remember taking them up into Northern Arizona, which is partially heavy forested mountains. On the way up we passed many many dry washes, and they wanted to stop and take pictures of every one, "We aint never seen the bottoms of river beds like that." they said. They wanted to know how we could stand to live amongst all the rattle snakes and scorpions, I remember telling an old uncle of my moms, "Ahhh we don't worry too much about the rattlers and scorpions, were too busy worrying about all the Indian attacks." poor guy looked at me real serious and I had to explain I was joking.

We sometimes joke about it in my family, but bottom line we are all proud of our Southern heritage, and I know you folks who live there are a very proud people, and you should be.

Thanks agan Lisa for all the information you got me thinking, .......... dogone we might just really do it and make that trip back next summer.

Take care and GOD Bless you and your family.

John