Tennessee Pride

Although I was born in Georgia and will always consider myself a "Georgia Peach", I grew up in Tennessee and have lived in all three regions, West, Middle, and East, at some point in my life. I have also lived briefly in other states like Kentucky, Arizona, Oregon and Texas. But the bulk of my life has been spent in this amazing state. 

I love this state! It is the state that houses my family heritage, the state where I got my first driver's license, the state which gave me a Master's Degree from it's University, the state where I met my true love and we became The Avery House, the state where my daughters were born, the state that I call home. I  simply love this state and I love all three of it's regions. Growing up in Memphis and living on the Mississippi  with true Old South tradition, The blues, Elvis, the Peabody and barbecue was a treat, although those Memphis hot sticky summers were brutal. Living in Middle Tennessee in the small town of Cookeville is enchanting with its falls (Fall Creek Falls) and hollows (Dale Hollow) and inviting especially because somehow every person you meet there knows someone that you know. To this day, I still find that if someone says they are from Cookeville, they definitely will know someone else that I know. I also love spending Thanksgiving and Summer family reunions in Middle Tennessee with my family. And living here in East Tennessee in Knoxville has been simply amazing with the surrounding Smoky Mountains, the University of Tennessee college town atmosphere, the kind-hearted  friendly people, it's all just awesome!  

When Howie and I lived in Austin, Texas, I was struck by the number of Texas flags I saw flying everywhere. Texans are proud of their state and rightfully so. But we Tennesseans are proud of our state too. I have always loved our Tennessee flag and would love to see it flying in more places. It is a simple flag with red , white and blue and three stars representing West, Middle, and East Tennessee. All regions are strikingly different, but united in the great state of Tennessee. I feel blessed that I have had the privilege of living in all three regions and I am proud to be a Tennessean.