Critical. Judgy. Fault-finding. Catty. All of these things are less than attractive parts of my personality. I see it. I know it. That’s why I’m giving it all up for Lent this year. Mama always said “pretty is as pretty does,” and since these are not very pretty traits, I’m kicking them to the curb...at … Continue reading Pretty is as pretty does
Tag: Southern Sayings
If it was a snake…
I am notoriously absent-minded. I leave the lights on. I leave the oven on. I misplace things. I forget things. I’ve even been known to get out of the shower without rinsing the conditioner out of my hair. Once I left the house with only one eyebrow drawn on because I got distracted while I … Continue reading If it was a snake…
Up a creek without a pot, a window, or a dog
I love to use idioms in my everyday speech. It livens things up. Makes the things you say more interesting. Catches dull people off guard. Gets an occasional laugh. And y’all know I’m all about a laugh. A few idioms that I especially like are multi-parters — you can add on to them for emphasis. … Continue reading Up a creek without a pot, a window, or a dog
Sick as a dog and other Southern sayings for when you feel like poo
A bout with a sinus infection, fever, bronchitis, and all the yuck that goes along with being sick has me thinking about Southern sayings again. I’ve definitely used several over the last few days. And as I sit here under my favorite afghan surrounded by a pile of Kleenexes (both used and not) sipping on … Continue reading Sick as a dog and other Southern sayings for when you feel like poo
Don’t beat a dead horse
Daisy Ann. That was the name of my horse. She was a bay — reddish-brown with shiny black feet, mane, and tail. She was giant. Baw* let me name her. We'd ride Daisy Ann through the woods, and Baw would pull off a branch of huckleberries for me to eat while we rode. On we'd … Continue reading Don’t beat a dead horse
I haven’t seen you in a month of Sundays!
“Come here and let me hug your neck!” That’s what you’re are apt to hear in the south when you meet someone you haven’t seen in a while. Why the neck, I wonder sometimes. I guess because it’s more intimate than a shoulder hug or a side hug. Friendlier. Warmer. We southerners are social people, … Continue reading I haven’t seen you in a month of Sundays!
All the rage in Natchez
Did you ever wonder how an idiom comes into being? I’m fixing to tell you. I’ve always said that the fashionable, popular thing was “all the rage in Natchez.” I said it because Mama always said it. And Granny always said it. And I never gave much thought to why Natchez. With all due respect … Continue reading All the rage in Natchez
Open up a can of whoop-ass
It’s Iron Bowl Saturday. For those of you who have been living under a rock (or in the great, frozen north) and don’t know what that means, the Iron Bowl is the die-hard football rivalry game between the University of Alabama and Auburn University, and it will be played today. Since 1893, once a year … Continue reading Open up a can of whoop-ass
You’re as dumb as a sack of hammers
When Sonny was in grammar school they taught him that “stupid” was a bad word. I agree. You absolutely should not walk up to someone and say “You’re stupid.” But there are times when situations, actions, and, yes, other people just are not smart. So here’s what you can say to avoid using that horrible, … Continue reading You’re as dumb as a sack of hammers
I’m so hungry my stomach thinks my throat’s been cut
The big day is here. A time to gather with family and friends, break bread together, and count our many blessings. And maybe learn a few new sayings. Here’s how my Thanksgiving Day will probably go — idiom by idiom. When I cook, like this year, I have to get up before the chickens, which … Continue reading I’m so hungry my stomach thinks my throat’s been cut