Mortal Muses - More Musing: where i live

mission: MUSE - "where i live"

by guest muse marty

I live in a land of contradictions. The old mingles with the new, the poor live around the corner from the affluent and rednecks dance along beside those more cultured. Liberal thinking jockeys for position with a way of life steeped in tradition, thanks in part to the military bases that bring people into the community of old timers. Little league and church on Sunday figures prominently into ones social calendar.

Welcome to the South where our heritage is as rich and flavorful as our grits and gumbo. It’s slower paced and slower talking and a good “Bless your heart” will excuse just about any insult. Seriously. You can say someone is ding dong crazy and tack on a ‘bless your heart’ and everyone will just nod in agreement and tsk, tsk the poor dear.

Nicknamed the City of Five Flags, Pensacola has been under the rule of the Spanish, French, Great Brittan, the Confederate States of America and finally the US. Always a military town, we boast of glorious battles fought by Andrew Jackson at Fort Barrancas and Fort Pickens has the distinction of housing the infamous Geronimo after his capture in 1886.

My favorite part of living in the northwest panhandle of Florida has got to be the beaches. One of my earliest memories is camping out at the beach with family and seeing my first falling star. The white sand and emerald waters are magical. The smell of the gulf, the warmth of the sun and the sound of the surf are relaxing and refreshing.

We rely heavily on tourism and in keeping with the extremes of life here, our area beaches have very distinct personalities. Perdido Key and Johnson’s Beach seems to be more family friendly. Part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, it is a protected park and has a larger area dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of the coast. Just outside of Ft Pickens, Pensacola Beach is geared more toward those looking for a little excitement. Restaurants and hotels are numerous and the annual Blue Angels air show happens here.

My home is actually right outside the city of Pensacola in a small town called Milton. A rural area made up of peanut and cotton farms, we are the buckle of the Bible belt with a church on just about every corner. Black eyed peas and corn bread are just as apt to appear on your menu as steak or burgers. When I was a teenager I couldn’t wait to grow up and leave for greener pastures. But now, as a grown woman raising my own children I’m thankful to live here. The small town community with a dash of city life…the best of both worlds.

Thank you for visiting where I live. Please feel free to visit my blog to learn more about my life in Florida.

Until next time! Marty of Sam's Family and 52 weeks by Marty.

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