December 2, 2004
God's Country
Good Lord! I like TSO as much as the next guy, but when he identifies places like Ireland and Ohio and some Carolina and even, gasp, Texas(!) as God's Country, I have to wonder.
Don't get me wrong, they are probably all wonderful places. The ones I have seen are indeed beautiful.
However, they are but specks of dust compared to Big Sur, which is God's Country, which also happens to be a short drive from God's City (even though the adversary seems to be holding it now).
But I cannot complain about spreading the good news about Ohio. I have never been to Ohio, but I find myself often touting its beauty, its low cost of living, its high standard of living to just about anyone in the Bay Area who I think could benefit from this advice! So, TSO, keep up the good work. Could I forward you a list of people bidding on a house or two that I am interested in and have you mention to them the goodness of Ohio, Carolina, etc.?
You better go back to beautiful Texas,
Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee!
Lynn,
I have certainly encountered that sentiment, especially amusing when it comes from someone who lives in a really awful place. I have been to a fair number of states and continents and countries and even some islands (although I am generally opposed to living on islands, as a rule), and I have to say that most of it has its beauty and worthwhile points, but very little comes close to the Northern and Central Californian coast, Umbria, Tuscany or Rome. These places are truly God's Country!
Posted by: Erik Keilholtz at December 6, 2004 2:37 PMHaving lived in several different states in the U.S., I have learned that "God's Country" is whatever place you have just arrived in after living for several years in some heathen place that your new neighbors don't like even though they've never been there. Wherever we moved to we were invariably greeted with, "Welcome to God's Country," or "I'll bet you're so glad to be in God's Country after all those years in [Satan's Country]. How did you ever survive?"
Posted by: Lynn S at December 6, 2004 1:41 PMWhat?????? What???????
You don't agree with us Texans, TSO?
Hmmmmph.
Texas is God's country. Period.
And yes, I've seen Big Sur.
:-)
Posted by: MamaT at December 4, 2004 1:28 PMOh yeah. I tell people who have never been to El Sur Grande that it is like the Amalfi Coast, but times ten. One year we even saw one of the California Condors flying around. Sort of like a Cessna that flaps its wings. If I didn't know that it was a vulture that can only eat decomposed meat, I would probably have ducked into the scrub. Images of the Roc come to mind.
Of course it was all nicely scaled by the ancient redwoods in the area, and the high cliffs that plunge to the sea. It makes you feel very very small.
Posted by: Erik Keilholtz at December 4, 2004 12:03 AMHa, note that I merely quote Texans, I don't agree with 'em! And based on my lone trip to the Big Sur some ten years ago you have a good reason to boast.
Posted by: TSO at December 3, 2004 4:21 AM