Southern Charm Up North: Tales of a Maine Magnolia

Today I'm talking with Gentry at Southern Charm Up North: Tales of a Maine Magnolia.

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00:00 You're listening to A Tiny Homestead, the podcast comprised entirely of conversations with homesteaders, cottage food producers, and crafters.  I'm your host, Mary Lewis. Today I'm talking with Gentry at Southern Charm Up North, Tales of a Maine Magnolia  in Maine. How are you,  Gentry? I'm great, Mary. Thanks for having me.  You're welcome. I saw the name of your page on Facebook and I was like, oh, she sounds like a fun one to chat with.  I hope so.

00:30 So how's the weather in Maine this morning or this afternoon? Well, actually, I'm in Mississippi today. How are you? Okay. I am. But I think the weather's probably better in Maine.  Okay. Well, how was it in Mississippi? It's  hot. We had a rainstorm this morning, which we desperately needed, and I know we did. So can't complain about that. But now it's muggy. It's that typical Mississippi humidity.

00:59 We're experiencing the same thing in Minnesota this morning. I'm sorry, this afternoon. I keep thinking it's 10 o'clock in the morning. It's 1 o'clock in the afternoon. It is supposed to hit 95, I think, today here. And the dew point is above 60. So needless to say, the dog and I are hanging out with the freestanding air conditioners in the house today. Do not blame me about that.

01:23 Yep. And if she barks, it's because somebody pulled up to our farm stand because we have eggs out there that people want to buy. So. Oh, I love fresh eggs. I wish I was there. Yeah. Yeah. Our chickens have done really well this summer and we have not been able to keep eggs in the farm stand for any more than 24 hours. Once they go out there. It's been really funny. Wow. So tell me a little bit about yourself and about what you do. Well, I am living between

01:53 two states, two worlds really. We live in Mississippi. I was actually born and raised in North Carolina and I've lived different places, but primarily the South. I've lived in Mississippi for, I guess, 27 years now. And about two and a half, three years ago, I was getting remarried, lots of life changes. And I told my fiance, I said, I'm going to live in Maine.

02:21 He just kind of looked at me and said, oh, okay. And so we went up and he asked me, he said, have you ever been? And I said, no. And he said, don't you think we should go check it out first? And so we went up there. I had a broken ankle at the time. So was on a knee scooter, couldn't do anything, but just sit and look while he got to go explore and do all the fun stuff. And we went back about six months later, maybe, and made the offer on the house.

02:50 and bought the house. So my heart is always there even when I'm here in Mississippi. um And I started my blog in the Maine Magnolia just as a way of kind of interweaving those two worlds  and  sharing with my friends there and my friends here um and just people that I've met all over, you know, what it's like to transition between

03:19 dramatically different states um but still find the similarities and the things that you can call home in both.  Well yeah and people are people and food is food and home is a home and you know I don't know that it matters exactly where you live as long as you actually live where you live. Exactly. So. Just did a blog post this morning about the importance of being present  and

03:46 That's being present wherever you are and whatever the circumstances are at that given moment, but finding your why, your reason, your joy in whatever situation you're in.  Yeah. Otherwise, why are you here?  know? Right. Exactly. Hang on one second.

04:09 I had a tickle in my throat and I didn't want to cough in your ear. uh So  having moved from Maine to Minnesota when I was 22 and I'm  50, almost 56 now,  and you moving from Mississippi to Maine, how was that for you? Because growing up in Maine, I have a very special place in my heart for that state.  But I also know that Mainers are very, very direct people  and  they communicate.

04:38 very clearly and a lot. So how was it for you? They do. It's different.  know, they, I think we're first not  qui