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Sharla Lovelace

sassy . snarky . sexy . romance

Where I’m From…

August 1, 2012

This was an exercise from last year, and while I’m not a huge proponent of recycling, this one has been on my mind lately.  My parents old house across the street from me is for sale, and they’ve cut down the big swing tree in the backyard.  The one with the chains that grew into the tree.  It’s all in pieces at the street, and I’ve stared at them for the past two days.

This is an amazing thing to do for yourself, and the template is at the bottom for you to give it a shot.  Here’s a little piece of me.

 

Where I’m From…

I am from Coca-Cola and orange soda straight from the bottle, and drinking from the garden hose on a hot day. I’m from leaving the house in the morning and staying gone till dusk, till Daddy’s voice called me home. From handlebar pumping, treehouses, double-daring, and carving my own rubberband gun from a stick. I’m from no cell phones, computers, vcr’s, or cable TV. From black rotary phones wired to the wall, Hee Haw and Disney on Sunday evenings, and three-cent green apple bubble gum.

I am from the only 2-story house on the block, that was really just a converted attic. I’m from duct work made from a Dentler’s Chip can and wires held together with duct tape. From the upstairs room with the shower that never was. From a carpenter’s house, where the smell of sawdust and grease will always make me close my eyes and see my father’s hands, and the sound of an arm saw makes me long for hot summers in a dusty garage.

I am from the magnolia and dogwood trees that flower the sky of Southeast Texas, and the pinks, purples and whites of azaleas. From deep green St Augustine grass and verbenia bushes with millions of red berries that will kill you if you eat them…or so we were told.

I am from homemade ice cream cranked in a bucket while someone sat on the lid, watermelon seed wars, camping on the Neches River bank in East Texas where the stars were many, waterskiing, and playing Chinese Checkers and Yahtzee in a homemade wooden and felt box made by my dad. I’m from Duchess, Prince, Duke, Honey, and Brandi, all beloved dogs buried in the backyard at a house I can only see from across the street now. I’m from unlocked doors and just walking in, and sitting on the front porch drinking coffee.

 

I’m from Lovelace eyebrows and Milburn smiles, Nanny’s drama and Maw Maw’s sweet silliness. From craziness everyone talks about, and skeletons no one talks about. From blue eyes and curly hair and two big brothers. From chain smokers and staying in a log cabin on vacation for me when Mom really wanted a hotel.

From y’all, fixin to, ice box, and because I said so. From pulling weeds at the roots and dusting every single nack nack on weekends.

I am from Lutherans and Baptists, and sitting on the right side because no one had ever sat on the left.

I’m from Port Neches and Copperas Cove and Indian arrow heads on a hill. From lemon meringue pie and sand tarts at Christmas, homemade soup and shrimp gumbo, Steen’s Cane Syrup and Daddy’s special milk hash on toast to give Mom a break. I’m from ritz crackers with peanut butter, frozen bananas, and midnight snacks of sugar bread with hot milk.

I am from a homemade treasure trunk full of black and white pictures, a closet full of cards and letters and macaroni projects from children now grown, and the box of handmade Christmas ribbons used every year because giving them back was the rule. From overcoming economic hardship, union strikes, divorce, illness, and any adversity. I’m from June and Buddy, who I miss so much it aches.

##########

The original link is found here.

 

The WHERE I’M FROM Template

I am from _______ (specific ordinary item), from _______ (product name) and _______.

I am from the _______ (home description… adjective, adjective, sensory detail).

I am from the _______ (plant, flower, natural item), the _______ (plant, flower, natural detail)

I am from _______ (family tradition) and _______ (family trait), from _______ (name of family member) and _______ (another family name) and _______ (family name).

I am from the _______ (description of family tendency) and _______ (another one).

From _______ (something you were told as a child) and _______ (another).

I am from (representation of religion, or lack of it). Further description.

I’m from _______ (place of birth and family ancestry), _______ (two food items representing your family).

From the _______ (specific family story about a specific person and detail), the _______ (another detail, and the _______ (another detail about another family member).

I am from _______ (location of family pictures, mementos, archives and several more lines indicating their worth).

30 Comments Categories: Hot News! Tags: before and ever since, family, nostalgia, romance, sharla lovelace, the reason is you, where I'm from, womens fiction

Comments

  1. Jenny Hansen says

    August 4, 2012 at 1:14 am

    This is amazing Sharla! I might have to try this…

    Reply
    • Sharla Lovelace says

      August 7, 2012 at 12:41 pm

      It’s fun to do, Jenny, and can end up being something very special to keep. It’s kind of a keepsake for me now, and I was surprised at the things that came to the surface.

      Reply
  2. Darlene Steelman says

    August 23, 2012 at 5:28 am

    Found your site on Jenny’s blog… I love this! 🙂 I am very excited to get working on this tonight!

    Reply
    • Sharla Lovelace says

      August 23, 2012 at 12:16 pm

      yay!! Love it when people take this and make it their own!

      Reply
  3. LauraDrake says

    August 23, 2012 at 6:37 am

    Wow, Sharla – that is beautiful! I can walk around in your childhood, from what you told us!
    I may need to try this myself! Thanks so much!

    Reply
  4. Amy Sue Nathan says

    August 23, 2012 at 7:10 am

    It’s lovely, Sharla — I can’t wait to do this myself. (and give you credit!) xo

    Reply
  5. Renée A. Schuls-Jacobson says

    August 23, 2012 at 8:13 am

    Jenny Hansen sent me here. I’ve used this template with students and it always creates a wonderful piece. I haven’t done it in years, but I’m going to do it fom my character’s POV! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sharla Lovelace says

      August 23, 2012 at 12:16 pm

      Oh cool, that’s a neat idea!

      Reply
  6. Catie Rhodes says

    August 23, 2012 at 9:24 am

    Love this. I grew up in East Texas (Angelina County). We must be from close to the same place. Jenny Hansen sent me here, by the way.

    Reply
    • Sharla Lovelace says

      August 23, 2012 at 12:17 pm

      I’m in southeast Texas, Catie, Jefferson County. Down by Beaumont. Small world!!

      Reply
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    September 16, 2012 at 1:09 pm

    where is the answers ???/ so we can do what is it

    Reply
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Trackbacks

  1. How Do You Describe “Where You’re From?” | Jenny Hansen's Blog says:
    August 23, 2012 at 5:03 am

    […] since I read Sharla Lovelace’s nostalgic post, “Where I’m From,” I haven’t been able to erase it from my mind. As I read her amazing debut novel, The […]

    Reply
  2. Where are you from? « Taris Thread says:
    August 23, 2012 at 12:04 pm

    […] Jenny Hansen at her blog  Cowbell-You Need More of It, who got the idea and template from author, Sharla Lovelace’s Blog, although it was shared by debut author, Laura Drake on The Morning Juice, an OCC RWA writing […]

    Reply
  3. Friday Fun – Where I’m From – Darlene Steelman says:
    August 24, 2012 at 4:39 am

    […] Good morning!  Thursday I was reading Jenny Hansen’s blog and came upon this fantastic post! You can find her “where I’m from” post by clicking on her grand name right up there. Go ahead!  Click it!  The original idea and post comes from here, found on the amazing blog of Sharla Lovelace. […]

    Reply
  4. Where Are You From? « JOLYSE BARNETT'S Margarita Moments & Other Escapes says:
    August 27, 2012 at 3:45 pm

    […] she discovered this nostalgic writing exercise after reading “Where I’m From” by Sharla Lovelace. Apparently, the template has been bouncing around the internet for a decade or more. Perhaps […]

    Reply
  5. Where I’m From … « fOISinTheCity says:
    August 29, 2012 at 9:26 am

    […] read Where I’m From, by Sharla Lovelace before I read her debut novel, The Reason is You. Sharla used many these images in her story, […]

    Reply
  6. TAP ROOT of my WONKY TREE … The Sapling « Gloria Richard says:
    August 31, 2012 at 7:11 am

    […] took her prompt and hopped over to Sharla Lovelace’s Where I’m From. Sharla also recently published a book titled The Reason is You. My pal, Pay, and I took a walk in […]

    Reply
  7. Where I’m From » It's Only A Novel says:
    September 3, 2012 at 3:39 am

    […] I learned this technique from the amazing author, Sharla Lovelace. You can see her original post and template to create your own “Where I’m From” here. […]

    Reply
  8. 23 Bits of Amazing Bloggy Brilliance That Rocked My World | Jenny Hansen's Blog says:
    September 4, 2012 at 4:46 am

    […] Where I’m From by Sharla Lovelace – This post spawned a blog here at More Cowbell  and a ton of comments. If you haven’t read the original over at Sharla’s place, I highly recommend you take a moment. […]

    Reply
  9. And Though She Be But Little « Tami Clayton says:
    September 6, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    […] moving posts by fellow bloggers Jenny Hansen and Gloria Richard (both of whom were inspired by Sharla Lovelace from whose blog the template for this exercise was taken). Their answers painted such vivid […]

    Reply
  10. Taking the Scenic Route - Where Perilous P is From… says:
    September 20, 2012 at 9:06 pm

    […] I hope you come back and post a link back. Questions are here. Another great example of the meme is here. Hope you give it a try! It’s fun AND all blog comments for the month are entered into a […]

    Reply
  11. Where I'm From Challenge - Lisa Hall-Wilson says:
    September 24, 2012 at 11:46 am

    […] my challenge – find the template for this post here at the bottom of Sharla Lovelace’s blog and create your own Where I’m From post. Leave the link in the comments, and I’ll edit […]

    Reply
  12. Where Are You From? | Clearly Kristal says:
    September 28, 2012 at 11:22 am

    […] motivate other writers. The notion of “where we’re from” was initially posted by Sharla Lovelace entitled “Where I am From.” Then, Jenny Hansen’s More Cowbell (one of my fav […]

    Reply
  13. Where Am I From? « Steph Nickel's Eclectic Interests says:
    October 21, 2012 at 2:25 pm

    […] to Sharla Lovelace for this exercise. And thanks to Lisa Hall-Wilson for sharing […]

    Reply
  14. Where She’s From | renée a. schuls-jacobson's blog says:
    June 21, 2013 at 6:01 am

    […] essay writing, but all the words are her own. Thanks to Jenny Hansen for sharing her piece and to Sharla Lovelace for inspiring Jenny. If you go HERE, you will see this exercise is based on a poem by George Ella […]

    Reply
  15. On Remaining Neutral In Private Wars - Lisa Hall-Wilson says:
    September 17, 2013 at 11:33 am

    […] my challenge – find the template for this post here at the bottom of Sharla Lovelace’s blog and create your own Where I’m From post. Write your own in the comments, or post it on your […]

    Reply
  16. Squash and Gourds from a Maryland Farmer’s Market | Heather Heyford says:
    September 17, 2013 at 6:31 pm

    […] http://sharlalovelace.com/2012/08/01/where-im-from/ […]

    Reply
  17. Moving Beyond Where I’m From | renée a. schuls-jacobson says:
    January 12, 2015 at 8:00 am

    […] to Jenny Hansen for encouraging me to move beyond the first sentences and to Sharla Lovelace for inspiring Jenny. If you go to HERE, you will see this exercise is based on a poem by George […]

    Reply

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    sharlaAward winning author of sassy, sexy love stories. Texas girl. Wife of Superman. Frequently speak of coffee, dogs, TV shows & men with sexy eyes. {Read More}

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