Well, that explains it!
Tennessee has three grand divisions, three separate states, to hear us locals tell it :)
West Tennessee is basically Mississippi in disguise.
Middle Tennessee is nice, but ain’t east Tennessee.
East Tennessee is God’s country.
Ducking now Grammy (grin).
"A little one, garden snake, but it still freaked me out Ewwww"
You weenie!! LOL a little bitty garden snake scared you? You'd think you were a city gal! I have killed, personally, a number of poisonous snakes right here in my woods. Several have been shot, one cut up with a hoe, and if I am driving, they are stomped with my car. Rattlers will get as big as your arm if they have any age on them.
Mr G's brother was always getting into trouble with snakes. As about a 12 year old, he started hollering for his dad to come quick. He had a rattlesnake pinned down with a forked stick and wanted help catching it. Another time he ran out of meal worms for his snake so he decided to induce hibernation..... and set it in the fridge.
In my head I can hear his mother's scream to this day, and I was still at least 15 years away from meeting the family.
East Tennessee is the REAL Tennessee :))