Where is everyone from?

[Johanna]

I live in a small town about an hour north of Dayton. It's flat farmland and well kept neat towns in all directions. My husband and I have a blended family of five kids, and a brand new baby granddaughter. I make hot subs and pizzas part time in our local store, and I have a bunch of websites. I work with several of the local historic associations as a historian, mostly on the Miami-Erie Canal. You can see some of my pictures here. I was born in Cincinnati, but raised in New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania. I have also lived on the beach in Charleston, SC and near it in Norfolk, VA. I liked living in Macon, GA very much, and miss it when it's cold outside, like today. If I had my choice, and a guaranteed Internet connection, I would live on a hilltop near Beckley, West Virginia. Or maybe in Maine. Or the Smoky Mountains. Well, I narrowed it down to the Appalachians anyway, I guess.

Johanna

[wildrose]

I will always consider myself a Jersey girl: I was born in North Brunswick, NJ, and raised in Hunterdon County, just outside of the Clinton/Flemington area. My parents had a small horse farm there (Arabians) We even had ostriches at one point (mean, but tasty!) I went to college at Grove City, in western PA, where I met my husband (he's from Girard, OH, near Youngstown). Since there was no way I was moving to OH (no offense to the Ohioans, but it just wasn't for me!), I dragged him back to NJ. For several years, we lived there and "just over the river" in PA (the local phrase for those crossing the Delaware River which divides the region).

Then we moved to the state of Delaware for 3 years before we happily moved back to PA. (Again, no offense to DE residents...but anyone who thinks Jersey is small hasn't been to DE!!!) All moves courtesy of my husband's job dissatisfaction...hopefully he's happy at his new one though: we are moving to Virginia next month as he recently started at VA Tech. I will be sad to leave this area where I've spent the majority of my life, but my parents retired down there and it will be very nice to live near family. Our 3 yr old son adores my father, and my husband gets along with my folks really well. In fact, he's staying with them now 'til we move.

I hate moving! If I had the money, I'd be back in rural NJ. I know it's not as rural as where many of you live, but I miss it dearly.

[Mike Craw]

I live on St. Simons Island, Georgia. I retired as a Senior Special Agent, U.S. Customs Service and was a Law Enforcement Instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Brunswick, Georgia. A lady I worked with at FLETC had horses at her home in Kingsland, GA. When I took my younger (horse crazy) daughter over to meet her in 2005, I met her husband, Carlos, who is retired and running a small saddle shop out of their home. He calls it "Rancho No Tengo". I had been doing leather work since 1981, making my own holsters and gunbelts, and Carlos needed a little help finishing some Christmas presents, so I started helping a couple of days a week. After Christmas I started helping with saddle repairs. The first custom saddle I built was my daughter's wedding present in May 2006. If the computer gods are willing, there is a photo of the shop attached.

Mike

[gunfighter48]

I'm out in beautiful, if somewhat rainy, Seattle Washington. Born and raised in Washington but we've lived in almost every area around the state. When I was 12 we spent 2 years in Orange California. We had to move back to Washington because the smog was so bad ( 1960 - 1962 ) 2 of us couldn't take it, missed 3 months of school because of lung infections. Also spent three years in the Garden State, NJ, thanks to Uncle Sam. Was stationed at Ft. Monmouth, at Eatontown NJ. Met my wife at the USO in New York City, always knew I went back one too many times!! She was a volunteer at the USO. We've been married 39 years, and they said it wouldn't last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have two grown daughters and 2 grand kids, one boy and one girl. Love to spoil them and sent them home, revenge on my one daughter!!!

John

Edited January 15, 2008 by gunfighter48

[Mike]

I live in the Quinlan/Lake Tawakoni area of Texas. For those not in the know, it's about 50 miles east of downtown Dallas. Both the wife and I were born and raised in Dallas. My daughter had to go and be born in Connecticut. Shame on her. Of course, it could've been worse. She could've been born on Guam. That's were my wife and I spent our first 3 years of marriage.

Mike

[Regis]

well here is where i am east of the Mississippi River

in my shop.

Without seeing for yourself, you just would not believe what all Luke has in that shop!!! AND, it's pretty neat.

I'm 7 1/2 hours southeast of him down in the Florida panhandle.

Regis

[rawhide1]

I was born in Newton KS but was brought up in Sallisaw Okla. Moved back to Newton when I was 12 after parents divorce. My moms people are all in Newton. I'm a firefighetr/emt for Newton Fire/Ems. The wife is a RN at Newton Medcial Center we have three kids 2 girls( 8 and 4) and a 2yr old boy. We live on 10 acres with 5 hay burners, 4 dogs, 4 cats, a rabbit and some fish. Mike

[SCOUTER]

Somehow I was delivered to the wrong address, I should have been born on a farm or in the Mts. but I wound up here in Queens, NYC --- Have you ever felt like a pair of Brown shoes in a city of TUXEDOS? That's me. (I'll make it right when I retire from the NYC Transit)

[Cora]

I live in a small town called LaBroquerie, which is located 45 mins. southeast of Winnipeg Manitoba. Just to the west of us is a small city called Steinbach which is primarily mennonite, and LaBroquerie is mostly french. We have a draft horse association, a lot of people are into ranch rodeo and with living 15 mins. from a provincial park we also have a fair bit of trail and endurance riders. We also have a lot of motorcycle and winter sports enthusiasts.

Cora

[pella]

Cora, if this picture your workshop WOW!!! Do you speak french yourself? Happy to know about this city, look interresting.

I wish i was born in a warm place...I live south of Québec, so now, it pretty cold, i am in celcius, so winter range is -5 to -30decgree celcius, that mean you have difficulty breathing and your eyebrows are frozen lol!

Here, there's a lots of horses around, always been popular in our province, but we as less "western" than Alberta, it is half/half classical and western ( i think...)

Myself, i am a half/half horsy person. I love both style, so i do both style saddlery and repairs, but i make my living doing high quality doggy stuff. Lots of dogs around too lol! But i ship 85% out of Canada.