There are a lot of drawbacks living in an area as rural as where we live. We don't just pop out to grab something at the store since the nearest that carries more than chainsaw oil, DooDads, and Littly Debbie's Cakes is about 11 miles away.
When the power goes off our lights are often the last to come back on. In the beginning whenever we lost power during a storm, we'd huff around the house whining about being powerless, but theses days, we sit close to the windows and read a book from our shelf.
You may be asking, "Well why in the heck do you choose to live where you live?" There is no simple answer, but one morning if you found yourself sipping coffee on our back deck and the only sound you heard was that of birds, or a squirrel searching for breakfast you may get a sense of why we were attracted to the place. It's quiet.
Sometimes you may hear the whisper of a jetliner five miles overhead dragging a cotton colored contrail behind, but I don't consider that an intrusion.
Another bonus in spring and early summer is wild blackberries. Jilda makes the most amazing blackberry pie I've ever eaten.
This past week, I picked another quart of berries the size of my thumb. Many of them came at a price because I had to step into the thicket and reach high, but worthwhile things sometimes come with a price tag.
Tonight, after one bite of that pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream I thought to myself – scratched arms, a briar in my butt, and living miles away from civilization is a small price to pay.
When the power goes off our lights are often the last to come back on. In the beginning whenever we lost power during a storm, we'd huff around the house whining about being powerless, but theses days, we sit close to the windows and read a book from our shelf.
You may be asking, "Well why in the heck do you choose to live where you live?" There is no simple answer, but one morning if you found yourself sipping coffee on our back deck and the only sound you heard was that of birds, or a squirrel searching for breakfast you may get a sense of why we were attracted to the place. It's quiet.
Another bonus in spring and early summer is wild blackberries. Jilda makes the most amazing blackberry pie I've ever eaten.
This past week, I picked another quart of berries the size of my thumb. Many of them came at a price because I had to step into the thicket and reach high, but worthwhile things sometimes come with a price tag.
Tonight, after one bite of that pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream I thought to myself – scratched arms, a briar in my butt, and living miles away from civilization is a small price to pay.
You may be asking, "Well why in the heck do you choose to live where you live?"
ReplyDeleteNot me, sounds perfectly nice!
Picking blackberries is hard work and those thorns hurt. I sure wish I knew how to make a decent blackberry pie to make it worth the effort.
ReplyDeleteYou are blessed to have such a beautiful place to call home and also with that special lady to make the pies for you too !
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the country and when I was a younger gal in my 20's I liked to be in the city as there was more to do. Now I long for the country. My hubby would love to live where you are. 11 miles is not too bad to get to a store and look at the berries you got! I think more people need calmness and nature in their lives. I was just at a conference and the one speaker informed us that 30 yrs ago(or was that 20??) our average attention span was 19 minutes...today it is 9 seconds!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful word picture, not to mention the literal picture of juicy black berries. Now my girl is gonna want to go blackberry picking. You bring a smile and jolt back to when we as a family went black berry picking.
ReplyDeleteSWEET
The thorns on blackberry bushes can be treacherous, but I'd brave them for a blackberry pie.
ReplyDeleteA simple answer: You live there because it makes you happy!!
ReplyDeleteI live in similar surroundings. I understand completely.
ReplyDeleteYou do paint such beautiful word pictures, Rick. It's a gift. As a city girl turned country girl, I know how you feel about the quiet, peaceful life in the country. My blackberries will be ripening soon, so maybe you could share Jilda's recipe in a future blog.
ReplyDeleteThis morning I hung my laundry on the line because I don't have an electric dryer. Birds were chirping and a chipmunk dashed across the yard. Then I packed my trash into the Jeep Wrangler (my truck is broken) and took it to the dump. After lunch I had to drive down to the mailboxes (too far to walk in the heat) and after all that I took a nap. Country living at its best! So I totally understand why you live in the country.
ReplyDeleteI get it. My grandparents lived in the country and some of my best memories are of being at their house, walking quite a ways to get the mail, the pitch dark nights with only the stars and moon to light up the skies, and the creek to wade in. I love those memories. The blackberries are beautiful. We used to pick dewberries. I think they may be similar. Mom would make cobbler.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in the middle of an orchard in Illinois. Beyond the orchard were corn and soy bean fields. It didn't work for me. I was too lonely and isolated. I had only the dogs for company. Jehovah's Witnesses only came to the house once in seven years. If X had been around, it would have helped, but he wasn't and that's that. Now I like looking out the window to see Hot Young Anthony, shirtless, as he does his yard work. Sweet Young Allison plays in the backyard with Darling Little Caroline. That's right, Sweet Young Allison. Stay in the backyard so I have your husband to myself.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I like living where I live, quiet yet only minutes from the city business district, hospital and University, schools and shopping districts. I love it living by the river... near the farm... We are actually living within city limit but I don't grow berries unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteNext time please take a picture of Jilda's blackberry pie. They do sound very tasty.
JB