"Five Awesome Things" is going to be a monthly series where I sit down and ruminate on the things that make the month's theme so cool or on other things that might not get the appreciation they deserve. So, what's so great about living in the countryside?
5. Nature Walks:
I'm normally a bit of a slugabed and I'm not much of a fan of living an hour from a decent grocery store. But, there's something magical about going for a walk in the cool of the evening and wandering into the woods. In autumn, there were changing leaves and wild turkey and deer peeking out of the trees and brambles. In winter, the first snowfall of the season began while I was out for a woodland stroll, showering everything with a fine, cool, diamond white glitter. Spring meant rabbits and birdsong, with cherry, dogwood and wild apple trees in full bloom, and every breeze was full of petals straight out of a shojo manga. Summer meant I had to wait until sundown for the temperature to drop, but the sunsets were amazing and the summer flowers were like splashes of brilliant paint on the world. You have to be careful out here; bears and bobcats were a hazard for a while, but they seem to have moved on to quieter woods and now, I'm willing to believe that the area is safe for an afternoon wander. I don't take my iPod or anything with me, just my cell phone for security. It's little things like that, that make things a little less stressful. When I'm walking, there's nothing I need to think about, past maybe dodging cars on the way!
4. Peace and Quiet:
Okay, I'm a talker. I like sound and conversation and music. But, I never realized just how beneficial a little silence could be until I moved out here. I've found that I listen to music way too loud, that my cats are much more expressive and chatty than originally believed, and that even silence has a little bit of music to it. And time seems to move a bit slower out here. I forget to get out of bed somedays until noon, I'm so much more relaxed. The laidback atmosphere has done wonders for my mood.
3. Fresh Produce:
Ever tasted a freshly-picked cherry tomato? I mean, REALLY fresh, straight off the vine? I hadn't either, until my Mother-In-Law moved with us and started growing vegetables and herbs on the back porch. I popped one in my mouth when it was offered and thought I was in Heaven. It was juicy and sweet and rich and a dozen other wonderful words. I love being able to go out back and pick herbs for my salads, or just grab tomatoes to snack on. They may not be any more or less healthy than the store-bought kind, but the ones in the store just don't taste the same at all.
2. Wildflowers:
Virginia wildflowers were something I discovered only after I moved to Loudoun County as a pre-teen. They get planted all along highways and median strips here and they fill the summers with such color and joy, it's hard to imagine a summer drive without them. Huge red, yellow and orange poppies, pale blue and purple cornflowers, flowers I can't remember to describe that only come to mind as punches of pink and violet and indigo. My yard was full of pink phlox, which looks like a carpet of tiny fuschia flowers smaller than my pinky nail, during the month of June and I was so very sad to see them go away. Just keep in mind, hard as it is, don't pick them unless they're in your yard. Many areas plant them in places to keep native species from dying out or being crowded out by invasive species. Instead, if you want to have wildflowers to pick for your own, find out if any local nature preservation societies have seeds for sale and plant them in your yard or in pots.
1. History:
In Virginia, we have tons of old historic houses and neighborhoods, especially outside of the cities. There are the ones people know, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Montpelier, Williamsburg, but not a lot of people know about Sully Plantation, a place very close to my heart. My mother and I used to reenact for the park service at Sully, which is the ancestral home of the famous Lee family (yes, 1776 fans, THAT Lee family ;)). It's a beautiful old Federalist period home, roughly built around the time the Regency period was kicking off in Europe, and we very nearly lost it to the building of Dulles Airport. As it is, Dulles is quite close by (you can hear the jets flying low overhead), but dear old Sully was saved and functions as a museum to this day. I highly recommend finding your own local historic sites and getting involved in their well-being. It maybe as wild as the local animal sanctuary (many of which were founded in the Victorian age) or as civilized as a local small town where absolutely nothing seems to have happened. But keep it alive so future generations can enjoy it!
Until tomorrow, I wish you all lots of luck, love, and living space! Remember, I'm no expert, I'm learning as I go!
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