We are city dwellers. We love some things about the city - the convenience...everything is within a very short drive, or even a walk if one was so inclined. The grocery store, the library, the bank, Wal-Mart, the gas station, and numerous parks can all be walked to in less than 1/2 hr.
In the city you are not stuck with one grocery store - but rather down the "main drag" there is a choice of four grocery stores. I can't even count how many banks. If you don't like Wal-Mart there is a K-Mart and a Target and some dollar stores. There is even a mall within walking distance. Fast Food galore!
The hospital and doctor's office is about 10 min away. But if you don't like that one - you need drive only about 20 min and there are 2 more hospitals.
Baseball, the symphony, museums, science center, children's activity center, the zoo etc. all within about 1/2 an hour.
My husband's job is about a 15 min drive. Church is about a 20 min drive away. The airport about 10 min away.
Convenience - that's what we like about the city. But we are not city people.
My dh grew up on a farm. The biggest town was a 30 min drive from home. School was an hour bus ride (school wasn't that far away but that's how long he had to sit on the bus as the driver stopped and picked up everyone else).
I grew up in a very small town - population 11,000. McDonalds didn't even arrive until I had grown up and moved away :(
So in our "souls" we are small town/country folk.
This weekend we drove out to the country. To the old farmstead. The kids were excited. They've lived in the city their whole lives - but they love the country, they love the farm.
Out in the country they can see the sky...they can smell the fresh air (well as fresh as the air can be with cattle around that is)...they can see things growing...they can explore. They can get dirty. They can clearly hear the birds chirping, the frogs singing, the cows mooing.
There is a creek nearby for swimming (if you don't mind the cotton mouths) and for crawdad, tadpoles and frog catching. For skipping rocks, and for hunting for arrowheads. There are cats for cuddling and dogs for chasing.
There is the tractor, the gator and the 4-wheeler for riding around in with grandpa, or dad, or an uncle.
There are hay bales for climbing on (and falling off of). Fences for climbing.
The kids get dirty (and smelly!). Their bodies are scratched up. But they are happy.
Every child needs a farm. A bit of country all their own.
In the city you are not stuck with one grocery store - but rather down the "main drag" there is a choice of four grocery stores. I can't even count how many banks. If you don't like Wal-Mart there is a K-Mart and a Target and some dollar stores. There is even a mall within walking distance. Fast Food galore!
The hospital and doctor's office is about 10 min away. But if you don't like that one - you need drive only about 20 min and there are 2 more hospitals.
Baseball, the symphony, museums, science center, children's activity center, the zoo etc. all within about 1/2 an hour.
My husband's job is about a 15 min drive. Church is about a 20 min drive away. The airport about 10 min away.
Convenience - that's what we like about the city. But we are not city people.
My dh grew up on a farm. The biggest town was a 30 min drive from home. School was an hour bus ride (school wasn't that far away but that's how long he had to sit on the bus as the driver stopped and picked up everyone else).
I grew up in a very small town - population 11,000. McDonalds didn't even arrive until I had grown up and moved away :(
So in our "souls" we are small town/country folk.
This weekend we drove out to the country. To the old farmstead. The kids were excited. They've lived in the city their whole lives - but they love the country, they love the farm.
Out in the country they can see the sky...they can smell the fresh air (well as fresh as the air can be with cattle around that is)...they can see things growing...they can explore. They can get dirty. They can clearly hear the birds chirping, the frogs singing, the cows mooing.
There is a creek nearby for swimming (if you don't mind the cotton mouths) and for crawdad, tadpoles and frog catching. For skipping rocks, and for hunting for arrowheads. There are cats for cuddling and dogs for chasing.
There is the tractor, the gator and the 4-wheeler for riding around in with grandpa, or dad, or an uncle.
There are hay bales for climbing on (and falling off of). Fences for climbing.
The kids get dirty (and smelly!). Their bodies are scratched up. But they are happy.
Every child needs a farm. A bit of country all their own.
2 comments:
Country life is truly exciting ! Spending time with my grandparents in Riverland,MB was always a highlight in my life !
Amen, sister! I couldn't have said it better. THIS is why my kids would rather go to grandpa's farm than Disneyworld I'm writing my own stories about the farm and our country side at my blog this week. Hop over and enter to win the prize!
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