Farmlands and Foothills

I'm not even sure if the signs are still there, but the greeting posted on any road leading to my county said Welcome to the Farmlands and Foothills of . . .   In my younger years, I might have groaned at the corny (no pun intended) alliteration of the phrase.  Having lived here now most of my life, I embrace the sentiment.

This afternoon, my daughters and I made the trek into NYC to catch a concert at Central Park Summerstage.  This involved driving 40 minutes to the nearest train station, arriving at Penn Station, taking the E train, then walking to the entrance at the Park.  It was all sensory overload for me.  I was grateful that I was in the company of three 20-somethings who seem more willing and able to navigate the crowds, the noise, the confusion, the signs, and the crazies who yell out bad stuff.  Let's face it, I am not a city person.

Although being 50 miles (and a couple of hours) from New York City can be a plus, I have become more and more discerning about what events will coerce me into leaving my country paradise.  Broadway shows?  Not likely.  Sporting events?  Nah.  (Although I probably wouldn't say no to a Mets game.)  Museums?  Okay, if someone else is driving.  Concerts?  Yep, that's my weakness.

Anyway, the point of this post is to tell you what I fell in love with today.  I may have been in NYC, but I fell in love all over again with my county, my farmlands and foothills.  While making our way to the concert venue, I tried to imagine living in the city.  Immediately, I thought of all the things I would no longer enjoy, little things like fresh air, open space, many green things, various critters, my gardens, my car, back roads, hiking trails, well water, and most importantly, quiet.  I live among bear, deer, coyotes, trees, wetlands, lakes, ponds, streams, farms, flowers, woods, dirt roads, hills, and valleys.  It is mostly peaceful here.

Being in the city allowed me to fall in love with the place in which I live . . . all over again.

Oh, the concert?  Conor Oberst and Dawes were fantastic!  Good times!