38 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | AUGUST 2022
Writers' Club
Five Things I Love About Country Living
I wrote the following article when I lived in (extremely) rural
Zenia, California years ago, but much of it applies to my Four Seasons
life, too (thank God).
I've often said that country living is "neighbor intensive," which
simply means that you do get to know your neighbors in the country.
You can't help it. You meet them on that one-lane country road, where
one of you has to back up and pull over; or you find it handy now and
then to borrow a bulldozer or a cup of sugar.
When I lived in the city, the only time I even saw a neighbor was
when I left for work, and as we locked our respective doors, we might
mutter a hurried and embarrassed, "Um, 'morning," that is if we
couldn't avoid a grudging eye contact.
So here's what I love about living in the country:
1. Getting up with the chickens: I wish I could sleep in now and
then, but the neighbor's rooster has other ideas. The bright side
is, I get more done early (my best time for writing), and I can
avoid the dangerous rays of the noonday sun.
2. It's quiet, most of the time. Sure, the weekend's frantic weed-
whacking and leaf blowing may intrude
on my peace (and there are brief spates of
rototilling and chain-sawing, as well), but
that is intermittent, unlike the constant
sound of city traffic.
3. I don't have to dress-up to go to the store.
Yes, I do cave in to wearing a bra when
I go downtown, but if I'm wearing my
jeans (what else?) and if they are a little
dirty from a morning's gardening, nobody
stares.
4. I not only know my neighbors by sight,
I know their names, approximate ages,
marital status and willingness to share
books, neighborhood gossip, and produce
— and if necessary, I know they can be
counted on if need be to run an errand
or be there for me in an emergency. They
know I'll do the same for them.
5. And finally, although we recognize our interdependence, we
also have a great and profound respect for each other's privacy.
And that's what I value most of all.
Four Seasons Writers' Club meets the second Tuesday of the
month in the RCN Conference Room. For info, email me, Mary Lynn
Archibald, at mlarchibald@mac.com. ~ Mary Lynn Archibald
