My wife and I have spent a good deal of our lives living between the city limit signs of one metropolis or another. As urban dwellers, we found the constant rumble of noises drifting in and out as life moves along quite comforting. But the older we got, the more we found ourselves longing for the quiet country life we remembered from our childhood days. So when we decided to retire, we wanted to move to a more peaceful setting. We searched the world over and chose this small house in the southern Missouri Ozarks and settled in for a quiet country way of life.
We were greeted on our first morning of blissful country life by the neighbor’s rooster telling us that 4 hours of sleep is enough. He was quickly joined by a chorus of dogs (at least one for every house within a five-mile radius) declaring their desire to have the rooster over for breakfast. Then it was time for every mufflerless vehicle in the county to rev up their engines in preparation for the parade down our country lane. ‘The Branson Belle’, a paddle boat on the lake ten miles away blared a horn to announce that it was time for another load of tourists. The whistle from a train crossing Hwy 248 mixed with a mooing of a hundred head of cattle, a couple dozen crows, and a few hundred other species of birds rounded out the orchestra.
But as I sit here in my rocking chair on the porch. I sip my coffee and watch the sun rise above the leafless oaks and maples. I raise my cup and give a smile. Because I know I’m home.
Ah, the country life!
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It’s not like I remember, growing up in Wakenda
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A similar experience for me. I moved from one of the largest, noisiest cities on earth to what I thought would be the quiet countryside. What appeared to me to be a quiet country lane is actually a main thoroughfare with vehicles of every description 24/7. Add the non-stop barking dogs. At least there are no roosters. 🙂
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And we’re not saying anything about the coyote’s howling all night, the Possums in the trash and armadillos digging up the yard.
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As you know, I am a country boy at heart. Those sounds you are describing make me long for the countryside even more than I do now. That said, I will probably stay in the city due to the convenience of doctors and hospitals and having groceries delivered.
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I understand, I know you don’t want to move to the retirement village in Reeds Spring. It seems like the ambulance is there every night.
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It’s good to see another post from you, Jerry! I hope you’ve been keeping well.
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As well as anyone can be in this current mess. Winter time has set in and is allowing me a little time to write. As soon as spring hits it will be back to yard work. The previous owners had not used the pool in several years and it is quite a mess. Particularly the landscaping. I promised the grand kids I’d get it up and going by Independence Day.
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Good to see you’re still there and enjoying life without a mention of covid. Take care, Jerry.
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Thanks Roland. I think I’ll have a couple of months down time before I have to hit the landscaping again.
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