I’m sitting here in the den with the window open, listening to the early Morris Street morning. It’s quiet, calm, peaceful. How could I want to live anywhere else? Some of my friends love the crush and bustle of city life, but there is no way I could do that. Cities make me feel small and closed in, insignificant. Yes, I am a person who likes to be able to fade into the background and observe, but I want that to be my choice, not a reality by bent of where I live. The sounds of the city crowd in on my ears, distract me, turn me about. The wind tunnels they become in the winter bowl me over. The anonymity by necessity makes me feel isolated. Now, please don’t misunderstand me. Cities have their very, very good points, too. Museums and shopping malls and wonderful places to discover to eat. And friends, don’t forget friends. But it’s not for me. I learned this rather quickly. I need a touch of country somewhere.

Ben and I were driving through Randolph County one lovely afternoon and, as I looked out over the burgeoning cornfields, the rippling wheat, and the treeline beyond – so much green! – I thought to myself, “This is what I always wanted.” And I did. The beauty and idyllic peace of ‘country life’ is something I dreamt of constantly as a child growing up in the Caribbean. I wanted gardens full of flowers, birds singing in the trees, butterflies in the daytime, and fireflies at night. And I have that now.

We spent our honeymoon and fifth wedding anniversary at the Treaty House in Story, Indiana. Now, seriously, you can hardly ask for my idyllic than Story. No TV, no radio, no cell phone reception, up in the hills of southern Indiana. In the spring and early summer, it is just wonderful! Quiet, beautiful, the air still enough to hear the horses nickering in the nearby fields while the fireflies flit by your head. One of my favorite things was just to walk along the road there with Ben in the late evening, holding hands and reveling in the whispering roar of the leaves rustling overhead like ocean waves, the clean breeze, and the oncoming night as the fireflies began to wink into being. Needless to say, I love it there and plan for us to go back for our tenth anniversary and as many as we can handle after that.

Here, at home, I still have the idyllic. There is a huge oak tree in our backyard that overshadows a swingset left behind by the previous owners, where we have hung a bench swing. It’s perfect on cool evenings, to sit out and listen to the noise of the tree die down as children are bustled inside for dinner and evening tv, though during the summer, “come inside time” does get later and later. We also have a firepit out back that can make for some very romantic and reflective evenings.

Even though I live ‘in town’, I still have that country loveliness I always dreamed of. All that’s missing most of the time is a proper, hobbitish sort of dress for me to wear. Because, of course, my dear friend Courtney and I fully intend on someday retiring to a lovely little English country cottage some day. With a darling garden for us to sit and Courtney will teach me to make the perfect loaf of bread. You know, like you do. 🙂