We live in what
they call rural America, far from the hustle and bustle of city crowds and traffic.
Though I was born and raised in the big city, this type of living suits me just
fine. With our house at the end of a dead end road, we have a farmer’s field on one side of us
and peaceful neighbors on the other. Small town living at its finest and I
wouldn’t have it any other way.
Except when the
powers that be at City Hall decide to sponsor county fair like events on any given summer week-end complete
with carnival rides set up in the school parking lots and adjacent city park
and flea market booths lined up on either side of Main Street. (And, yes, the
major thoroughfare in town is officially dubbed Main Street.) They claim these
events are to bring in commerce to the businesses in the community. Let's see, that would be two bars, a party store, pizzeria and dentist office. It’s a week-end we always try to be somewhere
else for a couple of days. Anything to avoid the mad house where usually civilized people park
on private lawns and drop debris and such for the locals to pick up while they
walk around as if they owned the place. (And don’t tell the city fathers, but,
as I understand, when all is said and done the city usually has more debt to
pay than revenue in the coffers.)
According to a
number of yard signs that have popped up recently, this next week-end the lake and
wooded area where my husband and I have logged so many pleasant and peaceful miles walking
will be the site of a full blown circus.
The good news is
these assaults on our peace and tranquility are few and far between. For now
anyway. If any of that changes for the worse, we can always move.
I left the big city
once, if it comes to that, I can do it again.
My days to blog here are the 11th and 23rd and I'm an author of, what else, contemporary romance. For more about me and my stories, please visit my WEBSITE
24 comments:
Good post, Margo. I live in a beach resort town so we have heavy traffic all summer. Add to that construction on a major thoroughfare and, well I'd rather just stay home. LOL Labor Day (when all the tourists go home) can't come soon enough. I hope you can return to peace and quiet soon.
Tahoe is a tourist destination in both the summer and winter. Tons of people and traffic (with the added thrill of road construction or icy roads in the mix--depending on the season). Makes me happy I drive to work at 5am. But our economy is based on those tourists, so I shouldn't complain... And we get May and October off for the locals. Just saying...
Diane, as far as I'm concerned the off season can't come soon enough. I agree with you too about preferring to stay home instead of contending with traffic.
Lucky you to live in such a beautiful area, Jannine. Part of me is jealous. I love the combination of water and mountains. Where I live isn't resort like at all. Just a peaceful little farm town minding its own business. Why oh why in the name of profit would anyone want to mess with that? Drives me nuts!!
I live near Pismo Beach, where summers are a draw for vacationers and people escaping hot weather inland. This time of year, restaurants are packed. We never know when we want to eat out, so we don't make reservations...guess what, in the summer that spontaneous plan doesn't work. Dang! Who are all these people and what are they doing in my town? Point is, I came to live here for the same reasons all these 'extra' people visit. And they do help the local economy. But make reservations? Ugh!
Exactly, Rolynn. Who are they indeed. I'm reminded of a bumper sticker I saw when we arrived at 'the' vacation Mecca of the south. It read "Welcome to Florida, now go home!" I need one of those containing my little burg's name. The worst is when they hold some kind of money making 5K on my coveted walking path. Bah! Humbug!
For us, living in a town of four colleges, it's the arrival of the college students. Traffic increases, lines at stores lengthen, and restaurants are jammed. Since we're retired, we do our running and eating out during the day. At night, we stay home. Gee, don't we sound boring??? LOL
Well, all I can say is, try living in the Hamptons. A beautiful village established in the 1600s on a land grant from King Charles, now chaotic, crowded, over-priced...but lovely in the winter.
If you guys are boring, Vonnie, we're right there with you. Before I lived in my sleepy little town where we are now, I grew up in a college town. Yeah. I hear you there too.
All I can think to say, Andi, is sad but true. Makes my 'plight' a little easier to take I guess. ;-)
I love small town living and miss my "Mayberry" town of Lake Mills, Wisconsin in many ways...except winters. Both my husband and I grew up in a Big 10 college city, and even though we chose to live in smaller towns the city has always been no more than a half hour drive. There is definitely something to be said for peace and quiet.
Nice post. I live in what's called a "bedroom community" - people live there, but nobody comes here to work. In other words, suburbia. There are a few big events, like the monthly Slip and Slide days, but that's far enough away that it doesn't bother us. We can be as busy as we want - whenever we want. And there are people to talk to - when we want to talk to them! I love summertime.
You're so right, Maxine. Big cities do have their place in my life once in a while. Peace and quiet wins the rest of the time.
Summer is a premier season, Patty, that's for sure. There is something to be said for having the best of both worlds. Enjoy!
Here in Edmond, Oklahoma, we don't get 'tourist'seasons. But, at rush hour, our roads can be very crowded and traffic-y. I live a little ways out from the main congestion, and that suits me just fine, although, i do have to drive in it fairly often. :/
Ah, Ally, we were lucky enough to live, temporarily, in Norman while my husband went to school and have relatives in Edmond. Love the area, but I will agree it can get traffic -y.
I'm a country girl too though I must admit, I did love living in Vienna. Not at first but later it was lovely.
Still, I've only lived in two cities my whole life. One was Las Vegas, Nevada, which I will never do again, and the other Vienna. The town where I lived in Nevada had 15000 people as does the one I live in New Mexico. That's about as many people as I want. Personally, I'd live on acreage away from the town but it wasn't what my husband wanted at all.
Personally, I love living on a mesa. It's beautiful and at 7300 feet, cool.
Thanks for sharing, Margo.
I feel your pain, Margo! I grew up at the "Central Jersey Shore," victim of tourism every summer. (Yes, Labor Day couldn't come soon enough every year. And no, it's not like the infamous TV show...shudders). Now I live between Virginia's Historic Triangle (Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown) and Virginia Beach, with one major highway connecting the two. That means horrific driving most days, but add summer tourist season, and let's just say I turn into a hermit quickly these days. I'll hope for a pain-free circus!
Spot on, Margo! I was born and raised in New York City. I travelled to and from college on the city bus and subway during rush hour. Same deal when I started work. Ugh. When I married a country boy, he took me away from all that, bless him. We live near a small town on a small private lake in Michigan not far from Lansing. We're close enough to the city to avail ourselves of its amenities but far enough away to avoid the noise and traffic. Summers on the lake are peaceful and relaxing. It's our little bit of paradise and I love it. I told the hubs that the only way I would ever leave is in a body bag!
New Mexico is a beautiful place to live, Lynn. Vienna must have been fascinating.
Yeah, Leah, just thinking of the dircus makes me shudder. Your area sounds like a great place to be, without the people though. Wonder how you could manage that?
Oh, Lana, we used to live where you live, though not on the lake. Peaceful is right. My kind of living!
I can identify with you! We live on a lake in a popular VA resort. For three seasons we live in lovely peace, but summer is often frantic with too many watercraft zipping all over our cove. We have coined a word: "boaty." All us residents look forward to Labor Day and a return to sanity! Nice post.
We live in a beach town and it's always crowded from Memorial day to Labor Day and beyond. But in a few weeks we'll get to be the tourists when we visit our favorite western town of Jackson, WY. Then we will be one of those people the locals wish would go home!
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