My small town life.

People often ask me about living in a town of 800 people, in the center of a rural area. And honestly, having lived in towns from 15,000 to 400,000, I will say at first I didn't think I'd like it. And I continued to commute to a job in a larger town, where I spent much of my free time, for over 15 years. I didn't embrace the small town life at all.

shame on me

Over the last three years, spending the majority of my days and nights in this beautiful little town, I've more than embraced life in a small town.

i love it

Yesterday afternoon my husband and I took a long afternoon walk, noting the spring thaw, the flowers coming up, and progress in our little town of that post-winter wake-up that occurs every spring. The snow thawing, water running, grass beginning to turn green... it's a beautiful rebirth.

I had errands to run today, the first day of spring break at school, and decided to take advantage of the 50 degree weather and head out on foot to take care of my business. All totalled I was only gone for 40 minutes. In that 40 minutes, I returned a book to the library, bought stamps at the post office, picked up the week's groceries at the mercantile, bought my peat pellets to start my seedlings from the hardware store, and met and chatted with the new neighbor who just moved in a couple of houses down.

40 minutes

all on foot (love the health benefit of that)

saving on my carbon footprint, chatting with friends, neighbors, and towns people, and doing my heart good with the walk and fresh air

I couldn't do this when I lived in a metro area. Honestly from where my apartment was, there wasn't ANYTHING I could safely walk to.

So I love love love my life in this small town. I love the people, the friendships, walking everywhere, and feeling like I am living amongst a family of 800 people.