Around Where I Live

- AROUND HERE WHERE I LIVE -

-There are DEER living "downtown" locked inside a chain link fence without access to the woods and the cover of the underbrush which they so desire

-People only give you the last four digits of a telephone number since all the phone numbers begin with the same three numbers

-The nearest town has only two signal lights and that town is a half-day's ride by horseback from here

-You are considered a foreigner if you don't have at least two generations of family members buried nearby

-The feed store is the place that the locals congregate to discuss the current status of the community, weather and political issues

-Forest, mountains, trees, rivers, creeks, and lakes outnumber people.

-Store keepers still let people "run a tab" and "settle up" at the end of the month and many still don't take credit cards

-Any reference made to "organic", "environmentally friendly" or "recycling" will get you labeled as "a tree hugger", "a health food nut", "a hippie type" or something even worse

-You can drive in any direction and be surrounded by the Great Creator's Natural Wonderland. Nearby you can go hiking, camping, swimming, fishing, boating, backpacking, mountain biking or any other outdoor activity you can name

-People still know who their neighbors are and do help each other in times of trouble

-You can travel only a few hours in any direction and be in one of the four neighboring states

-The forest are still inhabited by wild creatures of many types. Bear, bobcat, mountain lion, wolf and coyote still live wild and free in this area

-There is less violent crime than in urban areas. Murders are still rare compared to the murder rate in the city however most murder victims are killed by someone they know instead of by a stranger

-There are HORSES living in the woods like deer without access to pasture and grass which they so desire. Unlike the deer who can jump the barbwire fencing, the neglected horses are trapped and always get very skinny in the winter.