Thursday July 20, 2006

I Love Our Neighborhood

I just walked around our two-mile block – which is laid out in almost perfect half-mile roads.

Corn fields are lush and green.

I checked the height of a tall stand by stretching my arm over my head – it had to be more than nine feet tall. 

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I hadn’t gone far when I met a jogger going the opposite direction – a courteous young man I barely know, who said, “Good evening ma’am.”

After turning the first corner, I saw my oldest brother who was using a skid loader to feed the cows.  We smiled and waved.  The next half mile was quiet, with the exception of grunting, oinking hogs; an occasional loud bray from a donkey; and lots of singing birds. 

I turned the second corner – and still hadn’t met a car.  Then halfway through that section, I heard a car coming out the long, gravel driveway I had just passed.  Before long I heard, “Hey, I know you!”  I turned around.  It was Ashleigh http://www.xanga.com/mghtymouse200211 who lives with my youngest brother’s family.  We talked a bit, then went our separate ways. 

A pickup truck passed me from behind – probably someone going home from work.  When I passed the jogger’s house, he was in the yard teasing a young boy – probably a son.  I called out, “You beat me home.”  He laughingly shouted back, “Keep walking, you’ll soon be there.” 

His neighbor was mowing yard; a pretty black and white duck quacked and waddled toward me as I walked by the field it shares with sheep and other fowl;  a car came toward me – she waved – but I don’t know who it was; three young brothers were playing with a garden tractor and wagon.

I turned the third corner and noticed a downed tree – the result of Tuesday’s storm; a few cars passed me – I was now on the state road which has more traffic; it was quiet at the Amish farm – with the exception of a diesel engine which was probably cooling milk; just before turning the last corner, I met my nephew Neil – probably doing farm work because he was in the old beat-up pickup; then I was home.

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Now I’m enjoying a glass of cold water and listening to a good concert on TV – from Branson, MO.