A City Girl in the Country

One thing I find really interesting about living rurally is how people are sincerely curious about you.

In a city you’re anonymous, and I know that for some people, that can feel like freedom, like relief, like spaciousness.

But even as a native city girl, I’ve always preferred the sweetness of smaller places and the curiosity that comes with it.

I like being known and I like knowing.

Yesterday, Tank and I met the neighbor.

We were going on our morning walk/hike and were trekking over on one dusty dry mountain, she was watering her plants on her dusty dry mountain.

“HELLO THERE” she bellowed.

“GOOD MORNING” I bellowed back.

Tank barked at her.

“SORRY,” I called. “ TANK THAT’S ENOUGH.”

“NO, NO HE’S JUST DOING HIS JOB!”

We bellowed to each other for a while, and I learned that she lived there for 40 years. I think I told her I’m from LA and sing. We said Merry Christmas. The sun was making me sweat and my sunscreen stung my eyes.  I had stickers in my socks from the brush. Christmas in CA.

I like the grocery store here, too.

It’s different buying groceries in a small place. It’s slower and also a couple days ago the grocer looked me in the eyes, smiled and told me he liked my overalls.

“Very country,” he added approvingly.

“That grocer just said he liked my overalls.” I whispered proudly to Max on the way out. He patted my hand.

The town has a few boutiques, some wineries, bakeries, a country western apparel store, hardware store, a feed shop for the animals, and a paint shop. My favorites are the animal feed shop and the bakery.

At night here, it’s cold, so cold you can’t feel your hands or the tip of your nose. But the stars are really bright and even though the coyotes wail and the wind howls I feel a sense of belonging here.