Comings and Goings

Living in the country has been wonderful (most of the time), but lately I've been missing a few bright lights. Even with daylight savings, the long distance drive to work and back is starting to wear a little thin, the train trips, too. So discussions have been had about moving back to town - but no sooner do we start talking about moving, when I start getting maudlin about leaving all the things that make living out of town so good.

Blue and Green:
I'm sure the fat wedges of pale blue sky and the smoky greens of the gum trees have a positive influence on me, even if I dont' always notice it.

The Storms:
Some days the sky turns almost inky with storms. They rush in like stampeding cattle and leave the garden strewn with sodden branches and leaves. Sometimes it's as if these storms arrive in order to sweep away dead air, leaving something new its wake.

People:
It's true. I always thought it was a bit of a myth, but people are friendlier in the country. We get called "the girls" by the butcher. He's a sweetie.

The Birds:
Even the Kookaburra's who make me feel paranoid because I really do feel like they're laughing at me! The magpies, the cockies, the tiny wrens, galahs, rosella's and the odd owl.

Friends:
Long lunches on the verandah. Gin and tonic on a hot day, music playing, friends laughing, kids feeding the horse, playing under the hose...the smell of a bbq on a Sunday afternoon. The glow of lamps against the sky.

The Garden:
The seasons seem so distinct in the country. The garden dies off, blooms again, sleeps, wakes up.

The Clouds:
Like looking at a giant map of Iceland. I never really noticed clouds before - now I can spend ages looking at them glide.

The Stars:
Amazing and terrifying - prompting lots of existential questions that I have no answers for.