Friday, June 27, 2008

"I've Been Everywhere..."

Well, the Texas version of that song keeps rolling through my head, so I had to title my post that way. But I haven't really been everywhere.

Yesterday in North Texas was perfect for a road trip. The sun was shining while white puffy clouds dotted the sky, offering small pools of shade every so often, and the roads (at least the ones I drove on) were wide open. Here's a shout out to the small towns I passed through, any of which I would love to live in: Crandall, Gastonia, Kaufman, Kemp, Mabank, Eustace, Athens, Crescent Heights, Malakoff, Trinidad, Kerens, Powell, Corsicana, Silver City, Spring Hill, Dawson, Hubbard, Malone, Penelope, Birome, Hoen, Leroy, Tours, & West. These towns were of various populations, some a mere a cluster of homes along the highway, some a bit larger with bank, post office, and grocery store. Some we traveled right through, while we hit the outskirts of others.

As I watched trees and sky, wild grasses and crops roll by, I felt a keen longing for a such a place to call my own. Even the owners of the most ramshackle, run-down, rusted out single-wides we passed had my envy. They have something I do not - property out in the country. I've lived my life (mostly) within the confines of larger urban cities. I've always been an introvert, but at the risk of turning into a complete hermit, I long to be out in the wide open places, miles from the hustle and bustle of a big city. A small town with an old fashioned Main Street would suit me fine. Or better yet, a farm house on a hill overlooking the surrounding countryside. I want to watch the seasons - such as they are in Texas; I want to see a thunderstorm coming and going, rolling across the plains. I want simplicity.

2 comments:

K.M. Saint James said...

I love road trips, and I'm so with you that just passing through the small towns is wonderful. My grandmother lived in the tiny town of Sunset, Texas. If you ever watch the guy on channel 4 who travels Texas backroads, a sign for Sunset appears in the credits. Anyhow, I loved when we went to see my grandmother. Loads of countryside, the smell of cows (and some other nicer smells as well), big-rig trucks and their honking horns, breezes that blew straight from Canada in the winter and Mexico in the summer, horses neighing, birds chirping, crickets -- oh boy were there crickets -- I loved going there and spending time.

Thanks for reminding me of those great times.

L.A. Mitchell said...

I've lived both. We didn't have much property in Kansas, but I could walk a short distance and get lost in a corn field. The only thing I realized, for me, was the quiet was deafening. Nice for a change of pace, but then I long for movement.

The only place I'd be happy on some land is on a mountainside in Colorado. Then, you can leave me alone.

Great post, Jen.