The City Mouse in the Country

  I never expected to live out in the country.    I never expected to enjoy it.    I never expected to plant my own food, or do much of the day to day “manual” labor that living out in the country requires.   I was a city boy, I had come to enjoy the distractions that a city offered. I never expected to love where I live, I love the quiet.   I love the stars at night.    I even love the deer that nibbled at my garden, or the wild turkey and foxes that live around me.    Which got me thinking, what can I do to improve the community around me?   Other than what I already do with the Odd Fellows ? Basically we live in an area of three closely knit towns, and despite the title of the blog – it’s not considered the “boondocks” but it is rural.    I live in the small town of Stoneboro, close to the small towns of Jackson Center and Sandy Lake.     Small communities that are all knitted together by country roads and a local high school.   We are 70 minutes from Pittsburgh, 100 minutes

  Let me state that first and foremost that I am a Pacifist.   I don't believe in violence in any way, shape or form nor do I believe that violent actions are ever justified. That being said I was reading an opinion piece on an environmentalist discussion board calling for more direct - and confrontational - action concerning climate change and social justice. I can understand the writer's comments and their frustration.  That being said I personally cannot condone or support any act of violence in the name of ecology or social justice (or any other cause for that matter).  That's just my personal belief that any violence just begets more violence...and that solves nothing. I may have been reading to much into it or supplanting my own fears and anxiety onto the author of the original piece  I do feel it's an idea worth commenting on however because the solutions needed are complex and intertwined and frankly require more than slap dash attempts at "policy." B

  I saw a comic recently that describes the month of March perfectly. Two people are standing outside and it starts to rain, one of them comments on that by saying "Oh, it's raining again." The next panel has the other same person saying, " And now it's a mix of snow and ice." The third and final panel has some colored in streaks through the air and the first person asks the question "Is that mud?"   To which the other person simply states "I hate March." Honestly I don't hate March.  Much like September it's a transmission month for me, where I shake off the dust and depression of winter and look forward to longer days, warmer temperatures and a more colorful environment.  This winter was generally mild, with only December bearing snow and unbearably cold temperatures.  Having grown up in Western Pennsylvania, I know that Mother Nature has at least one more ice storm up her sleeve. Even as I write this our yard is cov