Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Back Road Beauty: A Sunday Drive...



Next time you get out of church, turn right instead of left, or left instead of right--and head for the countryside instead of going home.


Stop and get a cup of coffee, some hot chocolate, or a Coke for a treat.  Then sit back and watch the beauty, all free for the taking, all you have to do is look out the window of that comfy, warm car or truck and admire the hard and excellent work of laborers from the past.







Soon, you will all be talking, visiting, conversing, singing along once in a while to the favorite country tune playing in the background.  


Even the teenager will participate.  (Yes, he will tease, too, because you always ask dad to stop and turn around so you can take a picture.  And you embarrass him to death when you thank the horses for posing so nicely and you tell them repeatedly that they are beautiful.)






So much is out there, and on a Sunday, well, it just seems like on Sunday, we have the time for such things.




It takes us back to a simpler time...when there wasn't anything we were in a rush for.

And we should be that way more often now, more than ever. 

Scenery like this is on my way to almost everywhere.  Yet I never tire of looking at farms, and old well-kept homes--plain and simple or beautiful and fancy--horses, cattle, pastures, and best of all, the barns that have been there guarding the old home place for a century or more.

How could that ever get old?  Sometimes, just taking the long way home is worth it because of the new beauty that you might not have seen before.



 

In the comments section, tell us if you are a "City Mouse" or a "Country Mouse"!

19 comments:

Laura said...

I love old farms. I like to think of the history, of the families that lived there so many years ago.
Then, when I see an old abandoned farmhouse, I think of the history there too. How it now sits there deserted and sad, but it was once home to a farm family who worked hard every day. Perhaps it was their dream home that they had planned and saved for.

Down On The Farm said...

I live in the country and am surrounded by the scenes you describe. I too feel kind of sad when I see an abandoned house. Somebody built it, somebody lived there, and what happened that made them just move off and leave it??? I think it is a happy heart that finds joy in the simple things. So I pray that the Lord blesses your happy heart today!

Meadowbrook Cabin Primitives said...

Hi Joni,

Country or city... a bit of each is a nice mix for me since I don't like driving on these hilly mountain curvy roads in the winter time ! :o)

Basically, this area of Pennsylvania where I live, is considered the sticks ( country )until you either reach Pittsburgh or Erie which is a distance of 2 1/2 to 3 or so hours away.

My mother was raised on a farm with dairy cows and pigs. My aunt had a farm with cows and chickens and another aunt raised turkeys and harvested sassafras bark for tea ! I love that tea and now they say it is cancerous ! My grandmother lived to be 94 years old drinking that tea.

Now I live in the midst of a huge dairy farm that supplies milk to the best milk and milk products available around here. ( Gallikers ) The neighbors, the dairy farmers, work 365 days a year , non stop, to provide us milk, etc. to drink and eat !

I say God Bless the farmers ! And our beautiful countryside that still has old homes and barns and history from our past !

And I still say while driving by a horse....see the horsey ? Even though my children are grown ! :o)

May you have a wonderful day !

Hugs,
Linda

Keggy said...

I just love to drive along the backroads of Indiana and Ohio whereen we live. I live in an old farmhouse, built in 1865. We have been here for 37 years and we are seeing the urban creep all around. When we first moved here it was country but now medical offices and strip malls are all around. A developer is constantly trying to buy our house bit I will NOT sell. It is sad that all these deveopers think of is money. I love my house and all of it's history especially our family's as we have raised 3 children here.

Unknown said...

Live in the country, but the city is moving in faster and faster all the time.

Sabrina @Falling Leaf Woodworkers and Primitives said...

great pictures. I love to just drive and look at the scenery but I always forget my camera. I need to get a small one to keep in my pocketbook. The Horse picture is my favorite. They look proud to have their picture taken.
Thanks for Sharing
Sabrina

Erin said...

Definitely a country mouse. Love the backroads.

Anonymous said...

Joni,
Beautiful pictures!
The old farms are so beautiful and we have many near by, for which I am thankful.
I guess I would be a "small town" mouse. Definitely not city mouse.

Shirley said...

Beautiful pictures! Just makes you want to sit back and relax :)
I'm kind of quirky because I LOVE aspects of both country mouse and city mouse. I don't think I could be big city mouse for a long time, but I do love at least being near the big city :) We are *very* country mouse right now and sometimes it gets very quiet.

Eileen said...

Beautiful pictures! I love the beauty of farmland. I live in the country and love it!
Growing up, we always took Sunday rides after church. It was one of my favorite childhood memories. We'd even stop sometimes at the Good Humor truck parked on the side of the road and get an ice cream bar.

Deanna said...

Hi there!!!
These kinds of drives feed my soul...love it when we go for drives and in no hurry.

God bless,
d from homehaven

lil red hen said...

I'm definitely a country mouse. I love seeing old houses and wonder if anything is left inside to tell about the former residents. New houses are beginning to fill up much of the farm land and it makes one wonder, where will our food be grown in a few years?

Unknown said...

I live in a small town and my home borders a lot of farmland. I often go for rides out in the country on the dirt roads. It's so peaceful out there...just me and God.

Beautiful post.

Tanya said...

Hi Joni,
We live on the edge of a small town on 5 acres...so it feels a little like country. I'm definitely not a city girl. I love to shop in the city, visit the city, eat out in the city, get on a plane in the city.....but oh no no no no....no desire to LIVE in the city! ;)

Julie Hinds said...

country for sure, although we do live in a subdivision in the middle of the country, 5 miles from town too. A little country, but with neighbors, funny thing is we don't have deer eating our gardens either, as would seem the case! I think I've seen the last building above, it was on the way to a softball game last summer, was it in the Swartscreek Durrand area? I remember wondering what the building used to be, the whole farm had beautiful well taken care of buildings. Your husband is good to go along with these Sunday wanderings!

aimee said...

I love backroads - although some can be a bit stressful when they have a cliff on them! So I am a country mouse who would love to be even further out in the country.
LOVED the horse photo--I would have told them thank you too (the one I got most recently wasn't nearly as nicely posed and had no snow at all!)
Blessings & stay warm & safe,
Aimee

mary your sis said...

Beautiful scenery! This country mouse thanks you for sharing!

Lauren said...

Thanks for stopping by! I enjoy your blog too! We usually rent a cabin from vrbo.com, in the winter you can find really good deals!

Cindy said...

This post made me smile! My family KNOWS...mom has her camera..look out many stops..turn arounds and waiting for the light to be just right.When they were younger they didn't mind...teenagers..aww mom come on...and now..3 out of the 5 carry their cameras everywhere..and 2 our into photography on the side...so it pays off!!

I am proudly a country mouse!!I will visit cities..but I wantto go back to my land..my farmhouse...my country!!

Hugs Cindy from Rick-Rack and Gingham