An Alternative to Life in the Country

I grew up on a little farm.   It was situated at the dead-end of a mile-and-a-quarter country road.   We had a circle driveway right in front of our house and our yard and pastures wrapped around the house.   Between the road, with its creeks and wooded areas to explore, and our land, I was surrounded by wild and tamed nature.   It was a great way to grow up and it makes me sad that my children won't have the same experience.   My husband and I have neither the knowledge or time to maintain acreage.   And septic tanks?   Sorry, but both of the homes where I grew up lay outside city limits and I've lived with the expense and frustration of septic tanks.   No, thank you!   It is also very important to me that we always live near a hospital.   Oh, yes, and there's the cost of land in our area, but our children can have a taste of the nature I experienced, thanks to our neighborhood.  

Our park is about a half-mile away, so Master Thomas and I would take walks while the girls were at school.   A visit the day after crews have cut down diseased or dead trees was hitting the jackpot for a little boy.

The developers left wooded areas in our neighborhood.   This is part of the area in our park.   Nice paved paths lead to a land of adventure for little ones and a world of nostalgia for this mama.

Shade is such a welcome sight in our area.

There are several areas off the paved paths where we can walk to explore.   The main areas are kept mowed, like this one along the creek.

This reminds me of the creek that ran alongside our farm.  

Paved path on a scooter and then you come to these areas that just say, "Come explore."

Then, as you come to the end of the path, you begin to see this through the branches.

The front part of the park is mowed beautifully, dotted with tall established trees and the home of a playscape.

That view?   Our neighborhood pool, right next to our "wilderness adventure."   Perfect.   We had a pond on our farm, but it wasn't that deep and there were water moccasins plainly in sight.   It was a drive into town for a pool and Mama didn't have time for that with her work on the farm.   She was a working farm wife who wouldn't have had time for blogging about farm life.   Imagine that.   Anyway, I would have loved access to a pool every day.

To the other side of the pool are tennis courts, popular with all of our more "established" residents.   I love to see the older people gathering, laughing and talking during and after their matches.

This year, our own free lending library was added, along with a bench.   How charming, I ask you?!

After all that exploring, a glass of chocolate milk is in order.

Night at the Park

These photos were taken the first week of summer break.   The fireflies were beautiful.   Fireflies are a favorite summer memory from my childhood.   I am so thankful such magic awaits my children after just a short walk from our house.