Admittedly we are a bit isolated from the rest of the world up here on the mountain. While we do venture off on a near weekly basis, our destination is almost always nearby mid-size towns where the big box grocery and retail stores are located. Occasionally we visit Winston-Salem, NC, about as big of a ‘big city’ we care to interact with.
We are beginning to feel a bit like Appalachian hillbillies, dreading the sight of city buildings while breathing a sigh of relief when we finally catch our first glimpse of the mountains upon our return.
While I suspect western culture has always been afflicted with the desperate need to be seen, affirmed and acknowledged, we appear to be nearing the climax of self destructive behavior in our mindless pursuit to escape our true self by having our madness verified as normal and natural by other mad men and women.
I grew up outdoors, returning to the nest only to refuel and recharge. As a child of the 1950's and 60's, any entertainment value derived from remaining indoors paled in comparison to what lay just beyond the entrance threshold.
This carried over into my 20's and early 30's when I worked residential construction in Southern New England. There are four distinction seasons, all of near equal length, in that part of the world. So I grew up appreciating, and occasionally cursing, every aspect of Mother Nature. Continue reading Nature’s Fireworks→
