Dear Boonville: Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the privilege of taking several outings into Cooper and Howard counties.
I’ve had a blast.
The country is beautiful this time of year, particularly if you can explore it when it’s sunny.
Everything is green. Flowers are blooming everywhere.
My grandparents live in rural Tennessee, and getting away from the city brings back so many great memories.
Asphalt arteries split off into gravel subsidiaries, which rise and dip into the distance. It’s impossible to tell what lies ahead unless you’ve gone that way before, which makes it all the more exciting.
Small birds dart out of the undergrowth the lines the road and arc above the road, on their way to a lazy afternoon.
Larger pairs of wings can be spotted overhead as they circle in the blue sky.
I can remember helping Grandpa paint fence posts during the summer several years ago. It took several coats before the red began to really show, and working in the sun was a hot job even with a good hat.
Night comes to the country in a way that differs from its appearance in a city.
As the sun falls, crickets and frogs gather for concerts that I would give a million bucks to bottle and bring home.
Oh, and another thing — the country has lightning bugs.
We poked holes in jars and captured these fascinating creatures when we got to go on trips out east.
If that’s confusing to you, consider this: We never had lightning bugs, to the best of my knowledge, in the foothills of Colorado. I suspect the altitude is too high.
Whatever the case, being in the country is refreshing. I know there are plenty of older buildings in cities, but those in the country take on a special regal air. Maybe they’ve got ivy or moss growing at their bases.
Maybe they’re set back from the whir of traffic by a gravel road or a pasture or a spacious yard with a water pump.
I have experienced these things only in passing, but they have left an impression that I can’t — more importantly, don’t want to — forget.
Contact news and online editor Nate Birt by calling 882-5335 or e-mailing nate@boonvilledailynews.com.
