Go Bless

This weekend Loving H and I went to visit his sister and family at their farm. They live about 80 miles from us. We live in the city and it is nice to ride out into the courntry to their farm.

When I lived in the East I lived in the country - in the woods. I live in the Midwest now and it is very different. I always loved living in the country, but I am finding I do enjoy city life. There is lots going on here in our city and, in a conservative state, it is nice living in a college city where things are more liberal (thank goodness).

Getting out into the country, though, is a nice change. I love going out where one can see for miles. I come from a state where trees are the norm, but I love the wide open spaces and the "big sky". I must have been a pioneer in a former life, because it doesn't seem strange to me. There is just something special about the prairie and the grasses waving in the wind (and many days there is lots of wind). And, there is so much to see - differing shades of colors, different plants and flowers, the birds swooping (so many hawks) and the changing light from one part of the day to another.

My sister-in-law likes to go for drives, so often when we go to visit we set off on a ride somewhere. In the summer we are apt to attend the local festivals in the little towns all around. Every week there seems to be something going on at a neighboring town.

This week we drove to one of the bigger towns to go on a tour of an ethanol plant. When we arrived we realized there was no tour - the tour was taking place at an ethanol plant about 70 miles away (the ad in the local paper hadn't been particularly clear).

On the drive back to the farm we took a couple short detours to drive around two small towns. The first town we explored was the town where a good friend's husband had grown up. My friend had told me the town was very small and declining. When we arrived there was a shabby little sign on a corner lot saying, "Go Bless". It was supposed to say "God Bless", but the D was gone - an example of a town going downhill. This little town has about 230 people living in it now - the railroad is gone and there isn't much there. The main street was sad with no cafe, stores or even a bar (a staple in my state). I don't think there was even a bank (another staple in most tiny towns). When we drove around the little neighborhood I saw a young woman holding a small dog - she smiled and waved. I waved back. Somehow it made me feel even more sad. This little town used to be a bustling, busy place and now... I whispered "God bless" as we drove away.