Wide open spaces stretch to verdant woodlots. Everywhere I look I’m surrounded by the quiet countryside.
Living in a rural community, travel to anywhere means a meander past pastoral landscapes and charming farmhouses. I often liken it to the calm before the storm as, when my husband and I head out, it’s typically with the planned destination being a large urban centre. When you’re used to the peace and quiet of the country, hitting the busy streets of a city can be a bit of culture shock for a few minutes.
One of the places we travel most frequently is our daughter’s home. At least once a month we pick up our grandbabies from there to bring them for a visit. The oldest has always been a rather impatient traveller and we are always thankful to get off the busy expressways and out into the openness.
Raised on acreage just outside city limits, she has grown to love the freedom of country living, the animals and the space. As she begins to fidget on the long ride back to our house everything rural, even fields of corn, offer an entertaining distraction.
Mostly, however, it’s the animals. The sight of a horse pulling an Amish carriage along the road brings joy to her precious face. Cows grazing in the field are a pure delight and her reaction to the pasture full of sheep we saw on the last trip could only be described as gleeful.
So, for our little animal lover, and in the spirit of the upcoming theme of Thanksgiving and the celebration of our agricultural bounty, I have scoped out some terrific photos of livestock:
