I sit here in front of my open window with the woods full of greened bush honeysuckle and singing birds. The wind is at breeze strength with a steady motion in the red cedar tree. It is a beautiful day. Lovely start to any day. I note that our small bat house on the garden shed finally seems to have tenants. Not bats but a small bird not yet identified. Our bluebird boxes are also occupied and we have rabbits in the stacks and piles of wood from last year’s ice damage. Although annoying when they raid the bird food we also have a raccoon pair. It is a country kind of place even though I can still see the house on the street behind us. Three acres, mostly woods, gives us plenty of space. Although I lament that we did not find, nor could we have afforded, a place with a view of the lake, we are only five minutes to the boat dock and access to one of the loveliest, purest lakes you might find.
I moved every three years for most of my adult life starting in college. I even changed universities. The longest I lived any place since my 18th birthday is six years. We are now in our fourth year here and we expect to be here for more than another six years. As I may have indicated in earlier posts it is not the ideal location for us. The summers are still too humid and hotter than we like, even for a pair who grew up in southern Arkansas and central Dallas. That has been difficult but we resolve to eventually spend August in cooler climes or in the air conditioned studios or on the lake.
The more difficult aspect of this location has been adjusting to the community. Having lived in culturally diverse mostly urban settings for thirty years this area with little, well virtually no, cultural diversity is so vanilla that when we see someone of color or distinctively different culture in a local place we become almost giddy with excitement. Yes, it seems silly to you perhaps, but we do. We have high hopes that as the two-year local campus of Arkansas State University grows into a four year campus it will attract more culturally diverse residents. For now most of our diversity consists of a few Hispanic families and a few Asian families mostly aligned with our Asian and Mexican restaurants.
The political, social, and religious attitudes in the area are mostly conservative and Republican and sometimes downright bigoted. I have written of this before to the extent that a year ago we were determined to find a way to pull stakes and move to Northern Maine. Fortunately, a series of events occurred that led to a determination to make this place work for us. One draw for me especially is that my sister plans to move here soon and I am delighted for the chance to finally spend a lot of time with her. In the meantime we continue to find, almost one person at a time, those who are simpatico.
People sometimes raise an eyebrow when they hear me speak of Facebook, but that proved an excellent source of finding people who are more liberal minded in ways similar to us. Somehow, in that forum we are able to have friends and relations connected to us who are both like-minded and opposite-minded. So, I meet people with whom I to share my thoughts candidly, stay tuned in with old friends from Texas, Portland and the Navy. I can also stay in daily contact with my sister and nieces and get to know cousins and children of cousins even though we don’t agree on issues. I call that good!
The other way that we are building relationships is through the artistic community. Oddly, in this place that is so different than that in our mind’s eyes for our mature years, we have finally found friends with similar interests (music and art and books) and attitudes that we sought unsuccessfully over the years. One by one through our love of art and our desire to create art we are feeling in a good place. That process actually accelerated recently when the local artisan gallery closed for business and we had to look for alternative showplaces for our work.
My friend, Marion, often reminds me that recent events and new friendships are most likely due to synchronicity. She is right. I really believe synchronicity has taken charge since we came to this part of the Ozarks. Thankfully and much against our natures, we finally decided to let go, be patient, and allow the universe to work a little magic around us.
I sat down intending to write about the irritations of politics and misguided attitudes bubbling all around lately. However, the gentle breeze and the view from my window along with the bird on my fig tree reached out, touched my spirit and spoke.
“Stop! For once stop and appreciate rather than evaluate.”
So, on this stunningly beautiful day I am able to sit at my studio window where my friends my newest friends were the first to visit just last night and know with certainty that even with my beloved broken boat on the trailer in the drive I am content.
