5 Things I Love About Living in the Country

#1: You don't have to have your pets restrained.

Sometimes you come home after work one day and you need to let your pets out but you don't want to have to go everywhere they do. I know when my family first moved to the country I loved to run outside and play with the dogs. It was a lot of fun and we did not have to keep them fenced in or on a leash. While this is one of the more enjoyable things about living in the country, make sure you train your pets to come back!

Photo credit: Kevin Shields

#2: Fresh air and wide open spaces.

Have you ever had that feeling where you feel like you just need to decompress and get away for awhile? When I felt like life was going a little too fast I would go outside and sit a little ways up an old silo and just watch the trees and clouds in the distance. It brings a feeling of peace that you may not be able to find in the city unless you love the buzz of traffic. It gives me a sense of freedom. If I can see it I can go there.

Photo credit: Kevin Shields

#3: The sunsets!!

One of my favorite photography subjects is a tree out in front of my house and if you look through the branches at sunset then you get the shadow of the branches against the bright oranges, pinks, and reds of the sunset. Sometimes my parents and I would just sit out on the porch talking and watching the sunset and it is still one of the most beautiful things that I have ever seen. (Fun fact: Kansas was ranked in the top 7 places in the world to watch a sunset!)

Photo credit: Kevin Lewis

#4: The people.

I cannot think of a single time I was driving down one of the dirt roads around my house when another driver waved to me. There is a sense of community in rural areas and that extends to people you may not know yet. It is not uncommon to feel like you know some vehicle that is driving down the same dirt road as you and not want to wave. I remember my dad explaining to me why this was such a big deal and he said that you may not know them now, but you may meet them in the future and you don't want to spoil relationships like that before you know the person.

Photo credit: desmoinesregister.com

#5: The stars.

Out in our huge backyard we have a small white building that is our well-house. On the sides of this well-house there are little pegs that are just big enough to grab a hold of and climb on top. When I hear news of a meteor shower or I just want some time alone to think and reflect on life I just climb up there and look at the stars. The clear night sky is a great way to put things into perspective. I remember thinking one night that there is an entire universe out there with millions and millions of galaxies and I am just one person. I have had some of my wisest thoughts while looking at the stars and I hope that everyone gets to see those same stars at least once from out in the country.  

Photo credit: galleryhip.com