Sunday, October 10, 2010

In the hills

To be fair to rural life I have to post this..

I lived in the southern tier of the Pocono hills of PA, an interesting areas as it's along the Appalachian Trail and a really nice though parts of are remote as all get out. Life slowed down and was generally healthier. Hunting was good and not fouled with a million contradictory regulations. People there were private but would help in an emergency. The nearest Sears or other store was 45 miles away in Allentown or Wilksbarre. A car or truck was a must have as everything was a decent ride. Living there was different in small ways things like trash meant a weekly trip to the town landfill. Where on a weekend you get to talk to your neighbor from a few miles down the road. A good well was important and property that was not all rock that could pass a perk test was deemed buildable. Trees were cut for two reasons to build with or keep warm. Often they were replaced with fruit trees or the opened up area was cultivated for crops if the soil was decent.

Still makes me think of warm summer days hiking the local paths, watching for bear or maybe a snake.

Seems a different land and time long gone.


Eck!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love the hills. Work in the burbs and commute (sort of). Grew up in the burbs of Boston. But the hills of Franklin County are great. A rich mix of intellectuals, farmers, small businessmen (we have the world's best genuine general store), and old-timers. If you don't mind driving, and since I lived in Iowa and drove 90 minutes for dinner and a first run movie I don't, you can get to civilization within an hour. But plan on 30-45 minutes for all amenities that most suburban folk know. Gotta like it. I like my job and I get home as soon as I can.

Eck! said...

Middlesex midway between 128 and 495.
Far enough from the concrete, surrounded by trees. From here your not terribly far. Rt2 would take about two hours to get there, having done the trip a few times. Faster by air even with a Cessna.

As an engineer my commute varies. Ayer, Southboro, Hudson NH to name a few regular trips over he year. Often far enough yet never too far, Deerfield NH next weekend maybe.

I do miss LI, NY where I grew up, everything close, traffic horrible but salt water to float on and when warm enough in.

our favorite shot for flying was North Hampton, good food and nice walk from the airport.

Have a great day.

Eck!