Corporeal Location

[kdfrawg]

Perhaps one of the reasons I like this forum and the people in it is that I like open country. I have lived in places like San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Geneva, but I really prefer gazing upon a lot of green to looking at a lot of city gray. In fact, I live in the house that I do because of the view from the elevated deck in back.

In front, the street is a lot of pretty much identical town-homes. The front, which basically faces East, is typical suburban middle class Lawrence, Kansas. Both sides of the place are like that, as well, and in spades since they didn't make people build things too far apart here in 1998, which was when this place was constructed.

But the back of the place, well, that's something else again. This house (and probably the ones on either side of it) represent the absolute limit of Southwest Lawrence. There is nothing between me and Clinton Lake except the dam. I can't see the water from the deck, but I probably could from the top of my chimney, were I foolish enough to climb up there.

But what I do see from my humble little deck is delightful. First, of course, there is a little back yard, probably sixty feet of it. Then there are three strands of barbed wire and the wilderness starts. There is a wedge-shaped area between us and the two-lane Highway 10 extension. At its narrowest, that is perhaps 200 yards, maybe a bit more. Then the road curves and it just keeps getting bigger.

Off to my immediate Northwest, in the near part of the large portion of the wedge, is a lovely copse of trees, some deciduous and some evergreen. It is in this area that we were graced with a bobcat late last fall for about three weeks. He came into the back yard several times but did not seem to want to talk. I think he just stayed around long enough to hunt that wedge-shaped area clean.

Across the highway to the West and West-southwest is a very large recreational complex, with a significant number of baseball diamonds and soccer fields. In addition, the Kiwanis has put together a walking trail and arboretum that lies between the two sports. It's a great place to walk the weird dog Tucker. And they are never likely to be able to build on that inaccessible wedge or the sports complex.

To the south and east of that is farmland. Although I am sure that they will build on that farmland someday, despite the fact that it lies just below the dam, I really have to crook my neck and lean way out to see it. The upshot is, everything that I can see from my deck is open country, not a structure to be seen. In the middle of it is a big hill, or long ridge, that forms the natural North side of the dam.

The upshot of all this is that the view is marvelous. In fact, in California a view like this would cost much more than I could afford. Once I am inside my house, or out back anywhere, it is very easy to pretend that I am out in the country. As you may have already guessed, I absolutely love it.

[Wilma]

Let me tell you about the view around my place.  To the west, there is the street and across the street is this mountain---of highway asphalt from old highway 99.  I used to be able to see into the county road yard.  Not anymore.  I have no idea if they are working or loafing.  To the northwest and across the street is a nice empty well mowed lot that just happens to belong to me.  My daughter and son-in-law keep it looking like a park.  At the north side of it is the trailer house that my oldest daughter just moved into.  Across the street north is an older lady who doesn't get around much anymore and I very seldom see her as I don't get around so good either.  To the east is my backyard which also is kept well mowed.  It used to have some beautiful flowers until I was unable to care for them as they should be.  And to the south is another empty lot that takes up the rest of the block and is well cared for, not by my daughter and son-in-law, but the people that own it keep it mowed.  Looking out any direction it is hard to see any people unless they happen to be going by and the neighbors are far enough away that I don't know what they are doing.  Such is the life of small town living.  The only thing better would be no neighbors in sight any direction, but I am too old to live like that anymore.

[kdfrawg]

It sounds like you have a lot of family close, Wilma, and that is a good thing, generally. I guess I have the best of both worlds, a view from one side that looks like I'm out in the country and a view from the other that let's me know that I'm in a pretty good-sized town. I have lived with views and non-views of all kinds, and there's something to be said for all of them.

[Teresa]

ok you 2...
I want to know WHY I have not got a batch of pictures to make a video slide show out of ... so that I can put it on the Elk County TV..?

Ta Ta~!!!


You go down and take some pictures of your place and your mothers place and get them to me !.
That way everyone can see where you all live!

Jeese.... I have to tell you every move to make!

My sister just sent me a whole bunch of her place after she got done mowing for 9 hours!. I am going to work on the slideshow tonight and everyone will get to see where she and Curt live.

So?? Come on folks.. Lets share our humble dwellings!
I can go around here and help people by taking the pictures who don't have a digital or don't know how to send me  the pictures on e-mail...

[kdfrawg]

You know, I just have digital photos by the ton, but not a one of them is in Howard or even in Elk County, so I don't know that mine would excite anybody. Wilma, however, may even have some older photos where you can tell whether the folks over at the county yard are working or loafing. I did get some pictures a while back of the helicopters they used to life-flight a couple of people who had an accident on the highway behind my house. That was pretty impressive.  ;o)

[Wilma]

I hadn't thought about taking pictures of the county road men when they are all standing out in the yard talking or something.  Now I can't see them unless they are at the north side of it.  I guess I could take pictures of the Johnson grass that is growing in the fence row that they don't seem to know is there.

[Janet Harrington]

kdfrawg,

No one cares if the photos are from Howard or Elk County.  We just like to look at things, so send Ms. T your photos and she will make a show out of them.

[kdfrawg]

I can tell that Janet is back into work mode. She has adopted a much stricter tone of voice.



Did it go okay today, Janet?

[Wilma]

She's bossy anytime.  She was telling her Daddy how to drive by the time she was 2 years old.

[Janet Harrington]

I'll post something on roll call about work today.  How about that?