Country Life

I had always wanted to live in the country. A place where there was wide open skies and natural beauty. So I bought a few acres of land. It was pristine land, full of trees, wild flowers, plants, and animals. I so enjoyed the rustic beauty, that I decided to move there and build a house.   In order to build my home, I had to cut down trees and plants to make room for my humble abode. After clearing a spot for the home, I started to build. After a few months, I had my home in the country and its natural charms.   As time went by, the wild plants started to creep in on my space. I decided to put in a nice green lawn. The natural occurring vegetation that surrounded my home was cleared in order for me to plant that beautiful green lawn. After much hard work, my green lush lawn was in place and I was happy. For a while. For you see, as soon as I put in that lawn, weeds started to crop up and ruin my lawn. I had to have the lawn sprayed on a regular basis with weed killer. The kind that kills unwanted vegetation, but leaves the grass intact. A sort of selective killing you might say.     Now I was happy. Well kind of. The animals that had previously lived on my land, were now raiding my garden and eating my beautiful plants, flowers, and digging up my lawn. I decided to fence in my happy acres and poison and trap the pests that were causing the havoc.     Now I was really happy. Well sort of. For you see, when it ever it would rain, my driveway would get all muddy. This would make a mess. So I decided to pave it over. This would take care of the problem. And while I was at it, I extended it and put in a patio in the backyard.     This time I was very happy. That's not altogether true. The chemicals that I had been spraying on my lawn and plants, was seeping into the pond that I had dug in the back. This made the water unsafe to drink or swim in. No problem. I had a pool put in and we drank bottled water.     Finally I had found heaven in my fenced in, airconditioned home. My weed free garden and lawn. Free from any wild animals. I could swim in my chlorinated pool. Drink my purified water and sit on my concrete patio.     Ahh the joys of living in the rustic beauty of the wild country... mike odetalla Written January 17th, 2002 © on Feb 17 2002 02:11 PM PST   0 • 9