I have the good fortune of having several friends that own second homes that they use as a getaway from the hustle and bustle of urban life. This is my good fortune because they often invite me to join them at their retreats for the weekend. I must admit, I really enjoy the escape and I’ve thought about whether I would want to purchase my own getaway spot. So far, I’ve decided against it in part because my wanderlust always has me looking to go to different places. It’s a big world at out there and I want to explore it. Having a second home means that I am spending lots of time going to the same place.
Kenny and his girls
But I have greatly enjoyed the ability to go and spend time in another place just for a few days. I have one friend that has a farm. The property has a quaint main house as well as a barn that houses their growing collection of farm equipment. There are large fields and open areas. They have a small personal garden and free range chickens and guinea hens. It is amazing how long you can sit and watch the chickens and hens roaming the yard, interacting with you and mother nature. Its fascinating to see how protective Kenny, the rooster, is of his harem. I would go harvest the eggs and at night we lock up the chicken house, hoping that they’ve all returned for the evening. Because despite all of its bucolic splendor, this is real wilderness and there are foxes that love the hens and chickens. Sometimes they don’t all make it home. But I am happy to report that all wildlife and people made it through safely the weekend that I visited. I cherished spending that time with my friend, catching up, sharing our dreams, talking about our troubles and appreciating the time spent with Kenny and his harem. In fact, the farm can be so intoxicating that another friend bought his own weekend house on “The Ridge” after spending a weekend at the farm.
“The Ridge”, in contrast to the farm, is in a heavily wooded area at the base of a mountain. Weekends at the Ridge start with good intentions of hiking, canoeing and perhaps biking. They end up being filled with food, laughter, good natured ribbing and lots of drinking. Its like adult camp since there is always a group of people there. We all pitch in and bring food or drink for the group for the weekend and we all take turns being responsible for cooking a meal for the group. Once again, I have no complaints as it is nice to connect with nature and with friends. I usually spend time communing with the dogs who have the run of the place at the Ridge. My dog, Zoe, is wonderful but she shares her mom’s wanderlust. She likes to wander any and every chance she gets. Therefore, she must remain on leash at all times unless she’s in an enclosed space. The Ridge is no place for her.
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