Country Living

We live in the country, so we expect some things to be different than it might be in town.  Heck.  We expect many things to be different.  But, we find it interesting that so many people who live in town are shocked when they actually head out our way to find that some of the things we say are actually true.

For example, when we tell people who are coming out to visit that they should expect things to be a bit windier and cooler than they are experiencing in town, they often ignore our advice to bring a jacket - or wear layers - or whatever it is we suggest.

Here is one thing that anyone who commutes from one town to the next in Iowa might be able to relate to.  Blowing snow over the roadway.  In this case, the gravel road heading west from our farm.

I did not manage to catch it at its worst and I did have to crop the picture.  Why?  Well, it was COLD and WINDY and I didn't want to get FROSTBITE.  So, I just trudged out to pick up the mail and brought the camera along, then I snapped a few quick pictures and hoped I could get something to illustrate what I was talking about.

We only got a light dusting of snow on Friday - but the winds have been fierce.  I had to drive to a meeting and found myself in conditions that were approaching near white-out in places.  That's what happens in the country when everything is flat and the landscape is unbroken.

But, things really weren't too bad whenever I drove by a farmstead that had some buildings and trees.  

And that's the sad thing about all of this.  It wouldn't take much to provide windbreaks for our roadways - and it would have the effect of providing a little habitat for some of the wild things in our world.

In short, it doesn't have to be this way in Northeast Iowa.  Yet it is - for far too much of our landscape.  Let's plant some more bush lines on the far side from the road of more of our ditches.  Then, some of the less plentiful snowfalls like this last one would become less of a hazard for humans.  Sure, it won't make that much of a difference for extreme snowfall - that's fine.  But, why not have a double win of habitat plus improved safety?  And maybe something interesting to look at as you drive down Iowa roads?