Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Small town life

Yesterday, Coffeeboy and I decided to check out a weekly summer event in our new town - square dancing on a block of Main Street. Yes, it's really called that! It was quite fun to see!

Square dancing.JPG

Older folks, kids, middle-aged people, all tried their hands at the promenade and the doe-see-doe, while a crowd of onlookers sat in their foldable camping chairs and chatted or watched. We didn't dance - at least one of us would have had trouble remembering whether we were an "odd" or "even" couple. In front of the courthouse (that building with a steeple), a band played fiddles and banjoes for the music. It reminded me of nothing so much as, well, "A Prairie Home Companion," except in the mountains of the south, rather than among the Lutherans of the north.

Looking north at dusk.JPG
Looking north at dusk from the top of the hill.
We live sort of behind that white steeple next to the phone pole.

I've never lived in a small town before. Prior to this, my life has been either entirely suburban or in cities, the exceptions being two college towns that sported large universities of many thousands of people. This town has 7,000 or 8,000 people to its name, and its population is more affected by the comings in spring and goings in winter of Floridian retirees than by the migrations of 700-or-so students in the summer and fall. This should be a very interesting place to live!

I mentioned that we'd hiked to see some waterfalls? Well, here they are: High Falls and Triple Falls!

High Falls.JPG Triple Falls.JPG
(Click to see bigger pictures at Flickr!)

It's amazing to live in a place with such natural beauty so close by!

5 comments:

Kristi aka Fiber Fool said...

I grew up outside of a town of what was then about 15,000 and is now a bit over 20,000. Each moved I've moved to a larger town. I'm not sure how I'd do in a town quite that small, but I do miss some of the benefits of smaller towns.

Those waterfalls are gorgeous! I *love* waterfalls, but there aren't many around here except in the spring.

Sheepish Annie said...

Small town life is truly unique! We have fireworks every Thursday down at the beach. At least I think we still do...I've gotten so used to them that I don't even really notice them anymore!

schrodinger said...

Wow, it all sounds so entirely different to anything I've experienced, very cool stuff. The waterfalls look beautiful.

Lone Knitter said...

I'm so jealous! Your new town seems like a lovely place. I hope you're settling in okay.

Anonymous said...

Ohhh pictures! So lovely- I can't wait to visit you and coffeeboy this coming october- I am sure the mountains will be spectacular then.