It has been one year since our living-on-the-acreage journey began.
My parents owned an acreage for 18 years near Priddis. I lived with them for most of those years. I absolutely loved it!! My dream was to follow in their footsteps and...this dream came true.
Calgary had gone crazy and it was time for us to get out. We're not farmers; we're not ranchers; we just love living in the country. We'd love to have horses or llamas or chickens...maybe someday. But for now, we can just sit and enjoy the peace and quiet. We love the space, the green, the birds, the animals. Here, we're not shielded from nature. Nature survives in cities despite the city. Here it survives because it flourshes. And we get to watch that all year long.
Winter isn't so bad. The snow doesn't stay - it all blows away. There could be six inches in the morning and by the afternoon our snow is probably in Lethbridge. What we've learned through the winter months, is to leave some lights on when we leave the house. Many times, we left when it was light and came home when it was dark. OMG. We thought someone had stolen our house.
It's amazing to watch and hear the first signs of spring, which actually continues on throughout the rest of the seasons, for the most part. The frogs, the Canadian geese making their home, the ducks moving in, grouse, pheasants, owls and numerous other species of birds. We love having the pond (now a small lake after all this rain). Watching the greening of the prairie, seeing the first green blades of grass. When nature is left alone it's amazing the see what can develop.
Our favorite time of day is sunrise and sunset. The sunrise makes the mountains so clear - we feel like we can reach out and touch them. The pond comes alive with all the birds. As the sun sets, giving off the most beautiful colors as it goes behind the mountains, you begin to hear the eerie cries of the coyotes. They seem so close.
Our most cherished ritual is going for walks after dinner - as long as the weather cooperates. Of course Tisza comes with us. But our most unlikely campanions are the two cats. It's hilarious to watch the three of them walking together.
This past year we've learned to relax and just absorb the tranquility that you get from being surrounded by nature.
"When you move to the country you should let it take you over; let is inspire you".
