*8Things: Honoring Places

This week's *8Things from Magpie Girl is perfectly timed, yet again. After a long weekend with my family in my home town, I'm reminded of all the things I love about that little village where I grew up.

*8Things: I love about my hometown

1. Sunsets on the lake. Growing up by the shores of Lake Ontario was a real blessing. Plenty of opportunities to swim, fish, listen to the waves, watch boats and experience beautiful sunsets.

2. The smell of the air. I never thought I'd be able to tell the difference between city air and country air, but this last trip made me realize I can. Whether I smell newly laid cow manure or the distinct, fishy scent of the bay, the air in my hometown is always fresh and clear.

3. The nearness of my family. I love living in the city, but being 7 hours away from my family makes it difficult sometimes. Having a large portion of my family in the same area for a few days is always a comfort and a joy.

4. The quiet. Even when it's at its loudest, my hometown has an overriding sense of quite. At night, I can hear crickets chirping and frogs croaking, the wind in the trees, the music coming from a bar more than a mile away. Early in the morning, as I take a walk, the cows low and the birds sing. But underneath even these sounds of quiet is a silence I don't hear other places.

5. The stars. Living in the city means bright lights 24/7. I can see the sky, but not many stars, from my backyard. In my hometown, the sky lights up with a blanket of stars so plentiful it's hard to see the darkness underneath them.

6. The land. There's been a lot of development in the area where I grew up, but there's still plenty of undeveloped land. Almost everyone has a big back (and sometimes front) yard. There are fields of corn, hay and flowers. Without all the clutter of city life, it's like a vacation for my eyes.

7. The wild (and not-so-wild) life. In the city, my exposure to animals is pretty limited. I might see some dogs and cats, squirrels, birds and maybe the occasional deer or rabbit in a nearby park. But when I visit my hometown, I'm guaranteed to see all of those animals, plus muskrats, fish, cows, horses, and a large variety of birds that I don't usually see in Maryland.

8. The comfort. I've been in Baltimore for 10 years and consider it home on so many levels, but there's nothing like being back in the place where I spent my first 24 years. There's a feeling of comfort that settles in as soon as I pass that "Welcome to ..." sign that I just don't get anywhere else.

What place can you honor this week? Join in on this week's *8Things: Honoring Places by grabbing a button from Magpie Girl and writing up your own list, or leave a comment here and let me know what place you're honoring and why or how.