Mountain Musings
I grew up in New York City. There was plenty of cement, cars, noise, etc. Occasionally, there might be a tree in a little box. Of course, you could go to Central Park and see squirrels and other little critters that ventured out, but my contact with “nature” was pretty limited.
When I moved to the Mountain Valley Area 40+ years ago, the change was startling. First of all, there was no noise: no sirens, helicopters, car horns, people yelling—the usual cacophony of city living. There were no flood lights, street lights or brightly lit storefronts. It was the first in my life that I actually saw the millions of starts in the night sky. I had no idea there were so many. In the evenings, over the years, we sat on our patio at night and just looked at the stars.
Another key item that was missing in the area was traffic. I could drive between towns, sometimes close to 100 miles, and not see another car! Of course, over the years, the area has grown, but it is still a far cry from “city” living.
There is one big difference, however, that took some getting used to. The proximity to Mother Nature and the forest animals here is very up close, especially when it comes to deer. When I first saw signs that said deer area or cattle crossing, I was surprised. I was impressed that deer would know to stay in a certain area and cattle actually crossed at specially designated areas on the roads. Wow! What smart creatures.
Well…I have learned a lot since then and have seen many deer and cattle while traveling in the area. Until recently, I had been very fortunate in avoiding any interaction with deer and cattle. This past spring, however, I hit my first deer in all the years I have been living here. I was fortunate in that my car was repairable and no one was injured, but it is not something I want to repeat again.
We live in a beautiful area and the scenery and wildlife are breathtaking this time of year. Remember, however, the deer and cattle have the right-of-way on the roads. Stay safe and enjoy your travels this summer through the Mountain Valley area! Look forward to seeing you.
