The Sublime and the Bucolic

The interesting thing is that back when I first told people that I wanted to live in the country, few took it seriously, and several thought that I was, plain and simple, out of my mind, and said so. So imagine my surprise when, with the help of the Facebook and odnoklasniki.ru, I got back in touch with a few of the old friends, only to discover that they, too, turns out, dream of spending at least some of their time in the country. I hear things like "Land is my cherished dream," "I'd love to own a datscha in addition to my city home," "I love organic food," and "Boy, is it ever satisfying to make things yourself." Then how come I am the only one living this dream?

"Honey," I said to him, "Turns out, everyone is an organic farmer at heart."
Him: "But of course!"

The Joy of Giving

Giving is truly addictive - even more so than investing (well, come to think of it, giving is, after all, investing into your celestial/karmic bank account). And it doesn't (couldn't possibly) have to be giving on the same scale as George Soros - our common benefactor. $10 a months given to NPR (National Public Radio), or simply a box of steaks, hamburger, eggs, jam, and a bottle of wine given as a thank-you gift to a friend who helped us a lot this winter - including impromptu hay hauling and pulling our truck out of the snowbank in the dark in the dead of winter. I am selfish that way - I really like the feeling it gives me.