Gratitude for everything, wildfires and all!

/ Laura Lee Carter

So of course it had to happen. One of my readers met with me this week and asked me one more time if I am still pleased with our decision to move to a rural part of southern Colorado, one that is prone to wildfire. As strange as it may seem, I am happier than ever to live where I do.

great Mike photo of snow and Spanish Peaks

The winter view of the Spanish Peaks from our solar home

First of all, the recent fire gave us a chance to live in town for a week because we were evacuated from our area between La Veta and Walsenburg. La Veta feels noisy and crowded to me now. My favorite quality of rural life is the absolute silence at night and on a cool clear country morning. Seeing the stars after I turn off the lights at night is also something I have never experienced before.

Returning to our home after evacuation was a marvelous treat, a timely reminder of how lucky we are to be able to live in nature on our own terms with neighbors far enough away to basically ignore them.

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The sunrises are as amazing as ever. What’s not to like about this every morning?

6 thoughts on “Gratitude for everything, wildfires and all!”

  1. I know exactly what you mean. When I lived in the middle of nowhere in the Texas Hill Country… nearest neighbor about a mile away… I cherished the night sky and the quiet serenity. We had several wild fires that burned right up to our property. The neighbors all came and dug trenches while the Army had helicopters and a plane that dropped orange fire retardant along the burn line. This went on for days. When it was over, it didn’t make me want to move. I understand the way nature recycles and naturally prunes during such catastrophic fires, but that’s part of what can happen when you live in nature. I’m grateful you and your home were spared. xoxox, Brenda

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  2. I am happy that you are safe. When we lived in rural Arkansas, I saw the Milky Way for the first time, and how the full moon lights up the sky so you can read by it. I had never believed, growing up in New York City, that the sky could be like this. Only one flash flood. No fires. Living within nature can be scary – or exhilarating. It’s all about attitude, with a little bit of luck. Again, I am happy that you were spared.

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  3. Fresh clear mornings and room to come and go. This is what I miss from ranch life. The stillness and the solitude. Hard to find in town with the noise and the neighbours (even nice ones like we have…).

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  4. Sounds lovely. I’m from Connecticut, you can’t truly see the sky here. I did once, on vacation. We were on a houseboat in the middle of Lake Powell. We would climb up to the flat roof of the boat and just stare at the sky at night.

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