Country Stores

I love the country. I love driving along soaking up the scenery and looking at farms tucked against the mountains. More than that, i love little country stores. The kind along a back road where there's a farm across the road and a shanty behind. A store like Van Wert cheese shop. It's nothing to look at, actually it's kind of dumpy looking, but when you walk inside it's like walking inside a modern/old fashioned general store. This store has anything from a cheese and meat deli to clothespins. You can buy your healthy sugar and rice flour right along with pampers and shampoo. Homemade baked goods and candy necklaces share a counter, a counter that has probably been there since the 60's. Herbal potions are tucked away in the back, not far from personal items. You know, the kind of personal items your man would rather die than buy. Or at the very least wear a face mask. God forbid the store owner would find out that his wife is a normal woman. (sorry, off topic, but men are so........interesting) Oh, and don't forget crayons and greeting cards. All this crammed into a room not much bigger than my kitchen and dining room.

Ahhh,i love it! I love supporting a family owned business, knowing that you are enabling that store to be open a bit longer. I always feel rather annoyed spending a hundred bucks at Weis, like i've bought into a world system, but when i spend it at a store like that i feel quite spiritual. Meanwhile the kids are impatiently waiting in the van for their kites and butterfly nets that i found waiting just for them in the back corner of the store. It always helps when an amish buggy rattles by, the people waving like they think they know me. Who knows, we probably use the same midwife. Yup, i'm a country girl at heart and who knows, i might even buy a pair of cowboy boots to complete the feeling. Or not.......Marlin would probably rather buy me my personal items than have me stomping around in boots.