I am not a very good traveler. No matter how far ahead I plan a trip, I become increasingly stressed about it as the time approaches. I worry about driving, I worry about my car, I worry about the weather, I worry about leaving my house, and I worry about my dog. Then once I actually go, I have a great time, and I find myself wondering why I don't go more often.
Such was the case this week, with my trip to visit my friend, Nancy. Nancy used to be our school counselor. About a year and a half ago she moved back to the area where she grew up in southeastern Iowa. It's only 119 miles from Des Moines, but I am definitely a city girl, and this is such a different lifestyle. She lives on a farm, and on a clear summer evening sitting by the fire ring, you can see the lights of the farm where she grew up, her sister's farm, and her brother's farm. Nancy is still a school counselor in a neighboring county. She is the counselor at both the middle and elementary schools, which are located in different towns. This means miles of travel between home and each school.
The house used to be an old two story farm house. With the help of the local Amish workmen, they had the upper story removed, and the entire house remodeled and renovated, saving the original wood floors, where they could. This transformation has taken a long time, and originally it was planned as a weekend retreat, not her full time home. Perched on a hill, the house has a beautiful view, and I love the peace and quiet of the place. This morning there were four wild turkeys in the field behind the house, but by the time I got out there with my camera they were running across the field.
Yesterday we went to lunch in Keosauqua, and Nancy gave me a tour past the high school and middle school. Mostly we stayed at her house and talked for hours. I miss having her here in Des Moines, but it is amazing that even though I haven't seen her in months, we pick right up where we left off. That is the sign of a true friendship.
I love the old barn. Today was foggy and overcast. I wish I had taken some photos yesterday when it was bright and sunshiny.
One thing that made this trip less stressful was that I took Bailey with me, and thankfully, he was a well behaved canine. Here he is sniffing things out.
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