Visiting

Yesterday was all about visiting.  In the afternoon, Carol and I visited another young woman who lives in the country.  There aren't very many of us, so it's important to establish and maintain friendships and connections.  Besides that, however, she's super nice!  We were there for a few hours- spending time with her and her three young daughters.  We read books with the girls, visited, and shared orange slices.  Her husband had been fencing that afternoon and then off to the Chouteau County Fair in Fort Benton for the demolition derby.  I think we all had fun and I am looking forward to getting to know them better.  

In the evening, my husband took me to town to see a movie-- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, Part II.  (He's pretty sweet-- he had never seen any of the HP movies or read any of the books, but *someone* told him I had wanted to see the movie, so there we were!) The movie theater in Rudyard is the closest one around.  It is a quaint, restored old theater with one screen.  Showings are at 7pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening, but not during high school basketball season because too many people go to watch the local kids play ball instead.  There's one movie a week, and the focus is usually on family-friendly films.  

Image credit: www.panoramio.com

I would estimate there was about thirty people at the movie last night.  When I looked around at the faces in the seats, I knew about half of all the people in attendance.  I felt pretty good about that.  Some family friends spotted us walking towards the theater and bought our tickets for the show, which was really friendly.  After the movie got out, we stood in a group with them and some other couples and chatted for a few minutes before being invited to their home for a drink and another visit.  

The importance of establishing relationships and friendships in the community, to me, seems very important.  Especially as I am "new in town" and new to farming and small-town life in general.  People are generally very willing to help or lend advice or just listen.  Furthermore, over time, as more and more people move away from the area it becomes increasingly important to reinforce connections among those who are here, strengthening the community through personal relationships between families and individuals.  

We don't have an abundance of restaurants, bars, coffee shops or other places where friends meet in larger towns.  Instead, community is fostered over the kitchen table or across the living room sofa in our own homes as a meal, a drink, or an orange slice are shared with conversation, a smile, and goodwill.