Have you ever traveled to a new place and experienced an entirely visceral reaction to the immediate surroundings. The first time I saw Montana, my heart flew into my feet and my stomach jolted like a cuckoo in a clock. There’s just something about that state that makes me feel like I’ve come home to roost.
Driving through Montana on the way home from Canada was a serious treat. I want a spread there in the future. I want acres and acres of prairie backed up onto the Rocky Mountains. I want to live on a large patch of space outside of Choteau and watch the wheat mingle with radical, sedimentary uplift.
I work hard at loving where I live.
Idaho is dear to my heart.
The seasons here have been such a lovely balm to my dried up heart and soul. You’ve read, time and time again, my enthusiastic, lyrical waxing for where I reside.
This week, my little mantra has been, “I’m courting Idaho.” The little saying is to remind me to dig into where I’m living and savor the very best and (seemingly) worst bits about this place. I’m attempting to cherish ALL aspects of this state. It sometimes seems that discontent can rule the human spirit and tarnish our nature. Discontent can so easily stamp out valor and moxie. It amazes me how a tiny seed, set to twisting and twining into our minds, can be so destructive to the human ability to rejoice in the miracle and mystery of every day life no matter where it’s being lived. I think it should be nearly impossible to really hate wherever you are. Of course, in retrospect, I’ve loved harder on some locations than others…but I can’t say that I didn’t fully live, where ever I was.
I’ve been reading this book:
And am loving the following things about it:
1. I thought, for an epoch or two, that I was solitary in my stalwart love for Saskatchewan in all it’s seasons. Not so. Not so at all! While reading David’s musings, I am struck by the fact that we are two peas in a pod. In point of fact, he actually sounds like me and discusses, in depth, late night ramblings, overcoming S.A.D., as well as embracing, courting and adoring what is an extreme climate in an amazing province. You can ask Robert, I have exclaimed more than once, while reading this book, “Oh my gosh! This David fellow is my male counterpart!”
2. The short personal essays in this book are set in Saskatoon. I love that I can envision exactly where things are occurring as an anecdote unravels.
3. It has, thus far, re-illustrated for me the concept of being content, nay, loving and cherishing wherever I am. I already loved Idaho passionately before reading this book. Now I’m making a conscious effort to court the state and country I’m a resident of. I’ve made a pact with myself to stand in wide eyed wonder at everything I experience while living here. How else will I successfully suck the marrow out of life?
At any rate, if you are looking to understand my insane obsession with the Northern Great Plains, specifically my home province in Canada, you need to read this book. It’s made me laugh and cry and wonder at the heartiness of of the people of the great plains. There’s a pioneer spirit ingrained in everyone who lives there. In Saskatchewan, we don’t glean our sustenance from the regular four food groups (five if you count candy). Oh no. We’re born from black, fertile earth and grow up drinking wind, thoughtfully chewing blizzards and slurping up the raw power of raging electric storms. We’ve got northern lights in our eyes and poplar bluffs sprouting from the coulees of our rib cages. We’re strong.
We’re the ultimate buckaroos.
Well personally I consider Saskatchewan and Manitoba to be one in the same (it’s just a silly imaginary line that divies us), and over the last year I have been ‘courting’ as you say, this place that I’ve always called home. I think I was influenced by the negative thoughts and opinions of people around me. And while there are so many gorgeous and wonderful places in the world – I think Dorothy (wizard of oz) said it best when she said “..if I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard.”.
Amen!
Sometimes the place you have the hardest time loving becomes the place closest to your heart. That’s what happened to me here in Louisiana.
What a wonderful post. Leaving home has completely intensified my love for my homeland, but I’ve also made a strong effort to explore and cultivate affection for where I’m currently living. I think appreciating your “place” for what makes it itself – whether a city, small town, prairie, coast, etc. – is a key to being happy everyday (or most days, at least :).
I feel like I’m flashing little mirror signals to you from the top of my hill in my beloved Seattle. And, as always, you are sending back the same bright code.
I have not yet set foot in Montana, but have always had this strange, inexplicable pull. When I was 16, I was quite convinced that I would figure out how to attend college there while spending the weekends riding hard in the Rockies. It really is time to road trip.
P.S. I grow to love your Idaho more every day.
You make courting sound like such a beautiful idea!
Hey Sweet Lady, Thank you so kindly for the link!
I’m getting quite a few lovely birds flying my way from your part of the virtual world and must say how warmly delighted that I am to have the visits!
I’ve got to revert back to read the remainder of this post… looks really adventurous:)
Ta-ta
Heck Ya, and that it was indeed a good read, my sentiments exactly my Norther Plains Sister’ written with such loyalty and hard-won love…
I’ll be courting SD for a while myself, it is biting cold here today yet the austere beauty still settles into my soul…
The weather report just told me it will be in the 80s this weekend. It’s probably time to take the dog to the beach. 🙂
Ah yes…courting San Diego…
I feel the exact same way about Montana.
And I, too, am trying to love Idaho.
I am adding this book to my must read list, which is already ever so long. I am a prairie girl at heart. Have always loved them and read and watch everything I can about them. Willa Cather, Wallace Stegner, Laura Ingalls Wilder (she started it all for me) And then I meet the man of my dreams…and he lives near the prairies AND the mountains (which I also love) Perfect!
We had such a beautiful drive from Calgary to Lethbridge on Christmas Eve. The sky was a lavender gray, snow in the fields and blowing across the road with the sun on the horizon…sigh…
It is great to have you back!
All of you young women are so amazing to me. You totally “get” it. And it took me years to do so. I wasted so much time not liking where I lived, or rather, not living where I lived.
Happy New Year to you All (from a humid Louisiana that is storming and cooling as I write this);
D
WOW!
WHat a glorious read that was. I love your writings Jillian.
I have only been to Regina, but I quite loved what I experienced there. even though I at the time 7 months pregnant and didnt travel too far.
Well jeepers!
Thanks for these comments AND for the emails you zipped me about this post! It’s good to learn young (as Denese has conveyed) to really love and live where you live!
I’m glad to hear that you agree with me:)