Home Grown

Am I a city girl? Sometimes I feel like one. There's nothing like seeing the Chicago skyline at night, or the architecture of buildings that have been standing for over a hundred years, having the best stores all at your fingertips, walking through the crowded streets lit up with Christmas lights during the holiday season, listening to the sounds of the city streets through your open window on those humid summer days, hearing the ringing bell of the man selling Mexican Popsicles approaching, trying all of the amazing food from so many different cultures all in the span of a few city blocks, even being awoken by the shouts of the man yelling at something only he can see late at night. All of these things make me appreciate the immense richness of this city and this neighbourhood. All the things I didn't experience in my safe, familiar small town childhood. But I have to say, sometimes all I want to do is take off my shoes, roll up my sleeves and dig in some dirt. Sometimes all I want is to run around with my dogs and take a ride in my dad's pickup truck, smelling the clean cool air on the dirt roads. All I want to do is pick peas from the vine in the garden and listen to my dad explain to me how to breed two types of apple trees together. All I want is to tickle my nieces and nephews and cook a good meal for my whole family while my dad gives me his wink of approval. I want to listen to my Mom tell me all of her dreams and plans for the future while being amazed at how she never looses hope that something amazing is right around the corner. I want to eat the best licorice ice cream in the world as fast as I can before it melts all the way down my arm. Sometimes all I want is to see somebody who knows what color my hair was when I was three years old. Sometimes, all I want is to be home. Am I a city girl? Nah...