Before we moved out to the sticks, I joked that I wanted a concrete moat around our house. Now that I've lived here a few years, I think I was on to something.
Moats are meant as deterrents to invaders, and this is exactly what we need. This summer we endured the ant invasion. Now, we are suffocating under the blanket of spider webs. Crickets, bugs with too many legs, and silverfish have our basement under siege. We need a no-bug-zone between the house and the big woods.
Constantly, we are battling nature. Beating it back with clippers. Shearing the meadow with our tractor. Cowering from the ever present bees.
Looking out my window, the trees look ominous. Like orks climbing over the fence with battle axes in hand, vines, leaves and branches reach past their boundary to reclaim the land where our house sits. All around us, the earth wants to return to its wildness.
To the children, this wide open space is delightful. The 5 year old loves slimy worms. The older kids love to dig tunnels behind the fence. Since our large piece of land allows us to care for so many animals, my kids couldn't imagine living anywhere else.
I suppose that each time I go out to fight my windmills I could suit up in Off! armor. A better idea might be to just push nature back a little further. Perhaps the kids need a basketball court next to a tennis court, next to a roller rink and shuffle board? Not only would I entertain the kids, but I'd finally have my concrete moat.
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