Rural is a dark country night on a dark country road. Rural is not streetlights every 100 feet.

Rural is narrow, winding, green country roads. Rural is not 4 and 6 lane divided roads.

Rural is hayfields, forests, natural interruptions in the scenery and easy on the eyes. Rural is not straight lines of matching rooftops or rigidly landscaped subdivision edges.

Rural is horseback riding, dog walking, strolling along the roads. Rural is not roads that carry only cars and are a danger to everyone else.

Rural is individual, uniquely designed homesteads, AG fences and the occasional architectural oddity. Rural is not matching house fronts and mailboxes and artificially designed entrances.

Rural is deer in the garden and birds in the trees. Rural is not a neighborhood overrun by domestic dogs and cats and devoid of wildlife.

Rural is lakes and wetlands in their natural condition. Rural is not dirty retention ponds and ditches full of trash.

Rural is the fruit and vegetable stand. Rural is not Publix, Kash 'n Karry and Winn-Dixie within a few thousand feet of each other.

Rural is a main street with small stores, churches and gathering places. Rural is not strip malls and "town centers" with Starbucks and Barnes and Noble.

Rural is low roofed, uniquely different, small square-footage commercial. Rural is not big boxes.

Rural is preserved historic homesteads, buildings, parks, graveyards, churches and archeological sites. Rural is not a lone historic sign in a parking lot or along a roadway commemorating what is already lost.

Rural is one or two gas stations, privately owned, throughout the community. Rural is not a chain gas station for all four corners of intersecting roads.

Rural is local restaurants. Rural is not fast food chains or national chain restaurants.

Rural is community activity places scattered throughout the heart of a community. Rural is not a concentrated, high-use regional park or mall.

Rural is laid-back, naturally occurring gathering places. Rural is not contrived or artificially imposed developed community places.

Rural is a quiet country night with sounds in the distance. Rural is not constant traffic noise.

Rural is the smell of mowed hay. Rural is not the smell of french fries from McDonald's.

Rural is the lowing of cattle, the bleat of goats, the cackling of chickens, the train whistle in the distance. Rural is not the sound of your neighbor's pool party.

Rural is a dark enough night to watch the moon and the stars; a quiet enough night to hear the wind in the trees and the owls hoot. Rural is not the loss of these things. 

 - JS