Country Farmhouse In Winter

A country house in winter. Not new and often heated with a pot belly stove, they’re more homey and comfortable than new homes. I’d rather smell a hint of wood smoke than fresh paint and new carpet. When I was young, I often stayed with relatives who lived in an old country house. Someone always had to get up in the middle of the night to put wood in the stove. You always wear wool socks because the floors are cold. The plastered outside walls are cold to touch. Frost sometimes formed around the inside of the windows because they leaked cold air. You sometimes wear a hat inside at night. Looking back I realize that no matter the inconveniences or the hardships, living in an old country home is a privilege. I wish I could go back and spend one more winter night in that house.