Community

Many of you have heard that the boys and I are getting The Chicken Ranch ready to sell. We took up residence 6 years ago in May and it's been quite the adventure. We've had 6 Autumn Galas, a few birthday parties, many Oscar viewings, game nights, family gatherings and whatever else we could coax our friends and family out to the country for. We've put thousands of hours into the inside of the house, the outside property and the many inhabitants that we've shared our little piece of earth with. It's been absolutely amazing, but when the right buyer comes along, whether it be tomorrow or in 3 years,

we will be on our way out making room for the next country bumpkins to settle in and make it their own.

Where next for us though. As a genealogist I think about communities and how they are comprised a great deal. But as we look to where our next home will be I'm drawn to a deeper contemplation. In the years before online technology and traveling was so easy our communities, while no less complicated than they might be today, were defined primarily by geography. You relied on the people in your geographic area at the very least for sustenance but more often for socialization and leisure companionship, and as I watch Chocolat, one of my favorite movies while writing this, judgement! Today we need our neighbors for none of these, with the wonders of Amazon, Peapod and dining delivery we can have absolutely anything delivered to our doors within a day or two. Most of us can find a 24 convenience store or grocery store within 20 minutes of our homes. The days of going to the neighbors to borrow a cup of sugar are gone. For leisure we can use the internet to communicate with people about our favorite hobbies and to play our favorite games. And for judgement, there is Facebook! For in-person socialization we think little of driving minutes, hours, a day to visit friends and family when we are so motivated.

So how does one choose where to make their home? One of the reasons we would like to sell The Chicken Ranch is so that we can be closer to our friends and family and moreover have more time to spend with them. But as we try and decide where that will be we're reminded that they are all over. So then do we position ourselves closest to the majority of them, to those that we most enjoy dining with, to those with shared hobbies. Or do we be environmentally responsible and position ourselves closest to our work where we travel daily. Perhaps we find a home in a neighborhood that represents a piece of our identity such as the gayborhood or a gardening community. How do you define community?