Do you think Small Town American is an icon of the past? Think again.
I live in a rural area of Virginia. I am surrounded by many, and I mean many; small, and I mean small, towns.
The closest town to our farm is Steeles Tavern. Steeles Tavern is located on a fairly busy state highway, yet the town is quite modest; bordering on non-existent - literally a post office, an auto parts store/shop and an antique shop. That's it - no grocery (a milk & bread market closed years ago), no gas (stations are nearby, though), no bank - not much of anything. And, I like it like that!
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| Steeles Tavern (post office on left, auto parts store on right) |
The U.S. Post Office (let me be clear, I did say U. S. as in United States) opens at 7:00 AM and closes at 3:15 PM. Oh, by the way, they close between noon and 12:30 for lunch, as well. Can you imagine...a post office closing for lunch? I can - most of them around here do. The challenge is remembering which post office is closed when, so as to get to the one that might be open at the time I want to buy stamps - it can be quite confusing as each office has a different schedule. I have gotten it wrong many a time, too.
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| antique shop |
The upside is that there are no traffic jams in Steeles Tavern - nope, never.
Now, the parking areas of both the post office and the antique shop can be crowded at times, though - the post office with locals touching base on the daily gossip/gab (I rarely use this post office - too gossipy for me and it is not my post office for my mailing address) and the antique shop with tourists driving by looking for a 'good' deal.
Now, the parking areas of both the post office and the antique shop can be crowded at times, though - the post office with locals touching base on the daily gossip/gab (I rarely use this post office - too gossipy for me and it is not my post office for my mailing address) and the antique shop with tourists driving by looking for a 'good' deal.
I did go to an auction, once, in Steeles Tavern when I lived in the south end of Rockbridge County near Natural Bridge. That was over 23 years ago. I bought an old, handmade wardrobe which I continue to use today. When we moved north, it was like that wardrobe was returning home, where it belonged.
And, that wardrobe brought me to a place that is definitely home, definitely a place I belong.
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