Growing up in the very rural middle class suburb that is La Grangeville definitely had its pros and cons.

We lived in a comfortable two-floor ranch house on a quiet cul-de-sac road. It was perfect for lazy afternoon bike rides and carefree strolls to visiting neighborhood friends. While I did try to socialize from time to time, it was mostly my sister who visited others. I was a quiet girl who spent most of my time by myself, roaming the woods which surrounded our yard, doing something creative by myself, playing with my rabbit, or otherwise whatever I could do that included daydreaming and using my imagination. I have always had a love of animals and it didn’t matter what size. Any creature fascinated me: from the next door neighbor’s cat to the fuzzy wolly bear caterpillars. I would pick them up and giggle when they transformed into a tiny fuzzball in my hand.

Most of my time was spent out in nature or at home drawing, reading or watching TV. I lived a very creative life and I wrote my own picture books at a very young age (illustrated them too). My parents helped cultivate in me a love of nature, taking us out on riverboats and for camping trips. This only reinvigorated my urge to climb trees and go for walks in the woods. My parents are musicians and took us to many festivals while growing up; this helped me find a love of music which has always been a very healing thing. While this especially helped me in my solitude, today I’ve come to enjoy sharing my music with others.

While there was a lot to appreciate in nature, it was easy to feel very isolated in my hometown. There wasn’t any gathering place to walk to. We lived on a quiet street in La Grangeville connected to a busy major road. I didn’t learn to drive until we moved to the more suburban NY town of Yorktown Heights in Westchester County, which was a good 40 minutes or so away. It wasn’t until I started going to college and coffee shops and open mics that I found my social niche.

It’s tricky growing up in the country, especially if you are a social individual because you have to travel to meet other people. That’s one of the biggest challenges that I found when growing up in La Grangeville, as I had to find a lot of ways to entertain myself. I was a very shy and socially awkward child, but things are easier now that I am older. It definitely helps being within easy reach of social gathering places.

At the same time, I don’t regret living in a quiet place in the country, because I hold a very special place in my heart for the woods and the rivers, the streams and the fields. It is a feeling of zen and connecting to yourself that is very hard to do sometimes if you live in a city. I live in one today, and I miss the silence of the countryside. I hope to get back to it soon.