What Country People know...

I was getting out of my car at St. Peter's, Cheshire for my Tuesday morning clergy group meeting when I honked up some mucus from my bronchial tubes and saw a friend of mine across the parking lot.

"I know what you're going to do," he said, delighted, "I grew up on a farm and you're about to spit...."

So, I spat.

Country people know about spitting and know how to blow their noses without anything to blow them in.

You put your thumb on the opposite hand from which nostril you're going to blow, bend over and blow, whipping away the last of the snot with the thumb you used to close the other nostril. Pretty impressive skill, I think.

Bern thinks it's disgusting. Apparently people from Hungary and Italy don't do that (though I bet they do, at least the men!)

Country people also know, wherever their 'country place' is, which direction is where. I'm not as good about it as most country folks, but if you ask me which was is South (or North or the other two) most of the time I can tell you even though I grew up in the mountains which made directions harder than for someone from Nebraska or Kansas.

Country people can also smell a coming rain and feel, on their faces, that snow will happen soon.

Country people don't mind the smell of dung or urine, it is actually comforting to them.

Country people don't get enough credit for all that and more besides.