To start off, we must ask essential questions to gain context about the situation. Where do you live? And, how long have you lived there? I live in the valley below a cliff in the unorganized territory of Mason Township. I’m not surprised that you are asking yourself where that is. Mason Township is basically made up of mountains and woods. Yes, it’s an unorganized territory, seems like the wild west, but add negative ten-degree temperatures and you got this lovely town. Because of our house being at the bottom of a cliff, we get ripping winds in the winter, similar to a dust storm in the desert. Oh, and if I may add, we have snow dunes as well.
Now to the second question; I have lived at my home in this Alaskan territory since I was ten months old. Though most would ask why I would want to suffer in this cold and “boring” place for so many years, I just ask them why they would want to suffer such mediocre and uneventful lives in a noisy city where you breathe in air and “taste” pollution. If one must be with others at all times to entertain themselves then are they living a free life? To be constantly judged by others in the actions you make; is that free?
This leads to the next question, what makes “my”home so special? I love my home because of the freedom I have when I’m there. To be able to walk a mile and not see a single person is bliss for me. Being able to walk 100 yards from my house and be in the forest where I can be one with nature is what I see as the perfect home, the perfect lifestyle. I can never become bored at my home, it isn’t possible. I can go for a hike, skate or swim at the pond, do work around the farm, ride a horse, build a wooden sword, shoot guns, hunt, collect maple syrup, and much, much more.
The one activity that I enjoy doing the most at home is going to the pond. Whether it be fall, spring, winter, or summer, it always has perks. In the fall the pond is beautiful, the foliage on the trees surrounding the water in the mountains is so vibrant one must witness it to experience its full beauty. Sunlight shining off the undisturbed water, and the absolute darkness of sound surrounding the entire area. The only things that disturb this stonelike appearance of the pond, is nature. Beavers, fish, bears, coyotes, foxes, deer, and other wildlife just add to the experience. This beautiful area fluctuates throughout the seasons to become a whole new landscape; one that can be compared to a winter wonderland.
During the winter the pond is just as amazing, a new set of liveliness, and a new set of activities. Hockey is a regular thing at the pond when there isn’t four feet of snow on the ice. The place is already amazing just by looking at it from the entrance. Snow covers the surrounding trees; it looks like a place straight out of a vacation booklet. Even the walk up to the pond is beautiful, it’s as if your walking through a forest to the north pole.
Though my home comes with its perks, it also comes with some… downsides. Because of it’s ripping winds and blizzard-like conditions, whenever I go to the barn to do chores, it requires a full body suit consisting of a sweatshirt, sweatpants, face mask, and wool socks located underneath snow pants, a heavy jacket, heavy duty muck boots, fur hat, ski goggles, and some extremely warm clothes. Going out into that wilderness during the winter is like going to Antarctica. Nobody at Hebron has a home like I do.