Joannaville

"Joannaville" is the town where our tourguide, Joanna was born. It is just outside of Sparta. We spent one afternoon there. Our leaders would not tell us the name of the town however, they would only refer to it as Joannaville, so I went with it.
Joannaville was an adorable, sleepy little town, which was completely perplexed by the notion of tourists. Little brick cottages lined the hillsides, grapes grew off the porches of these homes, laundry hung outside to dry in backyards that often held chickens or other kinds of farm animals as well as vegetable gardens. It was the kind of town where people still grow their own food. There were almost no cars. I loved it.
My favorite part of this town was the 4000 year old trees that stood outside of a little church near the town square. These trees were colossal and mangled and begging to be climbed...so climb them we did. My friends Anna and Devin and I spent a good hour or so high up in the the branches of one. Anna and I found one branch that had a bathtub shaped recess in it that held the two of us perfectly. It was such a fun day. I often entertain notions of my own maturity, along with which comes cynicism, skepticism, and seriousness. However, then there are those times where my inner child takes over, and in those moments I find myself thrilled with life. I hope I never lose the ability to be awed.