Rhode Island's South County



URI Quad in Autumn

I spent 5 years of my life living in South County RI.  To anyone from outside of the RI area, it may seem odd that I refer to it as "South County" rather than to name the particular city or town where I resided.  You see, I moved into my dorm room in June, 1992 at age 17.  I was dropped off and forgotten, it seemed.  But through the sadness, a new life emerged for me.  This would be 5 years of self-discovery, faith, passion, music, learning, and yes even more pain.  But Einstien theorized that time doesn't exist in a linnear way as we believe it does, and that all the things that happen to us happen at once.  If this is true, there are many interesting implications.  Suffice it to say, for the sake of my article, that I simply point this out to say that although this was a long time ago and I no longer live there, the love for the places I have been lives on.  I took great pride in being a URI student, but it was much more than just the student life or URI campus that forever changed me while I lived in South County.

I was rasied in the country...in rural Foster RI.  In my junior year of High School I was abruptly moved to Warwick and I finished out my remaining high school years there, departing as quickly after graduation as possible and moving to URI campus a few short weeks after graduation day.  I stayed living in South County for 5 years and would have continued living there if not for certain (forceful) influences affecting me.  I loved the serene landscape of both country living and ocean living.  Today, I live in Warwick, very much by the ocean.  It is nice.  But to this day, nothing compares to her...to my South County.  To Wickford with it's quaint shopping village and Charlestown with it's majestic forests and beaches, to my favorite night-club/hot spot, The Ocean Mist...I just love South County RI.

 The view from the deck at Ocean Mist, day or night is a most desirable place.  I had many a spectacular evening here.  Some were romantic, some with friends, most while following a band or hearing a band or even while performing with one.  The spot has private beach access...small, no one bothers you...people are nice...the air feels great.

Almost everyone can recognize this Icon in RI.  I can still remember one of the last days I ever spent with my brother was here.  We took my stepdaughters to Narragansett beach and then we toured the Coast Guard House Towers and the Narragansett Town Square.  Of course, I had already examined this entire area pretty thoroughly.  Surprisingly, there were still new things we discovered on that day!

While I was living at URI, I was forced out in the Summers and so I travelled like a homeless bum from one home to another and stayed as a visitor.  I learned a lot from these experiences.  I began to figure out how to add value wherever I stayed and try not to be a taker.  I am afraid that because of my age, I was probably more of a taker, but now I see the error of my ways.  I am very patient with younger people...especially when they are making those type of blunders.  There will come a moment in their lives when it clicks and they understand how they should behave.  But it is good to be young and carefree!  I used to spend LONG hours just hiking in the woods beyond where presently The Ryan Center is.  At that time it was undisturbed woods and paths.  I would probably be terrified of hiking there alone nowadays, but back then I loved it!  I also loved to spend long hours in prayer out in the gardens at URI.  There was one night I remember in particular was a very hard night for me and I stayed there all night until the sun came up.  Then there was the cherry blossom tree I used to sit in...it was near the science buildings.  When I was feeling extra bold, I would go with a friend to the roof of one of the old Buildings...I think it was the Roosevelt Building.  I have also sat up on the roof at the Fine Arts Center.  In later years, I would find solace at the football stadium...running the bleachers or just sitting on them.

I never used to take pictures, so I only have the image from my minds eye and the few old photos stashed somewhere that I kept.  But it was beautiful.  I love to be surrounded by nature.  South County provided the best of both worlds for me because I loved the woods, the fields, the farms, the community and even the ocean!  I fell in love quickly with the seasonal travellers and the sounds of silence on the URI campus in summer, followed by the chaos and bustle of the regular school year.  I would love to be a student again.  I have fond memories of people and buildings and classes and meals and celebrations!

Another fond memory for me is the Dahlias.  There is a Dahlia farm in South Kingstown or Kingston somewhere...and I forget now but it was lovely!  I used to dedicate as much time as I could spare to helping over there.  I remember one year giving all my relatived potted dahlias, for no reason at all.