Leading lines: Barn / subway

Waiting for the cows to return from pasture, a Vermont dairy barn gleams wet after cleaning. A passage leading to the subway is uncharacteristically empty.

Another pair on the theme on the NY/VT dichotomy. The city is hard, intrusive, edgy, in-your-face, loud, intrusive, exciting, irritating as hell but rarely boring. Anonymity is the norm, loneliness is more poignant within a crowd. Weather is a relatively unimportant and you can always duck inside to find warmth or coolness. There are cockroaches and rats.

In Vermont, weather rules everything, from what you do to what you eat, and it can be harsh, even dangerous. But life itself is softer, surrounded by community and nature. Silence (except when broken by the plague of lawn mowing) is possible and can be a balm. Boredom and isolation are hazards to actively guard against. There are blackflies and ticks.