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I chose to live rural. It is part of me that needs to be easily accessible to space, freedom, clean ( er) air and even silence. But green countryside “ does it” for me.
Now before you start- I know we have farm perfume and mucky muddy roads- certainly in Devon- but there is a kind of peace you might not find in an urban area. Maybe I’ m exaggerating. Bear with me, though.
Traffic is louder and more frequent in urban areas and, yes everyone notices it – even in the road systems of rural Devon or North York Moors ( sorry if I didn’t mention your heavenly place).
However, there is a kind of compromise you have to accept. In my neck of the woods we get only one bus A WEEK.
Some places do not get any public transport. I agree, the cutting down or railways in the 1960,s left us a poor heritage. I live two miles from a main line going east/west. If there was a station ( where It used to be) I’d be able to sell both cars.
Devon has a strong cycling tradition and clubs prefer rural, as do those in the city, I expect.
The aspect that gives me most pleasure is that I can go out into our village and walk in any direction to meet open countryside. I do aim to enjoy it before someone puts another housing development on it. There’s another issue, I know.
The city or urban might provide more anonymity, perhaps? CD members will no doubt leap to defend “ their patch” and rightly so- an English Lady’s/ woman’s home is her palace- oo a clever twist on an old theme, Anya.
Shopping can be a major journey, where you pack the car with sleeping bags and a tent in order to make the “ two day route”. Is this still true in the outback of Australia or prairies in USA? I don’t know! Hence the question.
Yet for all the “ wishes and wants”, I still prefer my rural environment.
And I expect you love yours too- urban or rural. After all, there is no place like home….. if you have one!!!
And there’s the challenge. I’ll leave that thought with you… as we approach the seasons of good will. Bless your homes or your place of habitation or, indeed, your tent. May you find peace in its place.
Gratefully,Anya
Hi Anya
We migrated from the big city to the far West. and while I sometimes miss being able to hop onto a bus and hit the city centre within 20 minutes, I wouldn’t go back.
Connie
xxx
Hi Anya,
I loved being by the sea in Nort Cornwall for 15 years – a static caravan on a friendly locally owned site. So did everyone else of course in peak tourist season (that’s when we let friends / other family use the van 😉
Now I’ve moved to beautiful, rural Wales, I’ve swapped the sea for ‘mountains’ , but it’s just right for me – oh, and everyone else in the tourist season. I obviously have a thing for tourists!
Marti xxx
You are in a lovely land of Song!!!
Anya
Growing up in the Methodist Church our youth group visited Cornwall. Flew to Heathrow then got the train from Paddington. We where based in a village called Mevagissey. One of the most loveliest places I’ve visited
Mevagissey Maackerell. Great food in Cornwall.
Anya xyou didn’t eat?????
oh, fish… yes the mackerel.
best anywhere.
anya🦈
– one of my friends on the caravan site enjoyed his little boat and usually came back with mackerel enough in season to go round. He’d clean them up for me, and they were eaten within a few hours – as fresh as could be. Yummy
Mati xxx
Thank you Marti. I think Ill go to the fish shop…. Where’s my bicycle???????
I live in the outback Australia. I’m 120km from the nearest major shopping precinct. 30km away from the nearest general store to get a bottle of milk. (That milk is nearly 3 times dearer then the major shopping precinct.)
Its 6 hours to get to Sydney. (Without breaks. ) I’m only on a small farm. 100 plus acres. Big ones around here are 90’000 acres or more. My imediate neighbor has 6000 acres.
I’ll dress on the farm. Though high heels and skimpy clothes are not practical. Have hunted many times enfemme. My ammo pouch is a handbag.
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Hi Mary.
You said…. “My ammo pouch is a handbag”…. I love this… lol!
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Yes, and stylish too…. a lady has to always be stylish.
Yeah, Mrs Jemima Bond, Walther PPK and a Jimmy Choo handbag full of ammo😂
Anya ( hugs)
Hi Anya…. Nice post.
I actually lived in ” Meva ” for a while…. absolutely swamped with Emmet’s in the summer….but beautifully ” local ” in the winter …..grace x
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Many years ago we moved to what we considered “country” with pastures and cows outside a fair sized American city, but now the city has engulfed us with subdivisions all around. The cows have turned into cars and the pastures are now rows of checkerboard housing. The worst thing about this is the increase in taxes, traffic, and all the damn constant noise!
Where I am, we have no pub, bus service or shops, just beautiful country lanes. Worked in London for over thirty years so this is bliss.
Got our first snowfall last night here at my cottage in Central Ontario. The colourful leaves are sprinkled with snow and it looks spectacular!
🍁🍂 Barb
Oooooo! I’m envious. Ontario, How I wish I could visit Canada. Are you US side or Canada side? Please excuse my ignorance.
UK probably fits inside Ontario????????
That’s why I’m “ Little Anya” 😂
“Little Anya”? Yeah, that’s what Rick says. How’s Ron doing, btw?
Ontario is a province of Canada, kinda like what a state is to the overall make up (ahem…) of the US.
I think the UK can fit into Ontario about 5 times. Ontario is sandwiched between Manitoba, Quebec, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, and New York State. Yeah, we are BIG! Rick agrees.
😂🤣 Barb
(You really should visit Canada!)
Yes, I should. But I’d need to take a cruise ship to get there. High flying is not for me. Medical reasons. ( and nothing to do with my zipper….” high flying”😂😂😂😂😂
My doctor would say- your fine at sea level. But no air flights.
Always wanted to go to Canada. So you will have to live there for me too!
Little Anya still needs to explore a lot of UK.
And I’ve not been to Ireland either.
Wales and Scotland are pretty too. The isles are superb. One island is served by a two minute flight!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I might cope with that!!!!!!
Thank you for your fun!
Anya 😌
As I entered Devon I became a Grockle then as I passed over the Tamar bridge I became an Emmet. I’m sure these were terms of endearment!
I had to change the way I made up my scones from cream first to last, and never ushered the word Pasty. There were a lot of Goons in Cornwall too.
The flag I saw went from green to black and there was one road in and one road back.
I am a townie, busses very five minutes, Local services a plenty. Trains nearby,an airport, hordes of people and noise. The blessing I have is a motorway that takes me away and access some lovely quiet rural areas for peace and quiet and never see a soul all day. I love the countryside and all that goes with it. I appreciate the time I have there. I also have some forest and open spaces within a short walk from where I live. You can have it all.
Hi Angela,
“I had to change the way I made up my scones from cream first to last”.
– and I never did consolidate in my memory which way round it was. When I split a scone in half I’d do one half one way, and the other half opposite. 50% is a pass mark in an exam these days , no?
Marti xxx
Hi Anya
I live in a very rural part of Buckinghamshire and love it, where I live it’s very rustic very overgrown surroundings. There are appalling roads broken gateways and almost nowhere to pass other vehicles, couldn’t be better thats the appeal for me.
Love Sarah
xx
Hi Anya, as you already know, I also live in smalltown Texas. It does have its pros and cons, and you learn to live as best you can. Traveling to shop, is just that; traveling! And, yes the rural life does allow for more dressup opportunities, but be careful if you’re socially involved (church is one that we share😄) as you may have to explain your choice of clothing!
That being said, I wouldn’t trade rural life for urban life at all. I grew up in a large city, one that just got too big for me. Life in a small town is good enough for me, amiga!!
👠KendraLikewise
Alpha and Omega
😊😉
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Anya I am definitely a country girl. I live in nowhere Oklahoma on a small farm with cattle, goats, cats and dogs. Finally am horseless which is a sad but good thing. I have to travel about 70 miles to get to the “big” city. I travel extensively for my day job to finance my ranching habits and have been in cities all over the world and am ALWAYS happy to get back to nowhere Oklahoma and my chunk of dirt. I can always be myself at home and have no qualms about wearing nice things on days I am not fixing fence, chasing cows and ignoring goats. For the record I have a lovely concealed carry purse and am a Kimber girl not a PPK gal and love my Vince Camuto’s but would suffer some Jimmy Choos. We do have copperheads and water moccasins in our neck of the woods as well as the occasional meth head trespassing on my creek so it is just a farm tool. Have a lovely day y’all!
🍷C
It’s ok Connie, I now know not to turn up uninvited😊 The last thing I need is a load of Jimmy Choos aimed at my derrière 😂
just for conversation- I’m really glad you work in proper apparel. The countryside is no place for casual passers by. You need to dress appropriately for the occasion.
I heard a story on the radio, only last week.
a women went out walking and found herself surrounded by cattle. The outcome was vicious.She was trampled on by the small herd and had to be rescued by some other walkers. She nearly died. The air ambulance saved her. However she had over 20 operations, requiring 47
plates in her body.
She said she was resigned to die there- before found and rescued.So it pays to respect the countryside. And if you live alone out in the “ wild” you rely on good means of communication.
Speaking of which, I am glad to meet you, make your acquaintance, and say thank you for your message.
You enjoy your space and your ranching. If I were nearer I’d gladly give you a hand.
instead, I send my sincere wishes and hope you continue to be able to follow your passion.
Hugs,
Anya
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I read recently where cattle are the most “deadly” animal in numerous states. Their venom may not be to bad but they crush and stomp to death more people per year than any other animal kills in any fashion. Nothing like 2000 lbs of stupid bull to ruin a day. I definitely wear old grungy clothes for farm work not only for safety but for practicality. Heels, skirts and wild cattle definitely don’t mix. I would gladly accept your help on the farm any time you want to come to Oklahoma and work.
🍷C
Lol,
After reading some of your descriptions of ‘rural’ , I need to rescale my definition of rural. I live in a small housing estate in a village bordering the Brecon Beacons. I have shops I can walk to and pubs I can drink at. In the UK I guess that qualifies as lucky rural – shops and pubs often struggle to survive elsewhere. It’s the tourists that keep us going I think. It’s a popular kicking off point for hikers.
I never understood ’empty’ quite the same after I travelled overland through Australia – Darwin -> Adelaide
Marti xxx
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Marti I always said if I can’t stand naked on my front porch and no one sees me or cares I’m to close to my neighbors. The directions to my farm include leaving the paved road here and possibly engaging 4 wheel drive depending on what Mother Nature has thrown our way. I truly believe there is a difference between rural and country and I am definitely country. That said, I have seen parts of this world where you can go 100+ miles without seeing anything or anyone and that qualifies as desolate.
🍷C
I grew up in a large city in the North West of England, due to my chosen career I have been lucky enough to live in some wonderful places. St Andrews in Scotland is still my favourite.
I have also lived just outside the two famous varsity cities, one where I still live at the moment, each place I have lived has gotten smaller and smaller, we are now in the process of moving to what should be our last house in a quiet small rural village one road in and out. To me the peace and quiet is most important, but we will still be within 25 miles of the city if we need to go shopping.
I do not miss living in a big city one little bit, however a long time friend of mine came to visit several years ago and he couldn’t wait to go home as it was to quiet and he couldn’t get a take away as there wasn’t any for miles.
Samantha x
Where I am at in Texas we have a population of just under being able to support a taxi cab service and have no public transit authority.
Cattle and oil pumps outnumber people, and the 24 hour services are limited to the police and fire departments, the hospital where I work, 4 convenience stores, and the city/county jail.
The nearest major shopping area is 69 miles away and the next closest is a 3 hour drive. Carolyne, how far are you from Laverne and Enid? For ladies not familiar with Oklahoma, those are towns, not neighbors down the road.
I do like the slower pace though, until the high schoolers let out for the day and we find ourselves in some disorganized road rally. Our Wal-Mart isn’t even open 24 hours.
PaulaF
Omg….you didn’t stay at…..cowfield cottage….noooooo.
…..although it must have been nice….10,000 bluebottles can’t be wrong!!!…
Oh the Lakes- my heaven.
Yewbarrow, Mosedale Horseshoe, Red Tarn, Red Pike, Glennridding Mountain Hut, Hellvellyn, Tarn Howse, Coniston and St Bees Head. Great place.
Anya ( hugs)
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