Why do you live where you live?

[genelp]

My wife and I have lived in the same northern Indiana county all of our lives (Whitley). When we were married we had a discussion of whether to live in the country or our local small town. My wife had always lived in the small town of Columbia City and didn't think she would like the country. She has since changed her mind! The place we live at now has 4 acres and a pond. Our property is surrounded by a hayfield on one side and 3 farms that are mostly wooded and have been in set-aside for years. These farms/woods are connected to a state owned wildlife preserve. Needless to say we have lots of deer, coyote and even the occasional turkey. When friends and family that live in town come to visit we've noticed that they often just stand at the window and look at the view. I wouldn't trade this for city living, even if offered a job paying double what I make now.

 

[Molerj]

Just an update on an earlier post I made to this thread on 12/12. Seventy two yr. young Mom fell & broke her wrist
at home Sunday. With two sisters almost 3 hrs. away don't know what she would have done if we weren't close by. Just another reason I am living where I am.

 

[antiques]

What a great question, Danny Y! We're in Southwestern Michigan, in Weesaw Township (Pop. around 2100), a few miles from the towns of Galien and New Troy, we bought part of a former dairy farm, just under 40 acres, with a small pond, a few acres of woods and Blue Jay Creek as the southern boundary of the property. We "ended up" here after I was hired at a nearby Nuke plant in 1999, and couldn't be happier. I've worked at 10 other Nuke plants and at a couple of other larger and smaller companies around the Country since 1979 (lived in Mass, NH, Arizona, Georgia, and the last 12 years for various periods at each of the three Nuke sites in California. My wife and I grew up in Northeastern Massachusetts, a couple of miles from each other, and have been together since 1963, married in '67. Just a few years ago, we made a list of attributes that an area should have where we could "settle down forever". Never did Michigan cross our minds. When we got here, we could not believe how well the area matched our list! University nearby (ND), large city within an hour and a half (Chicago)- trains, planes and tractors! 4 Seasons! Snow! Quality of life is so high for us; it's quiet here, no traffic, people are great, we're surrounded by mostly farmland, but room for deer, coyotes, raccoons, rabbit, owls, hawks, groundhogs, muskrat, etc., yet only 12 miles to "work", on the shore of Lake Michigan. We both know we're truly blessed to be here, and give thanks every day. And of course, the tractor... never had so much fun since my brother and I did our "construction work" in our old sand box, back in the '40's and 50's! Thanks for the opportunity to hear so much about everyone else, and their dreams and travails too, Danny Y! Bill

 

[MossRoad]

That's a beautilful area. We drive through there often on our way to Lake Michigan. West out of South Bend to New Carlisle, north on Cleveland to Shawnee, left on Shawnee to the lake. An enjoyable drive in all seasons. Especially the wine country off any side road.

<font color=green> MossRoad </font color=green>

 

[cp1969]

I live here because my ancestors were kicked out of all the good places.

 

[TerryinMD]

Well, that is certainly an interesting post.

Pray tell - from where were your ancestors booted??

Terry

 

[cp1969]

It's a line from a John Belushi or Bill Murray movie, I can't remember right now which one.

 

[Joyce]

Danny Y, I live along costal Maine, but a fair distance away from the very touristy areas, with my husband and 7 year old boy.

We found this land getting lost, looking for something else. I grew up in Massachusetts, and would have settled on any of the New England states above Mass. I have to have New England because of the changing seasons, including the spectacular autumn season.

We have these 62 acres, bought off of a local farmer done with farming, because we could afford it. This is a small town of about 800 people. We like the country, but the access to whatever culture we want.

I doubt we will ever move because we are putting so much into this place with planting and building. Also, there is a real good violin/fiddle circle of activity between Bangor and Camden... both my son and I play (he's better than me already /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

If I ever had the chance at 'ideals' in life, sure I'd love a place where the sugar maples are already 100 years old, not like the ones I've been planting for the last 10 years. And there are quaint New England towns that have all those beautiful old homes. None of this do we choose to afford. Rather, we afford what we have, and will build what we want.

I have always thought it a priority in life to make your home and farm (yard...whatever), as beautiful as your energy and tractor will allow. In that regard, you won't be finding yourself looking to vacation elsewhere all the time. I consider our home our vacation spot. The only trouble with this theory, is the part about when do you put down your tools to enjoy it.

I love the indepence of country living, and my new 2910 helps immensily. But that independence (solar power, chain saw and band saw to bring in those beams for our house building, etc.) comes with a price tag. The price is in the time and maintenance. Time to do all the work, and needing the patience to figure out all of the maintenance. (Thank goodness my husband is better at this stuff than me /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.)

 

[RonL]

Joyce
It's New England for me also. You make a good point of when do you put down the tools and enjoy it? The secret I believe is in enjoying the work. I suppose if one were struggling to bring in enough food for the winter and close in a cabin to protect a family from the cold one would look at it differently. But I think there is something innate in humans that makes them take pride in building a domicile and working the land. You can see it even in the city when someone takes pride in fixing a loose screw on the kitchen cabinet.

RonL

 

[RichZ]

Joyce, I agree with your comments, especially about your home being your permanent vacation home. When my wife and I bought our farm, we had to make the decision that we would never go away on vacation again, because with all the critters and farm responsibilities, it's just too complicated to go away. Besides, I actually hate to travel, and we live in our favorite area anyway, so why go anyplace else? Day trips are fine, but I want to be back on my own farm at the end of the day!

Rich
"What a long strange trip it's been."