I've been fantasizing about moving to the country for as long as I can remember, but have returned to the city where I grew up to retire. Life here is nice, I have a solid little house that I've done all of the necessary work to, I grow some of my own vegetables, have stores nearby, a place to volunteer, little bits of community, and the luxury of knowing that all of the services and conveniences of a city are at my disposal. However, it sure would be great to grow enough vegetables to donate to food banks and to have a lake to swim in.
I'm in Canada, so winters here are long and cold, but the only aspect that I mind is that if I lived rural, that might mean being snowed in until I or someone I hired plowed the road (I actually don't know about how often minor rural roads are plowed... something I should look into before making the move!)
I'd love to hear about your experiences with living in the countryside. How far from a city is so far that you feel isolated? Do you feel safe? Do you feel lonely? Is it a pain to have to commute for groceries, or does that make meal planning easier? Generally, what are the pros and cons, and do you feel that it's worthwhile to you?
I live on rural mountain acreage @ ~2700-feet elevation.
At this relatively low elevation there isn't much snow.
Average winter temperature is ~55 degrees F.
If I did get snowed in it wouldn't be for long.
I'm a FIREee so I don't have to commute.
I cannot live where it is bitter cold as Canada is during the winter.
Town is about 6 miles away.
I think its population is ~2700.
The in-town grocery store's product line is the equal of any large grocery store situated in a large city.
Man-made sound is atypical at my bucolic location.
On my property I've seen bobcats, deer, cougars, squirrels, gophers, wood rats, mice, snakes, foxes, turkeys, quail, doves, crows, and other birds.
I haven't seen a bear but a few do live nearby.
During morning and evening "rush hour" only 1 vehicle passes by my house; it's my neighbor going to work and coming home.
Believe it or not, there are no traffic lights in my county!
The nearest city is ~35 miles from town.
I don't feel isolated or lonely.
For me the only drawback of living on rural mountain acreage is high fire danger during fire season.
The risk of a burned-down home can be mitigated by clearing brush/trees, a metal roof, and fire-resistant siding.
I understand that no two individuals are exactly alike in terms of their preferred location and climate, other preferences, living arrangements, etc.
I maximize my happiness and contentment by living in the beauty and peacefulness of the mountains.
Here are today's pics of nearby mountains.
Snow is more beautiful when one doesn't have to drive in it or shovel it.
Ha-ha!