I shared this post today in a Facebook discussion, then realized that I have many new readers who have come on board in the last 4 years since I wrote this post. It is still as relevant today as ever.
When my husband and I decided to leave congested Washington, DC behind and pursue the “simple life” in the country, we really didn’t know what we were getting into.
Our property consisted of fields and woods – no road, no water, no electricity, no house. But – no problem – we had a road built, a well drilled, underground electric cables and telephone lines installed. We built our house while we were living in a 30-foot travel trailer. Living in a trailer is conducive to the simple life: there is so little space that you can’t add anything beyond the essentials. You make do with a small kitchen space and a small shower stall.
Developing a property and building a house is anything but simple. And in the process, you acquire things, lots of things. For starters, you need a tractor and all its necessary attachments. Then you need a…
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The Beauty Along the Road 
I’m so glad you re-posted this, Annette. A life of mindfulness and hard work too, but then you are part of a graspable, visible system, even if its internal community complexities take a time to fathom; it’s a long, long way from being only a dislocated speck in the urban wilderness. Wishing you a happy and creative 2019.
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Well said, Tish. Thanks for giving me a new expression “urban wilderness” – it kind of has a disturbing ring to it – chaos, alienation, loneliness perhaps? Nature’s wilderness seems much more inviting. Happy New Year and frequent visits with the Muses to you, Tish.
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I admire the fortitude and perseverance of your early endeavors to create a home in the wilderness. It was not a job for sissies! I also greatly enjoyed the photos of the progress, and of the beauty of the property and the newly-created garden. I think your observations are even more relevant now than they were in 2014. The work clearly strengthened your body and spirit, both.
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You are right, this is not a place for sissies! It makes me appreciate the many self-reliant skills most locals have acquired to be able to live here. I’ve learned a lot and I appreciate even more the mix of mental, emotional, physical and scientific work it takes to be a good farmer, and/or a good steward to the land.
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Since breathing is essential to living, having space in which to do it is a precious treasure, a sanity-saving treasure. I like my rural life, although I must confess that those things that were easily taken care of when we started this venture and were younger, are more of a trial now as aging happens. Yet the solitude, the space for breathing, keep me here.
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Managing our physical energies is important at any age, but becomes crucial as we age. I am learning to pace myself and to find eager, young people who are willing to to do the things I no longer want to put my body through. 🙂 The breathing space makes it all worthwhile….
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