Country life...

The Good, The Bad, and the Down-Right Ugly...

Living in the country or living in a rural area will mean different things to different people.

The definition of the word "rural", is, according to Dictionary.com, "...of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the country, country life, or country people; rustic." Okay, that tells me nothing new, but I like the idea of being considered "rustic."

Some people choose to live rural and some find themselves there due to a job change or other life upheaval.

If you find yourself in the latter category, don't panic. Life as you know it will change, but you won't cease to exist. Besides, with a little help from the Internet, you can still enjoy a lot of things from the big city. You'll find an inside look here at some of the aspects of country living - starting with trying to define what "country living" actually means...

A Definition

"I live in the country" means something different to someone currently living in downtown Washington, DC than to someone living in say, Southern Maryland.

Your downtown dweller may think moving five miles or so outside the city limits means they have relocated to the country. Someone who currently lives in Southern Maryland would guess you have to come to their neck of the woods to really be in the country - in this case, another 40 to 50 miles south of Washington, DC.

Then again, a lot depends on what country you live in right now.

Australians will no doubt have an entirely different view of country living than Americans. Having been to Australia, it seemed to me that the line between urban and rural centers disappears in a flash compared to the US - where so many suburban areas are in between. Quite often one does not find suburbs in Australia - one is either in town or in "the bush."

And what about countries like Russia or Canada? I have a feeling a Russian or Canadian citizen has seen some remote country terrain that may not even exist in the United States! Well, maybe not outside Alaska...

I would love to hear from anyone who lives in a rural area and has the good "scoop" on why they live there and what it is like - especially if you are willing to share info with others who may like to visit your local area and are looking for insider info. Residents of any country are encouraged to send a note. No info submitted to this site will ever be published without your prior permission.

---

Did you happen to know that in the United States,

20% of the residents live in the sticks?

That must be why it is often so quiet here!

According to the US Census of the year 2000, just under 80% of the population of the United States lives in an "urban" verus rural setting. This number is slightly misleading because included in the 80% count are "urban clusters" which can have as few as 2,500 residents. I still think the individual has to decide what his or her idea of living in the country or living rural really means.

A Definition of "Country"...

The view from Rose Cottage (beside the one above), is that living in the country means outside an urban or densely populated suburban area, and is not country-specific. It also assumes that one does not move from an apartment in the city to an apartment in the country. Most people move to the country to "spread out" a bit. This could mean going from a quarter acre to one or, from a half acre to 100. The economy and yours will also play a factor. Small towns can be low-end, mid-range or high-end, just like different parts of a city. Keep this in mind if you are contemplating moving to the country.

It also means that you are probably not conveniently located - to anything you'd like to have, well, convenient.

When I first moved to Rose Cottage I had major culture shock. I had been living "conveniently located" to Raleigh, North Carolina. Some might actually consider THIS to be rural but in case you don't know it - Raleigh is the capital of the State of North Carolina. Anyway, living in Raleigh, I had little need to do much shopping online since almost any item I could think of was at a store just down the street, or at the nearest mall or other shopping center.

My shopping has also changed considerably since moving out of town. I now needed things like a better lawnmower, a wood stove, a place to buy fish for my lake, etc. I need sources for siding, and roofing, and for guys who can drive a backhoe and/or safely take down 60-foot trees.

Let's face it...I'm not in Raleigh anymore...

There is a WalMart. Oh goody. I am not a big fan of WalMart. There is a McDonald's. Not real big on junk food either. And these are the reasons for this web site.

It has taken quite some time to find quality merchants on the Internet who can deliver the products I need, to my door, when I want them. I usually do not have time to drive 50+ miles to "town" and the local "town" unfortunately does not have a very wide selection since all the small, niche businesses were put OUT of business by the WalMart.

Maybe you are not living rural but are a savvy suburbanite who refuses to spend half your valuable Saturday either in traffic headed toward the mall or standing in line somewhere inside one. Maybe you are like me whether living in a rural area or not, shopping is a "have to"...not a social occasion.

Hopefully, this research - available by clicking any of the category links to the left, will pay off for any of you who either already live in a small town or, are contemplating a move to one...and will also save you some time, money, and aggravation.

Other sections will be of interest to those of you who move from a smaller property or even an apartment or condo to a larger property. Many new acquisitions will be required and the garden tools section may give you a jump start on that. I even devoted an entire page to my beloved Makita Cordless Chainsaw! Yes, I am a true "rustic."

Newer sections will focus on travel and country resorts and vacation options for those who want to just visit - not live here! There are areas of interest specific to those who live in the country - some good and some bad - some with solutions and some, not.

Let's start with a few of the goods and bads about living in a small town.

---

Loading

---

---