April 1st marks our first anniversary of moving to the Queendom. I still catch myself telling people that we just moved here but, like newly-weds, that status only lasts 365 days. In that mysterious way of time, this year feels like it has passed in both a blink of an eye and a lifetime. So long ago, we were staring wide-eyed at the immensity of it all – the pond, the acreage, the too-large house, the space, the wildlife, the quiet – and now we continue to stare widely at it but in a more understanding way. Now we have figured out what things need to be done regularly and we fall into step with our unwritten after-work chores and weekend tasks. When we look out across the pond or walk the property, we expect to find something new and exciting.
The point of this blog has been to help us remember the events of our new-found life. But, there have been more events than time permitted to sit at a computer and write. Here is the reader’s digest version of the pros and cons we discovered here:
Pros
unbelievable peace and quiet
we discover something new around here almost everyday
easy access to multiple trailheads
endless trail systems to explore (see alongapath)
short commutes to work
surrounded by trees – not a building in sight
easy access to delicious real farm food – veggies, fruit, meat, seafood, cheese, eggs, etc.
ducks, deer, birds, mink, bears, owls and frogs live here and are sighted often
new chicks and the hope of our own fresh eggs by summer’s end
a regular feeling of satisfaction from completing projects
the brewery is almost complete and the taps will be running soon
groceries, hardware and all other shopping is less than 10 minutes away
endless possibilities for the Queendom – more so than we ever imagined
Cons
unpacking – it seems to go on and on! So much space and distractions have allowed us to be lazy on that front
the landscape project is huge, very long-term and often daunting
our landscaping crew from last summer did a merely passable job and charged too much money
invasive and unwanted plants are difficult to deal with and chronic, it seems
often a big effort results in a minuscule difference (such as digging out thistles and alders)
the property is wet, marshy, swampy and ugly in places
drainage issues have had us on high alarm a few times (not yet documented!)
our list of potential construction projects is long and very involved (deck, hot tub, garage, chicken coop, island bridge and pergola, etc.)
we are far, far away from our friends and we haven’t really connected with people here
time does not move slower out here. We need more of it
Not surprisingly, the Pros out-count and out-weigh the Cons. There have been many things happen that we didn’t expect and a few true surprises, both positive and negative. But we seem to have struck a balance with managing it all and are trying to keep our to-do list short and within reason. Neither of us would go back to our previous life. This smaller town/bigger space lifestyle suits us both so well and our only wish is that we had started on this rural path long, long ago.
What do you think??