Okay, not really, but comparatively.
This is a map of the area I live in:
Just to give you an idea of the layout:
- The orange line on the left is 1/2 mile.
- The yellow house is - you guessed it - our house!
- Blue pin is my in-laws' house.
- Red pin is the neighbor lady who glares at us - I don't know why, don't ask.
- Green pin is the neighbor that I gave a lift to this winter when his truck got stuck in the ice.
- The tree is the neighbors with the orchard.
- The fish is the lake we fish in.
- Yellow pin is where we will eventually build our house.
- The pink pin is the neighbors who don't talk. At all. We stopped their dog from running out in front of a car, remarked on what a handsome dog he is, etc. -- nothing, not even a grunt.
- Purple pin are new-ish neighbors who wave to us
- Turquoise pin is the neighbor who helped me when my truck slid into a ditch (darn freshly-graveled roads)
- And the purple line is one of our preferred dog-walking routes, at just about one mile long.
For the sake of comparison, here is a picture of my parents' neighborhoods, respectively. The orange line is, again, 1/2 mile; and the blue and purple lines are one mile:
Mom & StepDad:
Dad & StepMom:
Do you see all the neighbors, roads and signs of civilization they have? I've been there, done that & gotten the t-shirt. All things being equal, I will take my 90-mile roundtrip commute to work any day of the week - well, any day M-F, as fair trade for my lovely surroundings. Do I miss being able to order pizza? Yes. But I will exchange that for the sounds of owls and coyotes at night. Having to plan a weekly run to the grocery store (because it takes me 20 minutes to get there) is worth the look on the dogs' faces when we let them run - unleashed - through the woods while we hunt for mushrooms. It's not for everyone - but it works for us!
This past weekend, I took quite a few pictures of our home, yard, garden, etc., which I will post soon (like, as soon as I download them!)
