Comments on: Asking the right questions

By: dusty

dusty — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I wish someone had asked me those questions when I attempted to move from Mclean to rural VA when I was roughly Cindy’s age. I lasted six months and moved back into the urban sprawl with my tail between my legs, so to speak.You can’t have peace and quiet AND fast-food,numerous nightclubs and shopping malls in the same place..duh

I was in love with the mystique of the rural lifestyle.The reality was I was bored with it very quickly in my early 30′s.

It has all come rushing back to me now after reading this post. At 55 years of age, I would be more suited now,but I will stay in the San Joaquin valley, which offers many of the same things as rural life and is only 90 minutes from L.A. over a 4k foot Mountain Range. Great buffer zone.

By: so

so — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Great questions! Maybe the local restaurants will let you post them for the weekenders to see. Some others might be:
How self-sufficient are you? If something breaks can you fix it or are you always dependent on others? For GA, maybe not VA, can you tolerate the smell of wet chicken litter after a rain?

By: Margherite

Margherite — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

There’s a different set of issues for single women. The “good old boys”, married or unmarried, never did get the idea that I did not relocate in order to entertain them. Now that I’m in my 60′s, it’s time to try again; but I know now what my limits are … and my limitations that are easily overcome with a shotgun.

You also forgot to mention the woodchucks and bunnies that ate veggies faster than I could plant them and the rotten-ass skunk who thought my car was a wonderful place to shelter from the rain.

By: StevenR

StevenR — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

wow, you’re saying that my allergies will improve if i move to the big city??
How big does it need to be?

slightly more seriouly, as someone who lived with a well and septic tank all their life, why would that distrub someone?

as to the smell of manure: how else would you know it’s spring?

By: jd

jd — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

If you can keep up that line of questioning with all potential buyers and get your townfolk to do the same, you will have solved your rural traffic problems. No one will want to relocate there.

By: Virginia Smith

Virginia Smith — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

As someone who has moved to 5 acres of wooded mountainside in NW Arkansas, I can add a few more questions. Are you allergic to poison ivy, chiggers and ticks? Can you use a chainsaw? Are you prepared to stay home until the ice melts? Are you prepared to carry water if the well runs dry in the summer? Can you provide heat if the electric is off in an ice storm? Are you allergic to dust? Our road is not paved and the dust comes right up the hill into the house.

I can tell you that anytime you are driving through the country and see a beautiful wooded homesite, you can rest assured that someone has done an awful lot of work picking up branches and clearing brush on a full time basis. BUT, being raised in the 40′s in the country “when country wasn’t cool”, I love it here and after each visit to family in FL, I return with immense gratitude for the peace and quiet.

By: Mason

Mason — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I see Asheville as roughly equivalent to Roanoke.
Jackson County, a bit outside of Asheville, is similar to Floyd.
Macon County, even farther out, is more like Bath or Highland county, IE the real rural.

My MHO.

By: connie

connie — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Great questions to ask – we have people moving here too. You would not believe – one family was feeding the bears and attempted to pet a cub! Luckily there were no dire consequences. As for well/septic maintenance the majority of people don’t have a clue. We never did worry about Y2K – cuz we have to live like we’re prepared for it all the time. hugs from PA

By: David St Lawrence

David St Lawrence — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I have tried to leave a trackback several times and have failed, so here is an excerpt of a post you inspired with your post:

Country living offers a gradient scale of comfort with a corresponding gradient scale of price. At the lower end of the price spectrum, there is the fixer-upper dwelling with minimum amenities on the outskirts of a town that has a store and a filling station. The upper end of the country living spectrum includes gated mountain-top communities with shopping, spas, and all of the accouterments of high-end suburban life.

At the bottom end of the spectrum, you are literally up to your ankles in the countryside much of the year. At the upper end, you are safely insulated from the countryside and its inhabitants and your big-city guests will feel right at home.

By: lauragayle

lauragayle — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Can I add:
*can you identify poison ivy or poison oak?
*do you know what a skunk looks like and can you identify its smell?
*do you know how to get skunk smell off of a dog?