[ppd]

Having just had an old friend of my husbands up from London to stay on the croft for a few days, it made me realise that even after only living here for a year how much we take for granted! Trout fishing on our doorstep, hen harriers flying over the fields, ospresys nesting a few miles away, golden eagles and the freedom and space that our daughter has to run around in. I think it does take someone from a completely different life style to make you look at your life and think - WOW how lucky are we! (mind you the London friend does have a much more affluent lifesyle than us, but still would never swap it!) 

[Lesley Silvester]

I think it's so important to keep focused on why you moved to a particular area and stop and look roujd occasionally.  It's so easy to let familiarity breed contempt.  I'm glad your visitor re-opened your eyes to the delights around you, ppd.  Now keep them open.
 
Hen harriers.  Wow.

[Blinkers]

DITTO 

[ppd]

Oh and I even forgot to mention the salmon leaping up waterfalls 

[omnipeasant]

And the fresh air!!

Everytime I have to go into a city my nose tells me what I am missing at home.

[luckylady]

Wow ppd, it sounds amazing and what a lucky little girl you have to be able to grow up in such an environment.   My OH and I sometimes out of the blue will say to the other of our place 'Its good here isn't it?'  Its become our catch phrase.  This is our forever home or at least until we are too old and decrepit to cope with it.  We have had friends from our 'old life' to stay and they say how peaceful it is here - they now return every summer to recharge their batteries! 

[tizaala]

WE get townies staying that can't sleep because of the silence,
 
Omniquar , If you miss the bad smells you could always pay us a visit !

[jaykay]

I certainly get townies staying who can't cope with the darkness and leave lights on nervously. They won't drink the peat coloured water either 

[Mel Rice]

We too LOVE our lifestyle change..the ONLY downside is that it is a long way (Well 18 hours car or fly) from family....many of our friends who were very excited about our move abroad have never managed their planned trips. BUT I wouldn't swap it for at least the next few years.

[ellied]

I enjoy having lunch with some of my former colleagues occasionally, just to remind myself of the stuff I no longer have to put up with or fit into my life

And every morning, particularly Monday morning, I enjoy listening to the cars commuting past on their way to offices, while I have my 2nd cup of tea after doing the first round of letting out, feeding and checking, and before heading out to check the far pony field and think about what the day is bringing and what I might manage today.  I almost invariably hear the buzzard fledgelings calling at the moment, they're very noisy at this time of year tho always some around, and the birdsong generally reminds me how lucky I am, even if I am contemplating some of the less favourite jobs on the endless to do list

[SteveHants]

Funnily, I've lived in the country most of my life and I get complaints about the noise from townie friends/relatives that have been to stay.


We have barn and tawny owls nesting nearby, then theres the fox.... The rooster goes at first light, so does next doors and the one over the back two fields, lambs making a racket when a badger comes through....

[tizaala]

But the best bit is watching them drive away again.....

[jaykay]

But the best bit is watching them drive away again

Always  As the Moroccan saying has it 'guests are like fish, after three days they go off' Substitute hours for days if you're particularly introvert 

[luckylady]

But the best bit is watching them drive away again

Always  As the Moroccan saying has it 'guests are like fish, after three days they go off' Substitute hours for days if you're particularly introvert 

[Fowgill Farm]

But the best bit is watching them drive away again.....

I was going to post the same yesterday but thought it might be a bit Bah Humbug!   and didn't want to spoil everyones idyllic ramblings!
Mandy