Talking with Ben, Jen and Clio last weekend we came up with a few things we miss about the country. I might add to this, but here it is so far:
- Proper darkness and seeing stars
- Quiet/sounds of the countryside
- Horizon
- Skies
- Vastness
- Time (*)
*Obviously they don’t have more hours in the day in the countryside, but there you definitely get the sense that you have more time there. Perhaps because things take more time to do–as Clio said “it takes longer to look out the window”–we have to slow down to allow for this. Also Ben–who comes from rural Leicestershire–clarified this point saying “I don’t get as stressed out about time passing when I’m in [the countryside]“
That image makes me think more ‘hermit on mountaintop’ than ‘moving to the country’… I hope this doesn’t indicate any false expectations on your part…?
comment by north — January 28, 2010 @ 10:45 am
he he. i did think twice about adding that picture, but I think it is appropriate to the post in which we are talking about extra-urbanity in general, perhaps the ‘ultimate’ experiences you get out of it, like vastness. which I think this photo evokes. But no, I don’t want to move to live on Skye (just yet) either.
comment by emily — January 28, 2010 @ 10:54 am
ooh, tripping lightly into the realm of idealism! I still say let’s go and let the downsides come in course – they’ll be different downsides to the ones we’re done with here so it’ll take longer to feel them!
Also, we did undermine Ben’s “I don’t feel stressed…in the countryside” by pointing out that currently when he’s there he he has no responsibilities!
You may have to feign less enthusiasm once in idyll, just to fit in!
comment by Jen — March 12, 2010 @ 9:30 am