"City" or "Country"?

I was born and raised in Baton Rouge----the city------concrete and asphalt

But I had a favorite aunt and uncle who had a dairy farm about 100 miles away from where I lived-----my brother and I spent a lot of time there

I married an Alabama girl who grew up on a farm in central Alabama near the Coosa River---------we are building a house now on the back side of nowhere-----literally on the back side of her father's 120 acre cattle farm-----its been raining a lot here lately and now the driveway through the pasture to the house is torn up and we need a four wheel drive vehicle to get through to the house

No sound from the highway------only a CSX railroad nearby where you can "hear" but not see the locomotives comeing through with their trains---and cattle grazing---and no nitetime security lites---its "booger" dark at nite and you can actually look up and see the stars on a clear nite

I can discharge my rifle and shotgun and pistol from my front or back porch and not worry about hitting neighbors or their property

I drive into Birmingham twice a week-----sometimes more----so I still get the city feel------but give me the country

 

Sounds like how I grew up and it was great. To me the city is no place for kids and all too often the city brings out the worst in people ... and sometimes the best.

 

City. All the way. But I like visiting the country.

 

I've lived most of my life in a small city of 50,000 to 60,000 people. I don't like big cities where you have gangs, street people begging for money so they can buy booze or drugs, prostitutes on every corner, and a lot more crime. I'm a country boy at heart and prefer being where my next door neighbor is out of sight and not within spitting distance.

 

While I enjoy the beauty of the country, I only want to stay as long as necessary. i was born and raised around Detroit, motown, Dtown, Hockeytown, whatever you wanna call it.
So I prefer city. I like to be around people. I like the smell of diesel fumes in the morning, I like the sounds of horns beeping, and the sight of people walking up and down the sidewalks.

 

From my house I can see 4 houses (5 if the leaves are off the trees) but one house is not occupied. That's a little too crowded for me.

 

A few years ago I turned the TV on on a Tuesday afternoon and heard "Live from New York it's Saturday Night"

I didn't think I was that far out in the country.

 

I've been in both situations and can see the benefits in both.

I really don't know.

I guess when it comes down to it, I want to be able to be as far away from "city life" as possible, but I also don't want it to be inaccessible.

The problem is with the definition of inaccessible. Does that mean a 30 minute drive? A 10 hour drive?

I guess I prefer the country, provided I'm not alone with my kids.

If I am, I prefer the city. I like people to hear me scream when someone breaks into the house.

On the other hand, that's less likely if we're in the country.

Ok, gotta stick with country.

Maybe.

Wait, let me look out the window...

Yeah. Country. :thumbs:

 

I grew up in cities and pastored in cities or towns. When the opportunity came up, I bought this farm property. I did sell the one lot (100 acres) and kept the other 100 acres. Love it. It is 40 miles from a major city (where I preached and taught) and 2 miles from our small village.

I love the peace and quiet when I want it, and yet just minutes from people when I want them.

It is a delight to go out the front door and see 5 deer gathered around the apple trees, a bear jumping the back garden fence to visit the bee hives, the geese in Spring and Fall and all the other wildlife enjoying peace and quiet around our home. This is our mansion on earth.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Country girl here. I'd love to own a small farm, raise critters and garden to my hearts content.

 

I've always lived in very big cities, and for a very brief time, in a small city, and once in a large town (but we were on a Marine air base - don't know how to classify that).

I am a city girl through and through. I like the grit and noise of a city - the different people - the cafes - the bookstores - the places to eat - the sounds of cars. The apartment where my son and I lived from '93 to '06 (we had to move; they've torn it down now) faced a busy street, though we were separated from it by some greenery and a short distance.

I liked looking out the window at the traffic. It helped in winter when it snowed - I could see if the street had been cleared and how easily the cars were going or not going.

I miss that location. Now I rent a basement apt. in a house in a neighborhood. I'm still in the city but this is too suburban for me, although it's very green with lots of trees and pretty quiet. I thought I would love living here but I miss the grit and traffic!

I like to visit the country for rest and relaxation but would get tired of it and be bored to tears if I had to live there.

 

No question about it --- city - actually close in suburban, which is the best of both worlds. Our kids actually walked to school, you can ride your bikes down the street to the park or the bay, take your dogs for a walk, or go to one of the neighborhood parks. Within miles, we have churches, hospitals, malls, colleges, downtown, parks, the beach, etc. It would be really difficult for us to leave.

 

I have moved to a small city....but there are gangs, teen pregnancies,alcholism and drugs, hotted up cars, and kids desperate to go to the big smoke....

It is also more convenient, more affordable housing, beautiful unpolluted environment, great folks ....I love it but it aint perfect:thumbs:

 

Briony-----not to demean anyone-----but that stuff you mentioned here???----------its in the country, too!!! The country ain't all about cattle, horses, chickens, fresh air, green grass and trees---there are gangs, drugs, teen pregnancies, and alcohol in the country, too!! Probably to a greater extent---because the country tends to be more "spread out" with less people "watching" and "snooping" into each others lives---the less people "watch"---the more it will go on

Bro. David

 

I prefer suburbian life which has the best of both worlds. Its out of the city, but not so far out that you have plan trips into town. I live in West Mobile which is outside of the city limits. The problem is, the Mayor of Mobile, Sam Jones is trying to annex all of West Mobile & surrounding areas. Recently, he annexed part of West Mobile, Theodore, & parts of Tillman's Corner. He also had the voting districts divided in such a way that he could gain a favorable outcome (A.K.A. gerrymandering). The only thing that these annexed areas gain from being annexed is higher property & sales taxes. Some of the other county officials mentioned that over the next five years, the Mobile City Council is going to try annexing as much of Mobile County as possible.

I wrote a letter to the mayor telling him that when it comes time for him to annex my neighborhood, that I will do anything (well, almost anything) it takes to ensure that his plan is a dismal failure. So far he hasn't responded to me.