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Thread: Live where you want and you never have to go on a "vacation"?

  1. #1
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    Live where you want and you never have to go on a "vacation"?

    You know the saying, "Find a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life again". I got to thinking about how to select and design your environment so you never feel the "need" to go on a distant "vacation trip" again, whether you are "working" or not. I put the word "working" in quotes because the word means different things to different people.

    A huge aspect of this for me, is to live in a place where inexpensive "getaways" are actually quite close by; anywhere from an hour away to a short or long walk or short drive away. Some thoughts for me: live in place where I can design a nature retreat in my backyard. What got me thinking about it, is visiting a friends backyard garden in the middle of a small town. He had a fancy chicken coop, compost bins, raised gardens, square foot garden, garden beds, berry bushes, a pond and waterfall he constructed, and lots of nice shaded seating, all on less than 1/8 acre. We sat out and drank mint iced tea from mint he grows. A wonderful retreat! But then if you don't enjoy the work that comes with that, it wouldn't suit.

    I actually live a short walk from a gardening center that has a private large garden in the back, complete with seating in the shade by flowing water, and animals to look at. I take a friend once in a while and we just stroll around and sit and relax. A huge variety of plants. No charge.

    When the kids were little, we camped out in our back yard (though our back yard where we lived before was 23 acres). They loved it!
    Now I live within 20 minutes to an hour or so, from beaches where we can snorkle. A whole new world underwater.

    However, I do miss the northern forests, the mountains, the vistas with no buildings or people in sight. And then again, I miss the environments in completely opposite sides of the planet sometimes. Which is why I probably will always take traveling vacations as well as mini vacations in my back yard...

    I know the trend nowadays in home design, is towards outdoor spaces with huge decking, fire pits, lots of seating, grilling setups. So people can relax outdoors and never leave their home. Another trend I see, is decorating your house like a spa or fancy hotel room.

    Any thoughts? What makes your home, not just your house, but your location, one that makes you not feel such a need to "get away"? By "get away", I mean traveling several hours or more.

  2. #2
    Senior Member razz's Avatar
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    I bought my little house of 1300 sq ft on one floor with the idea that I could walk to services, small garden area with the large conifers of the neighbours providing shade in the afternoon, a lot shape that gives me privacy but space to plant small Carolinian trees that thrive.
    Siting outside in the cool of the morning I watch my birds and meditate and do my prayers; in the evening with internet radio on my iPhone playing quiet classical music, I surf the internet or read.
    A small simple water garden made with stacked pots is under construction as well.
    I am so content with being home as I have never felt before. I can walk the dog in so many directions and visit with friends and friendly strangers along the way. Most know my dog's name now.

    i do attend the theatre in Stratford, Niagara-on-the-Lake or Mirvish in Toronto within 2 hours and have the HDMetopera, HD Bolshoi Ballet etc within an hour. Lake Erie is 10 minutes away. Southern Ontario has the most diverse garden production of fruits and vegetables which I enjoy.

    I do plan one annual trip away beyond visits to family and friends though. California, Cape Cod and Arizona are in my sights at present .

    You are right about choosing to enjoy where you live.
    As Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

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    Senior Member Kestra's Avatar
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    Yes, I think it's a great idea. I'm about to move back to my childhood city that I didn't enjoy much at the time (difficult childhood/youth - mostly bad memories), but there are many places within the city and within a few hours drive to explore. I want to enjoy it a lot more this time. It helps that now I'll have money, friends, time, and a good partner- all things I didn't have when I lived there before.

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    Quote Originally Posted by razz View Post
    I bought my little house of 1300 sq ft on one floor with the idea that I could walk to services, small garden area with the large conifers of the neighbours providing shade in the afternoon, a lot shape that gives me privacy but space to plant small Carolinian trees that thrive.
    Siting outside in the cool of the morning I watch my birds and meditate and do my prayers; in the evening with internet radio on my iPhone playing quiet classical music, I surf the internet or read.
    A small simple water garden made with stacked pots is under construction as well.
    I am so content with being home as I have never felt before. I can walk the dog in so many directions and visit with friends and friendly strangers along the way. Most know my dog's name now.

    i do attend the theatre in Stratford, Niagara-on-the-Lake or Mirvish in Toronto within 2 hours and have the HDMetopera, HD Bolshoi Ballet etc within an hour. Lake Erie is 10 minutes away. Southern Ontario has the most diverse garden production of fruits and vegetables which I enjoy.

    I do plan one annual trip away beyond visits to family and friends though. California, Cape Cod and Arizona are in my sights at present .

    You are right about choosing to enjoy where you live.
    That's a beautiful area for a good life. Of course the snow is not for everyone.

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    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Packratona! View Post

    I know the trend nowadays in home design, is towards outdoor spaces with huge decking, fire pits, lots of seating, grilling setups. So people can relax outdoors and never leave their home. Another trend I see, is decorating your house like a spa or fancy hotel room.
    I don't see that trend in my neighborhood, unfortunately--that is, the outdoors thing. We are in the process of trying to sell my BIL's house next door and our listing agent tells us to pull up the tiger lilies, and cut back the greenery and cut down the trees because buyers want NO maintenance. I tried to tell her that tiger lilies require no maintenance, because they're perennials, stupid, but she doesn't get it.

    I love this topic because I consider it so often. I feel totally that I belong in at least 3 places, maybe 4:
    1. My own home. I've lived here for 30 years. And just recently, we've started building community with our co-op farmers who are amazing. They have potlucks every other week, and now we go to see our friends there who are of all ages. It's interesting to me that one enterprise could change my mind about moving.
    2. Vermont. Oh, my, I LOVE Vermont--plus 3 of my kids are there. I just feel I belong there. I go there, and it's home--even though the "real" Vermonters would disagree.
    3. Ocean Grove, NJ: I love that town because it's so simple and retro, and it's on the beach, and you can walk to anything at all, and the people are so nice and friendly and they sit out on their porches and say hello, and it's a dry town, but they have a "swinging" town just north across a foot bridge (Asbury Park). I also feel I "belong" there.
    4. My own hometown on the CT shoreline. I still have lots of family there, and from an ancestry perspective ALL my relatives going back hundreds of years are from there. I often miss New England and wish I were back "home."


    DH still talks North Carolina because it's cheaper, friendly and nice, but it would take a long time for me to feel a sense of place there, I think.

    To make a long story short: I'm confused about where I *should* live.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kestra View Post
    Yes, I think it's a great idea. I'm about to move back to my childhood city that I didn't enjoy much at the time (difficult childhood/youth - mostly bad memories), but there are many places within the city and within a few hours drive to explore. I want to enjoy it a lot more this time. It helps that now I'll have money, friends, time, and a good partner- all things I didn't have when I lived there before.
    I think a lot of people fantasize about "going back home" where they grew up.

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    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
    I don't see that trend in my neighborhood, unfortunately--that is, the outdoors thing. We are in the process of trying to sell my BIL's house next door and our listing agent tells us to pull up the tiger lilies, and cut back the greenery and cut down the trees because buyers want NO maintenance. I tried to tell her that tiger lilies require no maintenance, because they're perennials, stupid, but she doesn't get it.

    I love this topic because I consider it so often. I feel totally that I belong in at least 3 places, maybe 4:
    1. My own home. I've lived here for 30 years. And just recently, we've started building community with our co-op farmers who are amazing. They have potlucks every other week, and now we go to see our friends there who are of all ages. It's interesting to me that one enterprise could change my mind about moving.
    2. Vermont. Oh, my, I LOVE Vermont--plus 3 of my kids are there. I just feel I belong there. I go there, and it's home--even though the "real" Vermonters would disagree.
    3. Ocean Grove, NJ: I love that town because it's so simple and retro, and it's on the beach, and you can walk to anything at all, and the people are so nice and friendly and they sit out on their porches and say hello, and it's a dry town, but they have a "swinging" town just north across a foot bridge (Asbury Park). I also feel I "belong" there.
    4. My own hometown on the CT shoreline. I still have lots of family there, and from an ancestry perspective ALL my relatives going back hundreds of years are from there. I often miss New England and wish I were back "home."


    DH still talks North Carolina because it's cheaper, friendly and nice, but it would take a long time for me to feel a sense of place there, I think.

    To make a long story short: I'm confused about where I *should* live.
    Wow, great post! I know the feeling! There definitely is some richness that develops in long term relationships, that you get from sticking around a community for a longer period of time and establishing ties. Once you leave, you are always thinking about the people, place, and experiences you left behind. I think sometimes about past generations where a significant number of people never even left their county, let alone their state or country. I have some relatives that were like that. Gone now.

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    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Packratona! View Post
    I think a lot of people fantasize about "going back home" where they grew up.
    The only thng I miss about "home" is the wonderful rich black Iowa soil. That could grow some serious lilies for me.

    Otherwise, I found my "home" in urban St. Louis. So, I will put up with the clay soil to have everythng else I like.

    and I agree with the OP that close by getaways are good in that for me, they are vacations for the mind. I have to make myself go see somethng different, new, and intetesting and that always helps my mental health. But it doesnt have to be far away.

  10. #10
    Senior Member rosarugosa's Avatar
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    I really love living in New England and I'm grateful to live so close to the woods and the beach. There are lots of good places nearby for a beautiful nature walk or a museum visit or a historical walking tour.

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