A Room With A View



Living in a predominantly rural area has its down sides
I wanted to buy a relative some flowers yesterday and had to make a six mile round trip to do so. A round trip to the nearest quality theatre is just a tad over thirty miles and can you buy a quality birthday card anywhere nearby? Can you bloody well cocoa?
But this morning I know just why living here is worth the lack of amenities ...
As I was making the bed, I noticed William sat comfortably in the cottage window with his eyes closed in the warmth of the morning sun. Beyond is the field and then the far hills out towards Bodfari and Denbigh and the view, which we sometimes take for granted, is better than anything Hollywood could dream up and I stopped for a while , pillow in hand, to admire the countryside that we see every day of our lives.
It's a reminder of just why we picked the cottage in the first place. Not for it's size, not for it's dodgy plumbing....but for its scenery

36 comments:

  1. Minor inconviences are trumped by beauty every time.

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    1. There's quite a lot of 'trumping' that goes on in that house, I'm sure.

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  2. That view does make it seem all worth it.

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  3. "a picture is worth 1000 words"

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  4. And a gorgeous view it is too!

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  5. We do take the best things in our live for granted and focus unfortunately mostly on the bad.

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  6. what a glorious view it is!

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  7. Beautiful view to look out upon....you are indeed a lucky duck!

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  8. It is exquisite......

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  9. I will take a rural area of an urban area any day. To me, it's worth the inconveniences of having to travel to get things. You can't put a price on the peace and quiet that it brings.

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  10. Beautiful view indeed! Internet for all other things

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  11. Where I live is convenient for everything - but the view is garbage. I always say that my next house will have a view. Yours is lovely xxxxx

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  12. Anonymous11:47 am

    What a heavenly view.

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  13. I don't think I'd ever move from that window! Beautiful place!

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  14. Enjoyed looking out of your window. It makes the viewer feel for a moment as though he is padding around in your cottage. Or is that creepy?

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  15. Good thing the dog had the presence of mind to remind you that you live in a paradise. (Really, I did assume the dodgy plumbing is what attracted you to the cottage, and the view was just a distraction.)

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  16. When we moved here we said because of our surroundings we could forgive the house anything...I have to remind myself of that on a regular basis.
    Jane x

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  17. Beautiful , I live most of my life outdoors . I am with you there. Gorgeous land you live on !

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  18. same here! our house has needed so much work, but the views are just amazing, especially the Tor.

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  19. Your very own little slice of heaven x

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  20. John,

    The cottage and the view are amazing. To resolve having to travel into town to get flowers for family/friend, plant some seeds. This way you'll have your own flower bed. Making it a real special gift.

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  21. I moved from an area that started rural and ended up in exurbia to an area that's small town with rural areas all around it. I learned in the first place that when i was looking for birthday cards, to buy a half dozen or so to keep on hand.

    Where i live now has most amenities within a 10-mile radius, which works for me. Even now, i sometimes take a moment, pinch myself and say i can't believe i live here. The inconveniences are minor compared to the view and a place that makes my soul sing.

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  22. And what a view John! Beautiful. A view of the Ukraine and Chicken Kiev lake. Lifes grand isn't it

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  23. Beautiful, yes. I grew up in a very similar setting, a half a world away from your cottage.

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  24. I see concrete and the neighbor's yard that is mowed about once each year whether it needs it or not (and it always needs it). Stick with your view, John.

    Love,
    Janie

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  25. Anonymous7:22 pm

    Sweet William. A beautiful view indeed.

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  26. We have a cool (or hot) box for getting an Exeter takeaway, which is 50 minutes away. I'd rather live here and have nothing than in the city again any day. x

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  27. The view is certainly worth it but your concept of being in a remote area is different from the North American one. How about a two and half hour round trip for some flowers? We don't complain either as we do not regret being so far from "civilization". You certainly learn to make list for when you go to the city!

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  28. Anonymous10:56 pm

    So different to our view, but still, an excellent view.

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  29. A great job you did with that, too. It is a beautiful view, John. :-)

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  30. Six miles is not far and 30 minutes to a show is quite reasonable. Most people in the US have hour long drives into work, that is if the traffic is good. We are used to it.

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  31. Absolutely beautiful!

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  32. A wonderful view indeed.

    We have the same problem finding quality birthday cards. When we see some good ones we buy a whole lot and add to our emergency birthday-card stockpile.

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  33. I had to laugh at this post!
    It is a six mile round trip from our door to the nearest road!
    (the nearest flowers would be 54 miles there and back).

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  34. John: Kali and I bought a house 33 miles from the nearest grocery store (well, except for a very basic quick-stop) in preparation for retirement. (Admittedly, most of the distance between the house and town is along a road with a speed limit of 65 miles per hour, though, not your country lanes.) But, we're out in the country with a wonderful view of mountains and a woodland trail accessible from our front door. Nevertheless, the distance to "civilization" has me worried, so I hope it all works out. Neighbors have told us that folks either tend to stay for 4 years, or they stay for the rest of their lives.

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  35. Our view stops us in our tracks frequently ... not so good when holding a dripping wet paintbrush, but who will notices the white blotches on the carpet when we direct their gaze to the window!!

    Well that's what I'm hoping :-)

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