Friday 2 November 2012

Living in a small place.

There are many advantages to living in a small place rather than in a large town.   I know that is a statement that not everyone will agree with - I suppose it depends upon the kind of person you are.
I have done both.   As a child I lived in a small Lincolnshire village where everyone knew everyone (and looked out for everyone too).   This kind of life continued until I moved in my early thirties into the small cathedral city of Lichfield.   This was the largest place I had ever lived in, though by city standards it was quite small.   I suppose that was a good thing, as it broke me in gradually.

Then I moved to a large, industrial town in the Midlands.   Luckily we lived well on the outskirts, had a large garden and were within a couple of miles of beautiful countryside.  However, I taught in an inner city school with a multi -racial intake - a large number of indigenous, white children; a large intake of children from the Caribbean and also a large intake of Punjabi Sikh children.   I think in many ways this was a good mix and I thoroughly enjoyed the ten or so years I taught there before I took early retirement.   I look back on the times there, the children (who I think of often), the friends on the staff (many of whom I still keep in contact with), the interesting times we had.

Now I am back in the country again, living - as readers of my blog will know all too well - on a farm down a lonely lane.   But we are only one mile from our little market town and that is a super little town.   You go into town to the Post Office, or to the local shops, and you always meet someone you know, someone to pass the time of day with, or to pop into a cafe for a cup of coffee.

And, really, it does have all the amenities the farmer and I need.  People say that there is little for young people to do but as far as we are concerned - we have everything we need.   There is a nice little intimate cinema, showing the latest films, within ten miles (and a lovely cafe attached); there is a good Public Library just down the road; there is a first class delicatessen; we have one of the top Auction Houses in the country on our doorstep; we have a thriving Tourist Industry (it has suffered rather this year with the bad weather); and we even have our own Brass Band.

Some time ago, a friend who plays in it sent me two photographs of it to post on my blog.   Sadly my skills, for some reason, are not up to it and although I have them in my computer I am unable to move them to any place where I can access them for putting on here.   I saw that friend this morning when I was returning from coffee with friends (and the farmer from the Auction Mart - another good facility for farmers) and it reminded me.   I have just tried to access the photographs again, but I just can't get them into the right place.
So you will just have to imagine it I'm afraid - but it would be rather nice if you could hear them.   Another thing we have in the area is a yearly Brass Band Festival and Competition and our local band do very well indeed and make a glorious sound.

So sorry J if you are reading this - I have given you a mention and one of these days I will find out how to put the photograph on here!    

16 comments:

Heather said...

Your 'small place' always sounds delightful and probably has more interesting amenities than many larger places. I like living in small places too and have never lived in a city or even a large town. I like meeting people I know when I'm shopping and at a time when everything seems to change so rapidly, this gives a sense of continuity.

angryparsnip said...

I rather like where you live. It sounds wonderful.
Big cities are exiting but also come with a price of anonymity, I think that is why the neighborhood becomes your village.
I now live again in Tucson is a "smaller" city but I wish it as the size it was when I was living here before I left.
For me it is almost too big now but thankfully retains a small town feel about it.

cheers, parsnip

Hildred said...

Your little village sounds lovely, Pat, - and I enjoy living in ours, too. I am just getting caught up on visiting and so sorry I missed you birthday, but it is nice to hear what a delightful day it was.

Best wishes for a wonderful year.

Cloudia said...

"We have all we need."
We are coming to the same conclusions and just enjoying the bounty! May you do so for long to come, dear blog friend :-)



Aloha from Waikiki,
Comfort Spiral

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Pondside said...

I like the sound of where you live - that size would suit me just fine.

Gwil W said...

I think there are more lonely people pro rata in big cities which tend to be anonymous than in small towns or villages where people learn to pull together and fend for themselves and their local community. I feel especially sorry for those who have to live in high rise buildings in big cities who rarely see or speak to their neighbours.

ArtPropelled said...

It sounds like bliss... a farm in the Yorkshore Dales, just a mile from a little town that serves good coffee .... and books.

Dave King said...

To me it sounds delightful, an earthly paradise, but I know my daughter would think it next door to being buried. Keep them coming, though. Vicarious heaven is not to be sneezed at!

MorningAJ said...

I've done cities and I've done country. Country's better.

mrsnesbitt said...

I can empathise pat - North Yorkshire is the best place on earth. xxxxxxx (Waving over from the Moors!) lol!

Frances said...

It was very interesting to read this as the very large city in which I live is recovering from Hurricane Sandy. For most of the past week, we've found ourselves restricted to our own smaller neighborhoods, while those of us with electricity were still able to "get all the news."

All very strange.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Isn't it funny that we can make anywhere sound idyllic when we write about it. I would judge our little 'neck of the woods' to be just right, but I am sure there are people who would disagree. Maybe it is a good thing that not everyone is suited to country living, otherwise it would get too crowded.

Thanks for visiting.

Crafty Green Poet said...

for me Edinburgh is the ideal, it's a small city with lots of cinemas and theatres and other cultural happenings but also lots of green spaces and small enough to be very easy to get round.

Anonymous said...

As a fellow village-dweller, I'm with you all the way here, Pat!

Golden West said...

Belated birthday greetings, Weaver, and all best wishes for many happy returns of the day.

I share your enthusiasm for small towns. I still live in my hometown, which has grown from 5,000 to 65,000 in the last 50 years, and I can't think of any way in which that has been an improvement!

GillyK said...

I nearly choked on my crumpets when I read your piece about the Band!!! I will get the photos to you by another means.