Advantages of rural life are many, especially if you are fed up with the noise, traffic congestion, and the many stresses of city life. Peace, tranquility, and serenity are adjectives frequently used to describe country life. If “communing” or communicating with nature is your thing, rural living is the way to go. You will never be lonesome as the barrage of animal visitors is endless: from woodpeckers to squirrels; rabbits, deer, and raccoon; there is never lack of excitement nor company.

However there is sometimes so much tranquility, any kind of noise resonates through the air, as clearly as the tolling of a church bell. A car driving up the gravel road; the crashing sound of a working crane; thumps of a hammer; voices from across the bay; all can be heard as clearly as a bell in the country.

Rural life really exemplifies the concept of neighborliness, something which is almost non-existent in cities. Houses being near and far, residents themselves are the neighborhood watch, keeping an eye on the movements of anyone who “does not appear to be from here”. Self-sufficiency is the name of the game in rural life.

The greatest thing about rural living is the opportunity to kick back and let your hair down. Fashion divas need not worry about putting on a face before stepping out the front door.  Paint blots on face and splattered on hair are quite acceptable in a rural setting. Country people are such workers that stiletto heels or wing-tipped shoes quickly become replaced by rubber duckies and knee-high rubber boots.

With country living, the opportunity to hike deep into the woods is an eye-opener for any city slicker. It’s a totally organic experience, feeling the warmth of the forest floor, the expanse of canopied trees overhead, the inner sanctum that is mother nature. This insight into country space is why it draws so many inhabitants.

On the other hand, wide open spaces and panoramic views, even desert venues remind country people just how small humans are in the grand scheme of things. Country dwellers know the thrill of ocean views, where geese, ducks, herons, seagulls can fly in one fell swoop, in search of the next school of fish. The majesty and wonder of flight can only be marveled at by land-based human beings.

Country rain has a different quality than city rain. Rural rain soothes while rain in the city tends to be somewhat distressing. The task of hailing a cab; catching the bus or subway in pouring rain; driving on the interstate; contending with a sea of black umbrellas becomes a daunting day in the city. In the country, you can hear the pattering of every rain drop, watch a drizzly mist, or enjoy the musical pelting of rain on a tin roof. 

Rain is welcomed in the country - it wakes everything up: the green of leaves, vibrant colors of wild flowers, and the flourishing of crops. The bounties of mother nature are endless. Instead of nurturing a few flower or herb pots in the city, you can now grow a garden in the country.  Fledgling gardeners feel the pride of making things grow, be it fruits or vegetables. In addition, the plethora of wild strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries tend to abound in the country. All one has to do is pick them.

There is honesty in the country. If vegetables are sold at a roadside stand, money is at the discretion of the buyer, and few people will steal. Trust breeds honesty. Sharing with neighbors form a common bond, unspoken in rural areas. Neighbors will watch over one another, as distances may be miles apart to the nearest house. This is another advantage of rural living. For peace and quiet, and food for the soul, there’s nothing like it, rural living.