Very interesting post Cedfire, and though I agree that it is a bit of pain to have to drive over 50 miles to the nearest small town, half of which is over dirt roads, and almost 200 miles into the nearest larger city where certain "material" and bulk shopping is better had, there are surely sacrifices to be made by living out in the boonies as we do.
But as you well pointed out too, that the hussle and bussel of the crowds we certainly don't miss...
Neither my wife or I are old enough to draw social security yet, got a few more years for that, and we have no real secure income from the world really, but are as secure as a bug in a rug here, and somehow, our needs are always met and work $ comes to fulfill any needs too.. but our Peace is maintained with our trust in our provider.
I guess initially, from the far side of the world, one might see us living in hardships, but actually, life here is soooo easy too, sure, the laundry might pile up until a nice day to get caught up on it outdoors... but there's no stress with that either..as our laundry day is a fun day of laughing and joint duty that we share, [if I'm not busy with another project]
The "theme of our days" is moreso doing whatever we wake up and feel like doing, yesterday afternoon, it was 1 above -0- and we just went for a walk and played with our dogs dancing around... then came back home and got settled in for the night.
Next to us here, is a path leading up to the top of the ridge/hill top, where we have made a large wooden bench seat, we call it Calvery Hill, a special place where we often go to just sit and meditate with the 100 mile view out across the Custer national forest and mountains, not a cabin or structure in site...
For the most part, there's not alot of wild life moving about now for winter, but in the summer time, we are getting a flock of turkeys that venture through almost on a daily bases, and the deer are often seen playing and grazing out in the back pasture. Not to memtion the rabbits that is forever frustating our dogs, as they outwit them every time darting into the brush and becoming long-gone while the dogs are still going around the bushes...
It's been my experience that it takes about 2 to 3 years to settle the comforts of a new homestead, so there is much to look forward to, plan for and mix it up with some play times too..
Hardships? It's been a few weeks since I've opened my wallet, but we do have a trip planned into town soon... this I disfavor, as it is sooo tiring to have to go into town shopping... but the roads are bad this time of year, so I'll "have to go"... I guess this will be a "hardship day"... <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

That's what happens when you take a group of hardcore TV watchers and put them in a situation where they have to do for themselves. There's a lesson in there somewhere....

There is much good to be said about self-sufficiency and a simple lifestyle.

However, I don’t think that we can take a snapshot of a particular point on the timeline of technological development and say that this is the ideal state for all mankind to live in. Man’s only “natural state” is to be constantly thinking of ways to build on what others have done before him.

This is not to say that everyone should live shoulder to shoulder in the hustle and bustle of city life either. Just remember that those PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. are the ones that make your own luxurious lifestyle possible. They are the ones that make the antique washing machine you use, never mind the PV panels, batteries and inverter that power your off-grid home.

Without ideas like division of labor, mass production and modern agriculture, a lot more people would be cold and hungry. Or more likely, they just wouldn’t be alive at all.

Please don’t take this post as criticism, I’m just trying to put things in perspective. In fact, the way you live sounds very attractive to me! In many ways, it is more luxurious than the most decadent of the Hollywood celebrities.

Smartest line of the day!

-Blast

Thanks for the book recommendation, OldBaldGuy. Just ordered "One Man's Wilderness" today. This should make for a good read while the winter storms roll in... <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I forgot to mention that there is a video that was made based on the book. I have not seen it yet, but will order it one of these days. Supposed to have a lot of the movie film that he shot while building and living in his cabin. It is called Alone in the Wilderness...