Friday, December 14, 2012

One Year On





One year ago today, I watched as our home was up-ended and shaken out into the back of a truck and sent off down the highway. I piled my babes into the car, filled every empty space with the last bits of stuff, plonked the fish in its plastic bag on top of the teetering pile on the passenger seat, squeezed in the still-warm foil-wrapped food offerings from my inconsolable mother-in-law, and set off after the truck.




We've worked our way steadily through four entire seasons in our new country home. I've been frightened by a couple, and entirely mesmerised by the others. A pathetic chilly summer that had us questioning the decision to move. Enchanting, misty autumn with all of that colour and crunch. The depths of a winter, the first of many, I suspect, in which my toes will feel perpetually cold. And then spring, incredible spring, abundant spring, show-off spring.

The vineyard on the drive into town tells of it perfectly - leafy green turning to red and brown, dropping back to nothing, then bursting forth again. I grew up in a town with four seasons and, having found myself in such a place in adulthood, now I get what all the fuss is about.





This country life hasn't been all it was cracked up to be. There aren't 27 hours in the day like I thought there'd be. The weeks are still only seven days long. Life is busier than ever, more relentless than ever, as exhausting as ever, just with a prettier view out the window and far, far less traffic. The questions of 'where' haven't been answered entirely. We may have started here, but the decision now is where to finish. This region? This very village? In town or on the land? An old house or a new one?



For now, I'm not going anywhere. A year in and I feel I'm a small part of the neighbourhood. We've made friends, real connections. In a little over a month we'll join the thriving local school community. The people at the local shop know our names. I've finally memorised my own phone number.



And my babies haves stretched from chubby sausages into talking, thinking, proper people, naughty as ever, minds of their own, as ever. My big girl gets to start her formal education in a perfect, tiny country school, with a paddock for a playground and the best-stocked library I've seen anywhere.

There is still much work to do, much to improve. Sometimes it feels like we left so much opportunity behind and I have to remind myself why we're here. Despite it all, one year on, I know we made the right decision.

17 comments:

  1. Hi Greer, I moved back from London just over 4 years ago. Now we live by a vineyard in the country. Complete change. But I love it. I miss lots about our life in London especially our friends. But I only have to look out the window at where we are now and to see our children grow up in this amazing place and I know that it is sooooo worthit. xo

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  2. Our family moved to a country town just over eight years ago. I can't believe it's been that long. I am still awestruck by being able to duck out of town and be in the countryside in five minutes..in fact the whole town is like a couple of suburbs would be in a city. Everything is not more than ten minutes away! I love the people and have made good friends here too. It was a change for the better.

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  3. Beautiful, I can only imagine what a huge change it would be to uproot everyone. I want to move out, way out there someday, after school is over so my son can grow up in the country, only I don't know what it would be like cause I'm a city girl through and through. But I think anywhere you go it takes a while to get into the rhythm of things, quite often just as you are leaving a place it starts to feel like home.

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  4. I loved reading this! We are planning on a move to the country within the next 2-3 years, so our little girl can start at school there. Your words are so beautiful - they are what I wish to write in a few year's time. The photos are magical, too. Such a lovely space you have here! x

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  5. It really does sound like you have. Like you, I thought our move here from the UK would take me away from the joy of seasons. But now that we've been here (on the Central Coast) for over a year now, I can see the beauty changing throughout the year. There will always be something we've left behind; the magic comes when you realise what you have now is more important. x

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  6. I am yearning to move. Part of me is unsure of taking such a leap, but the other desperately wants it! I am glad your year has come with discovery and growth. Enjoy the next

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  7. Congrats on making it through year1!! Here's to many more - looking forward to meeting you in the new School year too.

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  8. Such beautiful images and personal insights. Thanks for sharing. I always admire people who can make a leap of faith like this. I'm so pleased it has turned out to be the right decision.

    If only there were 27 hours in a day... :)

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  9. Once again, so many echoes of my own life - we set off on the highway to our new home next Thursday, only I will be leaving my inconsolable parents behind! We are also heading to cooler climes, 5 hours to the South Coast. And it is a leap of faith, as Christina says, and I'm feeling a little bit braver each day....

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  10. Your photos tell it all - the light, space and freedom that you just don't get in the city, no matter how awesome city life can be.

    Deep down I want to make a move like this...I'm just not sure how or when. That local school sounds wonderful. x

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  11. What Gillian said! Well the first bit anyway.

    I live in a village but I hanker for ever bigger skies, and proper snow in winter ... one of these days perhaps we'll be moving too ... except you can get attached to the people in a place and leaving them is hard.

    Perhaps in the end you'll settle just where you are, it looks jolly lovely from here!

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  12. Hi Greer. Just happened across your lovely blog. I'm Jane. I'll follow along for a while. Happy sunday arvo to you! Jane x

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  13. You sure make the country life sound appealing... It took me years to get over the homesick feeling of leaving country WA. Lucky i really love where I live now, or I might start pining after reading this post! I'm glad you feel like your decision to move was the right one x

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  14. Greer, i LOVE that you have written this so honestly. There is strength in honesty and I can't help but respect it.

    big christmas love to you

    xo em

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  15. Oh Greer, I love the honesty in this post. I share much the same sentiments about our move from NZ to Aussie.
    x

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  16. This post is beautiful and intriguing. I have to read your moving story now. We are thinking/planning a move to a country home way on the other side of Canada.

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  17. Beautifully put. I really like this post! Sweet and inspirational.
    Thank you!

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