We're SO excited, it's now 3 weeks until we begin our trip to come to our forever home. I think that growing up in a place and having a home is wonderful, and we want that for our children. But we also know how special it is when you choose a place to call home, because it's been a very deliberate and well thought through choice, at least it has for us.
We chose Nova Scotia after more than 2 years of thought and research. Everything from employment rates, cost of living, weather, schools, society values, to the friendliness of the people. If we wanted the cheapest land we would have decided on New Brunswick but farming and raising a family are, in our opinion, best done in a rural community where there are caring neighbours and friends for the children to hang out with. You don't have to live right in town to be part of a community.
We have a home to stay in while we look for our perfect house and location. And then the fun begins! We'll be like the early pioneers and get a crop in the ground in the spring, cut the next winters firewood and work on making the house livable in the summer. It's going to be one of those ongoing projects so priorities will be the very basics. Walls, floors, roof, insulation. Plumbing is next. Then heat. Depending on the situation I can see us working room by room to gradually increase the habitable area. Trust me, after living in a little motor home for 3 months even 2 rooms is going to seem like a lot of space! And a lot depends on the state of the house we start with too.
There is a different feeling that comes from doing your own renovations. A sense or permanency and belonging. You are making a house into a home that will see laughter and tears, weddings, babies, family dinners, Christmases and we'll watch as the seasons change and the years pass. We'll watch our family grow and change. And if we are really lucky we can pass our home along to another generation who will find peace and contentment under it's eaves.
Now I know that all seems like a "nice dream". But we already know how much time, effort, planning and perseverance it takes to do a whole house renovation. This dream is built upon a foundation of hard work over time. All farming is like that, the things you do today affect you tomorrow and next year. The one wonderful thing with renovating a home or farming your own land is that you can reap the fruits of your labours and leave the world a better place than you found it.
And that's what this whole journey is about.
***UPDATE*** More info is available on this topic in the August 26th blog entry called 'Why we chose Nova Scotia... ' and we'd like to invite you to follow our blog by clicking the button near the top left of the page of just check back when you can to see what's new with us. We love living here so far and we're sure that the best is still to come. We're happy to answer questions, just leave us a comment and we'll answer.
We have now lived in Nova Scotia for 8 months, my how the time flies! Survived our first winter, and getting ready for gardening this Spring and Summer and the bugs that will surely come with the warmer weather. We bought 42 acres in Torbrook Mines in the Annapolis Valley and will be building a house and starting our own farm. Why not 'Follow' us and see what everyday life is really like here in Nova Scotia.
Kindest Wishes,
Elizabeth, Stephen and Family
Have fun reading.
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