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Originally Posted by marimara  NH is actually on our list of maybes. DH's family is in CT so it would be closer to them. DH would have no problem with it, growing up in CT and all. I've done ONE new england winter and it was really cold. But I lived in DC for 7 years and it gets cold there too. Though about on average 5ish degrees warmer than New England.
I hear the taxes are great in NH. Lots of cheap land. Not THAT far from the ocean..hmmm..something to think about...
Averysmommy~any more information about NH, specifically taxes would be appreciated  |
REasons I love NH:
1. Live Free or Die:
As a Libertarian who loves unhindered, natural living...I have found that there are a lot of people "like us" around here...the true spirit (not the yuppies who have moved up from Mass) of the New Hampshire native is one I appreciate very much...even people who don't see eye to eye with us, recognize the wisdom in a "live and let live" attitude. I really, really like the people here...reserved and strange as they can be, I love the core values of the true NH spirit.
2. Yes, the taxes.
We have no sales or income tax here...so in some towns property taxes can be very steep, so watch out! We, however, have bought our home in a place with very reasonable taxes and one of the best school districts in the state, beautiful parks, low low crime (rural, only 4,00 people), etc...so you don't have to live somewhere "crummy" to get good taxes. I can't tell you how nice it is not to pay sales tax or any state income tax...I've lived here for 11 years now after living just about everywhere else in the country (moved a TON as a kid, mother decided to settle us here, where she was born and raised) and have grown up with this tax system and couldn't imagine being anywhere else.
The cost of living CAN be more expensive here....but we find that through our more natural lifestyle, that really doens't effect us much to be honest. We just don't consume so much energy, store food, etc...
3. Location...oh the location!
If you love the beautiful outdoors, fishing, hunting even...there isn't a better place for you. We are moving into the deep woods, next to a gorgeous lake...and we couldn't be happier...it's just SO the NH we love. We are 45 minutes from gorgeous rocky beaches (they are rocky, but still sandy...but that harder sand toward the surf, with pockets of sandy places to play too), where we love to fish in the surf for big ole stripped bass and play in the sandy coves and tidal pools. We are 35 minutes from the gorgeous lakes region...breathtaking. We've got mountains not far from us....and are 45 minutes from Boston...or a 4 hour ride to Montreal. The location is truly awesome. We prefer to be in the deep woods, holed up with just our pack...we tend to be quiet, shut in types.....but we do get out a couple of times a year to go to Boston to visit the cultural centers...see an awesome exhibit at the museum, catch a wonderful preformance of THe Nutcracker...or just to eat some awesome Indian food. It's nice to be holed up on our own....but less than an hours ride from a major metropolitan area like Boston (or Montreal, our favorite city on earth) for our rare trips into the excitment of city life. It is important to me that I have this capability, as I will need to take my children to see good theatre, eat great food and spend time viewing good art exhibits, etc.
4. You CAN grow food here....
We have a great garden right now at my MILs house...lots of tomatoes, great lettuce this year, cuce's, squash, peppers, teriffic herbs, etc....You CAN grow plenty of food here and can them for winter time use...or make sauce out of them, etc...there are any number of ways to eat off your garden year round. At the home we just bought, we have tons of blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. We may also have apples...but they are deeper in the woods, I would want them closer to the house. I look forward to freezing berries and apples and drying apples, etc to eat during the "off months"...you can grow lots of food here, the summers are hot and wet (though, a little too wet for tomatoes to be perfectly happy this year!) and the climate is alright even for fruit trees..I know tons of people with fruit trees who have to take extra special care of them due to the winter climate...but still, they get lots of great fruit from them! So...
Anyway...there are even more reasons than those listed...I just love the crap outta NH. I lived in the south, midwest, out west in Colorado (I DO miss those mountains!) and of all the places I've been, I can't imagine living anywhere else now that I have a family to raise. These woods here are magic, the ocean is so different here from the sandy hot oceans of the south....it's really, really gorgeous. There is a spirit here which captures me and makes me so happy to have this place in my blood. THere is no where else I'd raise my kids or make a home for us...just a phenominal place to be.
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I don't know how any of you "temperate climate livers" do it...I don't know how I'd feel alive if it weren't for deep, cold winter.
