Imagine a remote area in the Scottish borders with fells/moors, stone walls, forests, burns/rivers, small hamlets, sheep farms and small winding roads. Not many people to speak of, minimal traffic, mostly logging lorries and sheep grazing when they can through the snow.
This is where I live in the National Park in a small shepherds cottage or bothy.
So how to survive here in the dark winter months:
The cottage is filled with books, books and books, music in the form of cd's and records, a wood burning stove-must get some wood!-, four lovely cats, and work, work and work. So between work which can be anything from editing films on a computer, designing book covers, reading, writing and filming, this can keep me busy.
To relax: well there are walks, sitting by the fire and thinking, cooking and eating, writing letters, and knitting! I have started knitting, cannot cast on or off yet but I can knit straight and simple. My first project is a scarf of course!
It is isolated yes, not much social or cultural life apart from an occasional concert or ceilidh, a pub night!, however it is a time for reflection and getting work done.
Making trips helps a great deal, going to London regularly for instance.
Rural life is a lot about self-reliance and finding resources within and being comfortable with alone-time.
