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Putting the 'Her' Back in Hermit

My Life Living Off the Grid

By Kristen NeurdenburgPublished 7 years ago 2 min read
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I am a 37-year-old woman who is divorced with no children, therefore I am pretty free to do as I please. I am back in school, but was given the opportunity to live and work on my family's farm in Southwest Virginia during my break. It's a fairly short drive, about 45 minutes, but seems as though it is worlds away. We live in Kingsport, Tennessee. Despite the efforts the city has made to beautify it, it is still a very polluted industrial city. So when my dad made the offer to live on 120 acres in a log cabin overlooking the Clinch River, needless to say, I jumped at the chance.

My closest neighbor is a mile away, and when I moved, the only person I told where I was going was my ex-husband. We have one of those "we're good together, but not in a marriage" friendships. So, I am considering myself a hermit for the time being. I have no car, so I live a sustainable lifestyle. I grow what I can, and anything else my dad will bring when he comes to visit for the day. I have electricity, but no running water. I have three rain barrels to collect water for cooking, doing dishes, and bathing. If it rains hard enough, I can just strip off and shower in the rain. To a lot of people that probably sounds awful, but for me it is a thing of beauty, being cleansed by nature.

There is a lot of work to be done: feeding the animals, cutting weeds with a mowing scythe, and keeping up with the garden. But it doesn't even feel like work to me anymore. I get a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of peace. My mind has stopped racing, and I have learned patience. Sometimes I have to put my tools down for a few minutes to just stand in awe of the beauty that surrounds me.

At night, when the sun is starting to set, I gather my tools and place them on the porch to keep them out of the rain. My dog Buddy and I retire inside for the night. After I wash up and have dinner, it's time for more work, but a different kind of work. I have fashioned a "studio" on the back screened in porch where I paint and work on wood carving, make signs out of old wood I have found around the property. When I get a bunch done, I sell my work at the local farmer's market. I make just enough to pay for electricity and food, and I'm okay with that. My peace and freedom are worth way more to me than money.

For now, I am enjoying living off the grid. I don't have a phone or TV, and the only time I have access to a computer is a few times a month when I come out of hiding to see my parents for a day or two. I will savor this experience, soak up every lesson life is giving me, and swim in the beauty of nature.

nature
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About the Creator

Kristen Neurdenburg

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