Penthouse in the city or cabin in the woods?

[Alina Mihai]

I have to say,as exciting and luxurious a penthouse in a big city sounds,I would go any time for a remote cabin in the woods,that would have to be my dream house and lifestyle.The fresh air and smell of leaves,sound of birds and running springs...nature at its best! But ofcouse,I live neighter in the woods,nor in a penthouse,so the small apartment that is my home will have to do for now.😒

[Jazzy]

Alina,

I have to agree that if I had to choose between a glamorous penthouse in the city and a simple cabin in the woods, I too would go with the cabin.  I was very fortunate growing up in that just after World War II, my Grandparents had purchased a cabin that was old, even then.  It was part of a trout fishing club that had started high in the Rocky Mountains in the mid to late 1800's when a group of people pooled together to buy a large section of forested land with several streams.  They developed lakes, and had them stocked with trout and individuals built their own cabins.  Of course later on times grew tough in the country during the Wars and the Great Depression.  So it was that as newlyweds, my Grandparents were able to pick up this one room cabin very inexpensively.  The logs for the cabin had been copped with an ax, and those ax marks were part of the character. All the hardware  had been hand hammered over a forge.  As their family grew my Grandfather added a very small addition - just enough room to set up cots for the children in front of the stone fireplace he build.  There were two old, soft double beds for the adults, separated from the rest of the room by a curtain hung on bailing wire.  My mother retreated there with her siblings and parents during polio and measles outbreaks.  

 Eventually they added electricity to the cabin, there was a big old radio with tubes, and two lights, but there never was running water, and my Grandmother cooked on a six burner wood burning stove (with an oven), and we used an outhouse.  I was very close to my Grandparents and loved going to the cabin with them while my sister and cousins preferred other summer activities.  My Grandparents brought the drinking water from home in 5 gallon containers and we had to ration that water.  As soon as I was strong enough, my chore was to go down to the lake to bring up water in buckets for washing and cleaning.  My Grandmother only packed side dishes.  She was a woman of the Great Depression so her side dishes were canned beans, canned vegetables, eggs, salt, cornmeal, and oil.  I would bake cookies at home and bring them for everyone.  We all worked together to catch fish for dinner, and gather the tiny mountain strawberries as a fresh treat.  Together we painted oil on the logs to preserve them and my Grandfather mixed up a mud (probably with concrete) and we spread that in the openings between the logs to keep out the wind and chipmunks.  There were always chores to do.  The firewood needed to be replaced regularly and that meant cutting one size for the fireplace and another size for the oven.  Only my Grandfather operated the chainsaw.  My Grandmother and I carried and stacked the logs in long rows outdoors, and in bins in the cabin.

The cabin was sold only last year.  Modern times brought modern problems.  The land has become very valuable and that means high taxes.  A caretaker had to be hired to guard the cabins and maintain the streams and lakes. There were high legal fees as the club defended their water rights, the fish had to be treated for disease.  The new cabin owners will have to find a modern alternative to the outhouse.  I'll miss the old place, it was a wonderful way to grow up, but it was never was the same after my Grandparents passed. 

[BeachMermaid]

A cabin in the woods would be my choice, hands down! There is something calming about spending time in the woods and being so close to nature. The thought of packing up my family and driving a few hours to paradise on the weekends sounds so nice. There are so many wonderful activities to enjoy in the woods to help you disconnect from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The thought of roasting marshmallows around a warm campfire, on a crisp evening with my husband and daughter, deep in the woods, makes me want to pack our bags now!

[chi92]

It is not even a choice. A cabin in the woods. There is no replacement for peace and tranquility that it can offer. Reconnection with nature and peace of mind, you cannot put a tag on that. That is my goal in life, and me and my wife are working towards it. Hopefully, in a couple of years, we will live in a heaven of our own.

[Viorem]

Tough question to answer!  A penthouse in the city would have amenities that a cabin in the woods just couldn't provide, such as schools and shopping malls nearby.  However, a cabin in the woods would be a nice break from the noise and commotion of the "city life."  I suppose the deciding factor for me would be if the cabin in the woods had an internet connection or cell reception.  As long as I wasn't completely disconnected from the world online I would prefer the cabin in the woods.