@@jaysummers9396 And the second biggest source of immigrants were from what are now known as Germany. Luckily they decided to make English their national language or 20th century history may have been different.
@@UnknownUser-rb9pd Well, that's irrelevant, as America was an English speaking colony well before the 20th century when the declaration of independence was signed in 1776....
@@jaysummers9396 It is irrelevant. I was under the impression there had been a vote on what the official language should be and German lost by one vote. However, I see that's one of those historical myths that arise over time.
It often takes a newcomer to point out something you take for granted. You are the second Americans living in the UK who I've heard pointing out the sense of community. The fundamental idea that we are all in the same boat and look out for each other. I hadn't fully realised how ingrained this was until I had a conversation with an American about our health system and he asked me if I didn't resent 'freeloaders'. I honestly didn't understand what he meant. When he explained I just looked at him blankly and said the thought had never crossed my mind. To me it was like saying people who didn't pay any or much tax shouldn't be allowed to phone the police or send their kids to school. Weird. I once heard an American pointing out it's actually almost impossible to drive in the UK without embracing the idea of co-operating with other drivers but that's another story. Incidentally, I live in Manchester a big city in the north and our street has a Whatsapp group we use regularly to help each other, shop for each other, give advice, lend things to each other - all kinds of things. Latest was when half the street turned out to look for the missing dog of one of our elderly neighbours. We found him!
It is something that like you said, you don't notice it until someone points it out to you. We have truly enjoyed it and glad to hear that you were able to find the missing dog with the community effort. Cheers, Chris
“The tearoom lady called me love. All the shop ladies called me love and most of the men called me mate. I hadn’t been here twelve hours and already they loved me.” - Bill Bryson, a notable American-British travel writer and author.
We always do our best to look at things in a positive light. Because we feel there's just so much negative in the world. There is no reason for Chris and I to add to the Negative. We appreciate your support! 🤍 Jess x
Glad you enjoyed the video. We continually think of the efforts you are putting into the community and we are looking forward to getting there and embracing it. Cheers, Chris and Jess.
Thank you for the kind words. We are glad to have made such good friends and seen such amazing places here. You won't have to miss us, you can just see us in America when the time comes. 🤍 Jess x
You have absolutely taken full advantage of your time here in the U.K. your adventures are so enjoyable, the driving is outstanding and you will be missed. Very much hope you continue the adventure back home. Lovely family and yes 2025 will come soon enough.
Thank you for the kind words. We have tried to make the most of it while we are here and plan on doing the same when we get back to America. Hope you stick around to see our perspective on that. Cheers, Chris
The view of Americans presented through the media is very distorted for most British people who don't have the opportunity to live and work in the USA. Channels like this not only change you, but equally change the viewers who observe a lovely American family with all the same values as a typical British family.
Thank you for the kind words. We couldn't agree with you more. While media has done a great deal good for the world, it also only shows you what they want. We are glad to use this platform to show British families, and American families that there are a lot of people on both sides that have the same values. Cheers, Chris
We do not openly advertise our positive ways, we just let people find out for themselves. We are mostly caring and helpful just in a silent way. It will be a sad day when you leave but, hopefully, we will get to follow your progress back home. You will be missed.
We do appreciate all the positive things we have discovered here. We are happy to bring you all along with the progress of our property and visiting different places in America. Cheers, Chris
America seems to be obsessed with money, In Britain we are not. Money isn't everything. Food should be good quality not purely driven by how much profit can be made from it, especially if it's at the cost of peoples health and welfare.
America does need to revisit the food quality. Like you said, especially with how important it is to peoples health and welfare. Sounds like Japan is taking the right direction too. Cheers, Chris
@@thadtuiol1717never been to a more expensive country in my life. We ended up eating cup noodles from you local stores. Your fish markets it was $14 for a single prawn. This was in Osaka.
Something you said about slowing down reminded me of two videos I've seen recently on the Europe versus the US experience. In one an American family who have moved to France were talking about how they felt their life was more focussed. They explained that in France people will have one specific thing planned for the day like going to see friends or meeting someone for lunch or attending an event. That would be the focus for the day and they could spend as much time doing it as they wished to thereofore they felt less rushed. They admitted that back home they would often have several things planned and often be looking at the time and thinking it was time to move. Another was a German girl who has moved to the USA talking about how it took her a while to realise that when she met up with her new American friends they would often stay for a while then rush off to the next thing they had planned or maybe even cancel at the last minute. She realised that Americans tended to have a number of things in their diary and be constantly moving on to the next 'date'.
That is an interesting take on the differences with American culture and different European cultures. It seems pretty accurate too. We enjoy a slower pace honestly. Cheers, Chris
Hi guys, I only found you today. Subscribed so 5001 for you now. I love that you have reminded me how lucky I am to live in this country. With your insights , honesty and obvious love for people is such a refreshing change. Can't thank you enough. You really get the "british" now. I hope you realise you are all honorary Brits now!!!! Keep spreading the truth and the love Craig
Glad you were able to find the channel and that you have enjoyed it so far. We will keep spreading the truth here and when we get back to America. Cheers, Chris
My relations based in the US was in the UK for a few days and they noticed the quality of food is a lot better in taste here in the UK. They do buy organic food in the US but it still doesn’t taste as good as in this country.
@mj7613 If you wear the cap backwards outdoors when it is sunny, there is no hope for you. Hand in your passport. Wearing a cap indoors, strange. However, wearing it with the strap across the forehead and thinking keeping the sun off your neck is a good look is bizarre. Do you also call people dude?
The Government doesn’t need to give back to me for having a flower garden. but we all need this it’s so important for us all to do our bit for sustainability. I love your enthusiasm ❤️
You're such lovely people. I'm glad it's been so positive and you've had to put so much in to make it that way. We will miss good people like you. It's wonderful that you will do so much more exploring when you cross back over the pond. Look forward to another video soon, and seeing much more of your future adventures. Take good care.
Friend, thank you so much. It has definitely been a wonderful blessing for our entire family. I think it has truly opened our minds to experience and love things as we see them and not take things for granted. I think the American way is to hurry to our next thing. I feel this experience has allowed us to slow down and truly enjoy all of our moments, good or bad. We can not wait to take you all along with us, but we definitely do not want that time to come too soon!! Thank you for your love and support. 🤍 Jess x
Can you squeeze in another summer next year before you go back, because this year has had unusually sub-standard weather conditions (the jet stream has veered much further south this year).?
If you want to travel to France, Belgium , Netherlands etc, with your dogs, it’s really easy, contacts your local vet, for a pet passport, as long as they have the appropriate vaccination certificate you can take them on to the continent. The easiest way would be by car, take the channel tunnel from Folkstone to Calias the tunnel crossing takes 35 minutes and costs approximately £150 return per car, not per passenger. Or you can take the cross channel ferries of which there are many, similar costs but the sea crossing takes 90 minutes. You really should visit France, Paris is only a 2 hour drive from Calais. Hope this helps.
I think its takes a bit longer to get to Paris, 3 to 4 hours depending on traffic. But in a similar time you could get to the Ruhr and southern Netherlands. With two people driving you could drive to the Alps in a day, 12 hours plus stops to eat etc.
Well, that is incorrect, when travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland, your pet needs: A microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, an animal health certificate, or a valid pet passport that’s accepted in the country you’re travelling to, tapeworm treatment for dogs if you’re travelling directly to Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway or Malta. You cannot use a pet passport issued in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). You can only use a pet passport if the country you’re travelling to accepts passports for pets coming from Great Britain. The passport must have been issued in an EU country...
Thanks for all of the information. We have most of that done, just need to check with the vet and make sure everything is still valid and we are good to go. Cheers, Chris
I’m glad we weren’t as scary as you thought we might be. Time is going sooo quickly, I hope you get to see some more sites that are on your list. I always smile when I hear Americans say that they are going all round the UK in 2 weeks, cause it’s so small. It will be a sad day when you leave. ❤
You can drive around the country in 2 weeks, but you are not going to be able to see all of UK. Even with us getting out and seeing as much as we can, there will still be places we won't be able to see because there is so much to take in. It will be sad when we leave, but we have lots to see in America too. Cheers, Chris
I love both your attitudes towards community life. I feel warmed that we here can influance you for the better. When you go home (sorry for mentioning it!) and you try to implement a few things you have learned over here be prepared for knockbacks. You have spent time absorbing lots of cultural information, the folks back home haven't therefore the take up may well not be as enthusiastic as you would like, don't give up though, prove to people how individual small steps can move maountains as a community. With regards to travel, its the best educator. We have visited every continent except one, travel as much as you can.
Those are great words of advice. While there are a lot that will not understand what we are doing or why for that matter. There are a lot of people taking not on different ways to live and embrace what we are trying to do as well. And yes, travel we will. Cheers, Chris
Will be sorry to see you both leaving the UK, have enjoyed watching your journey over here. Your kids will be hopping mad that you’re taking them back stateside before they can go out for a pint in the local
@@DaydreamersBoundI dare say that you’ll be back for the odd summer over the coming years, all of you seem to enjoy things here for the most part. But, equally, when home is calling, it’s calling
@isthatthetimealready We will definitely be back. We have made too many friends here and absolutely love it. So, yes, the UK can't get rid of us too fast. We will probably have holidays here for years to come!! 🤍 Jess x
It’s so nice to see your beautiful family getting to know the UK. I’ve watched quite a few of your videos traveling around . I wish you and yours all the best and a heartfelt thank you for what you do and how you have embraced us with open arms. Rab from Scotland ❤
Great show, with some valid points on how community is important to English society. Do thinks you missed, how we love and look after our countryside and most of all...... Our Gardens. 😊🌻
Watching this and your Norfolk and Northumberland videos put the biggest smile on my face! Very refreshing to hear your thoughts on our country. I'll keep watching.
Love the Channel as I said before it's just and easy watch sitting in my chair with a cuppa. Talking just for a second about the bad stuff since you have both been here. My grandfather who I absolutely adored and was a wise old man used to say to me, and remember this saying, " Barry be careful who you trust in this life! Sugar and salt both look the same". Thank you for the channel and may God bless you both. Barry
Barry, thanks for the commenting and sharing. That is a saying that I will take with me and also use, hope you don't mind. Glad we can share something that you can enjoy. Cheers, Chris
@@DaydreamersBound All the very best Chris, I also was in the forces. I was in the Army in the 70s over in Ireland. I have also been over to Michigan. I was by Grand rapids at a place called Greenville. Anyway glad I could share one of my favourite and thoughtful sayings. All the very best to you both 👍
@bostinbrummie thank you for your service friend! We're so thankful for your time sharing with us. We truly love you're here with us and enjoy our adventures. 🤍 Jess x
Great to hear that you've been prepared to open yourselves up to what's here in the UK. It's you that have decided to adopt and embrace some of the new ways, outlook and thinking that you've experienced here during your time with us. As we're all on a journey and evolving, it's nice to hear of what you want to take back with you and how we can continue to share with you even once you return to the USA. Hopefully, you will continue to keep the contact and friendships and help encourage that positive interaction, sharing and growing understanding between the communities here in the UK and yours in the US.
Oh, we have so many things that we want to share with you all on what we're hoping to bring back from our experience here in the UK. Our list could go on and on! We have truly embarrassed our experience and love for this wonderful country. Thank you for your love and support! 🤍 Jess x
With regard to food waste and plastic waste ( packaging ) the one factor that annoys and irritates me way beyond anything else is expiry dates . For more than half my life and definitely in my earlier childhood this was never an issue. People used the eyes and nose to judge if food was unfit to eat and if not it generally went to the dogs rather than the bin . Also as most people did not have a fridge they shopped more frequently for fresh bread , meat , veg , fruit etc. And ALL of it was wrapped in brown paper or old newspaper and we never contracted any horrendous diseases. Sadly I believe people have become soft , afraid of risk , unable to think or act outside the orthodoxy and even one day after the date into the land fill everything goes.
You make a lot of good points regarding where we were to where we are today. Progress is great, but we also need to be able to use common sense too. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Chris
As always a lovely video (still watching it).I think I have said this before but it's great to see Chris show his warmer side (I understand he's military and has to appear stuff upper lip).I am Sorry to hear what you endured Jess.Life can be fantastic if you wish it to be 💯. Love you both and the kids too inc the 4 legged ones.Have a wonderful day 👍
Thank you for the kind words. I am trying to do better for Jess. It is unfortunate what she dealt with, but I am glad she is able to talk about it. We are making the best of life and yes, it can be fantastic and we do wish it to be. Cheers, Chris
Good to hear you've taken some positives from our country. Having watched a couple of other channels where your compatriots have travelled to Europe and been surprised by so many things, in a good way, it's nice that despite all kinds of things here that need urgently fixing, the good things can still make an impression. Keep exploring and enjoying...whatever the weather !
It is wonderful to be able to take positive things away from a country that we are the less to be able to call home away from home. There is no country that is ever going to be perfect, but some come very close. 🤍 Jess x
We,ll miss you when you go home, your part of the family now will you continue with the channel when your back in USA , Be great to travel round with you ❤
We will continue the channel when we get back. We want to see as much of America as we have of the UK. And we are excited to bring everyone along with. Cheers, Chris
Hi Guys , if you dont have the downs how can you appreciate the ups of life , we find joy in fleeting moments , a walk in the woodland ,lunch with friends, family time , its impossible to be happy all the time . They way the world is we need each other more than ever i think . Love nature too its so important for the enviroment and our mental health . 😊❤ youll be missed when you leave 😢.
Very true facts about life. The lows makes the high parts more valued. We will leave, but the channel will continue with a similar vibe in America. Cheers, Chris
There is an old saying in the UK about swings and roundabouts, but no one mentions the slide because if you dont control it there is a nasty bump at the bottom.
❤the video Chris & Jess nice to see you are still in love with the UK. hope to see you have an open garden when you get state side. hope you have a very good farm and enjoy working it. hope you put a bit of the UK into it.take care you two 💯❤you see you sunday in your next adventure.
Oh, most definitely love the UK. I am planning on having an open garden when I return!! I absolutely love everything that I have experienced learned and am able to take back an implement at my small holding in the US! This has been such a blessing. 🤍 Jess x
Wonderful video Jess 👍 You & Chris are charming, decent people & we've definitely benefited from having your family in the UK, the glimpses into your UK lives will be missed 😢 btw love your yellow table !👍
Thank you so much. We truly have embraced and love our experience here. We hope people will follow us to the US ( via the channel) when we share our videos of our home when we return to our small holding in Michigan. I painted that table!! Thank you for noticing.. 🤍 Jess x
We can see the difference, you have more confidence and you have grasped the English way of living. Love going to these places all over again with your travelling about. Exactly as my husband and I used to do. Shall keep travelling with you.
Oh, I'm so glad we absolutely love it here and are definitely trying to learn as much as we can!! You're so glad you enjoy our adventures and us sharing with you all. 🤍 Jess x
Very enjoyable video. Yes you have done so much, Welsh Castle, English Cathedrals, even helping with lock gates! Seeing history rather than just a book. So pleased you have enjoyed the "community" spirit of the UK.
Lovely video Jess, you and Chris are an inspiration for fellow Americans. So many channels from America are waking up to the food issues, I can see your future farm being an example to your neighbours and I wish you all the best. I understand that America needs the huge farms to produce enough food economically. but I agree with you about community and keeping things local. I hope some of this rubs off on to your children so they can be healthy going forward. I know it will, as they are a credit to you both and appreciate what you show them. I do hope that you continue the channel from the States. America has so much to see but getting there is such a big thing. My parents loved America (they covered a lot of it inc Hawaii but the Alaska cruise was cancelled). Looking forward to the next video lol.
Thank you so much. I really hope that we can be in an example to others, but we still have so much we need to learn. We will always be students and never know everything. We hope our children are great stuarts to our nation and for their own community. It is what Chris and I want is for everyone to just know that nowhere is perfect, but everything can be perfect if you look for it. We will definitely be continuing the channel so we can take everyone along with us on our adventure here and in the US. We love you all way too much to end here! 🤍 Jess x
I’ve always enjoyed my visits to the the USA, found that in the main ordinary Americans are very friendly. A guy in Miami that we met in a hotel bar insisted on treating us to a meal at Joe’s famous crab restaurant, simply because he felt the Brits looked after him so well when in England. He saw it as payback for our hospitality. We Morris danced in Salem during the Witch Festival and New York, we met many new friends who really looked after us. The US gets such a bad press but the people are very warm hearted, just like you guys.😘
That sounds like you had a great time in America. It is refreshing to hear that people have good experiences with Americans, like you pointed out, Americans can get a bad impression in the press. I suppose that is something that comes along with where the media is currently, but we like to hear the good stories more. Cheers, Chris
If you like flowers, you should pay a day visit to the Millennium Seed Bank in Wakehurst, Sussex. It houses more than 2.4 billion seeds collected from around the world including wild flowers; preserving them forever and making sure they never go extinct. There are several different biodomes to walk around such as Rainforest Dome, Asia Dome etc. and you can watch all the scientists at work, growing and nurturing the most rarest. Very educational.
As the old saying goes, travel broadens the mind - your kids have started early (due to both of you) - you now realise they are going to be travelling the rest of the world in a few years time due to the confidence you have instilled in them - good for you!!
We really hope they travel the world and learn. We have tried to teach them to always have an open mind when it comes to life. We're alway in learning mode. One thing is to take away something positive from every place that they've been. We're so very blessed to have this opportunity and to allow them to learn and grow in ways that not many get to experience. Thank you for your kind words and love! 🤍 Jess x
Please please keep your channel when you go home it be lovely to see you showing your lovely families lifestyle in the States I have travelled quite extensively in the states but only seen the visitors view Much love ❤️ from your 89 young fan 🇬🇧
We will continue to travel in America and show everyone how it is from our perspective. Age is just a mindset, and sounds like you know that. Cheers, Chris
You were talking of time, and the speed at which it has travelled for you ; the sad truth is that as you get older it puts on the trusty running shoes, (those with spikes), and takes you on a journey much, much, faster than could be anticipated, and before you can say 'Jack Robinson,' (expression originated in the 1700's - happens very quickly ) you are looking back , instead of forwards. Keep planning for the future and enjoy every minute. I'm loving your remembrances. Thanks again. Sheffield South Yorkshire.
You are absolutely correct. We try to let our kids know that all the time. As we get further in life we can see it. Each assignment we go to gets faster and faster. Now I am looking at retiring from the military and it seems like yesterday that I first enlisted. We will continue to look forward because it is what helps moving us forward. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Chris
We have laws protecting all wild plants such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Much of our pasture land dates back beyond Roman times. Cattle is removed to grassland during the summer season to allow the wild flowers to flourish as they have great benefits for the land, and cattle when they are returned to pasture land.
There were far fewer people and cattle in Roman times, large areas were wooded, marsh etc. The Enclosure Acts changed the layout of the countryside. Before cattle would have been grazed on the common, crops on large shared fields with small individual strips. A substantial amount of pasture would date from this time when the commons where fenced hedged and the large strip fields split up.
Hi Jess, Chris, Colette and Shane, Wow 5k it only feels like a few weeks that you hit 4k. 😀 Many congratulations my friends. I'm really hoping that your dream of a holiday home here becomes a reality for you. 🙏 It won't be the same without you here in the UK when you leave us. 😢 Have a lovely Wednesday and take care.❤ xx
Stephen, I know, it's so incredible! We're all so thankful to have the love from so many. We wouldn't trade this opportunity. Just yesterday, I (Jess) was daydreaming of how I could just stay in such a beautiful heavenly place on earth. It will definitely be a sad day, but I'm sure we will be back to visit. The UK will have my heart forever and always, friend! Thank you for supporting us! 🤍 Chris, Shane, Colette, and Jess x
Talking about soil , there is a revision on the quality of soil , these days they are tending to go back to the Anglo-Saxons method of crop rotation One year it's root crop the next it's wheat / Barely etc , the third year it's fallow ( rested ) . Spraying wise they now call in a company who walk the fields taking soil and crop samples and test for the state of the soil and for bugs on the crop, the tests are put in a computer and if needed they just spray that area effected not the whole field using drone with a big tank . They will train your staff or yourself to do this . There are a few places in Norfolk and Lincolnshire that still have some fields farming the Anglo-Saxon method , fields are divided up so everyone gets the same area and if your soil is not good you get a better area in the next field and to make sure it's fair 12 men are used to make sure it's fair and these are called a JURY . Look it up on TH-cam
Interesting fact about the jury. We are glad to see how crops are looked after over here. Something that I wish we could incorporate in American for sure. Cheers, Chris
You have a lovely outlook on life and you will all be missed. My landfill usually consists of one draw string bag from the kitchen pedal bin. There are two of us with my grandson dropping in from school. Scrunchy plastic goes to the local CO-OP and the test is recycling. If you nest some of the plastic containers and crush milk bottles down to push out the air and recap, you save a lot of room. Stay safe and I look forward to the next video.
Thank you so much. We definitely try to be aware of what we're putting into the landfill, and we will continue to grow and try and put less and less with each year that passes. We can all just try to do our best for our planet. Thank you so much for all of your love and support! 🤍 Jess x
Part of the problem with single use plastic bags was the amount of them you would find on the beaches, in the woods and forests or just stuck up trees or down drains. Moving to reusable bags has made a huge difference to the environment. The single use bags were recyclable, but too many were not being recycled. I get the impression that the US uses stiff brown paper bags and so maybe you didn't have the same problem.
Only this week it was reported that someone cleaning a beach of rubbish had found a plastic bag with a price stamped on in shillings and pence i.e. before decimal currency was introduced in 1971. It was at least 53 years old which shows plastic can survive for decades, if not for centuries, in the environment.
We used paper bags,then someone said "think of the trees" then we went to plastic and it was "think of the planet" now,we have thicker plastic bags that are supposed to be bags for life,but they just end up in the bin 😁
They use both in America, plastic and paper. I think at the end of the day we, it is up to each person to try and do better. Mainly by not wasting more than we need to. Thanks for the comments. Cheers, Chris
It's nice to see Americans branch out and experience another country. I got to be honest I'd never left Europe until I married my wife, who pushed me to see the states. Now we spend months over there visiting family.
We definitely love embracing and learning all we can about the UK. We miss our family back in the US. We're so glad that you have been to the US and enjoy it. Where have you visited in the US? 🤍 Jess x
You might enjoy listening to 'The Archers', a daily 15 minute BBC Radio 4 'soap opera' about life in a rural English community. Basically 'bad times and good times' stuff, but generally fairly uplifting, especially in the way people help each other and get on. Maybe a bit rosy-tinted in places, but gritty in others and does give you an idea how rural life in England works. It's been going since the 1950s and follows the extended families in the fictional village of 'Ambridge' in 'Borsetshire' (a bit like Herefordshire, maybe?) from various backgrounds.
Hi Jess & Chris. Thanks for the video. It’s interesting learning about what you hope to take back to the USA in terms of thinking and behaviours, when the time comes around. It’s a real pleasure that you are here and it will be a sad day when you return to the USA. You really remind me of my cousins who are Stateside. From an Essex resident, please please make sure that you go visit Yorkshire and especially the Yorkshire Dales National Park before you return across the Atlantic. If you need some ideas let me know. 👍🏻😃
Your kids are so lucky to have you both as parents - who would have thought that when Chris joined the military that you would be spending a few years in the UK and getting to know it better than a lot of us who live here 🇬🇧 maybe when you go back next year you could do some trips out to show us more of your local areas 🇺🇲 we should all travel as much as we can - none of us know how many summers we have left to live 🌼
Thank you for the kind words. We try our best for sure. We did not think we would have this opportunity, but glad we have it and can share it with our kids. When we do get back, we are planning on showing everyone as much as we can in American too. Cheers, Chris
I imagine that deciding to live off-base was a little bit scary - but a brave decision paid you back in spades. Love your stuff. Keep up the good work. XXX
Oh, it wasn't scary. We definitely wanted to really embrace living here in the UK. We would have lived. On base, it's like a little mini america in a way. So at living off base made us feel like we are truly going to learn something and experience something new. 🤍 Jess x
You are staying in a rural area away from London other major city so there are not many commuters, that makes it easy for a community to be maintained. You can get communities in London etc but it is harder because of the turnover of people. Where a reasonably large number of people went to school together, work nearby and socialize together for a few years communities develop. Europe is preventive too for some things. It appears that we are generally preventive when the US is reactive and vice versa. If you have the owner of the lands permission and the plants are not protected you can mow a verge when it is setting seed and collect some of the clippings (not all as you want some of the seeds to reset there). Spread the clippings where you want the wild flowers and the ones that where setting seed will grow (if the place is suitable). If you do not get a dog passport to visit the EU etc you could leave your children behind, to look after the dogs, with a friend with a key to check up at random times. They are old enough to look after themselves for a few days with someone calling a few random times if they need help. When you get back to the UP you are not that far from Canada, drive north as well.
You make a valid point regarding the community we are in compared to the larger cities like London. I like the idea about getting the seeds from the wild flowers and replant them in a place that is suitable for them. Sounds like something that helps encourage growth and the ecosystem compared to avoiding it. When we get back to the UP, we do plan on visiting Canada as well. Cheers, Chris
The other day my neighbours and i got together anð decided to tidy up our communal back garden i live in an apartment block of 6 flats and we all help each other out. My neighbour above me offered to cut my hedge i was going to do it myself but he offered so i said yes and i mowed the grass in my own garden and his then the back garden and it was so helpful it only took maybe half a day to get the work done. When we finished we all congratulated ourselves on a job well done. Yeah i have great neighbours. Some places in the UK there are places where there isn't a sense of community or even people don’t know their next door neighbours or even met them.
Oh, how wonderful. I know it made you so proud to be able to help your community and make something look so beautiful. I absolutely love and appreciate the sense of community here. Thank you so much for sharing, friend! 🤍 Jess x
Hi there beautiful people, I liked your comment on how you slowed the pace of your life once you were in the UK. Yes, our big cities do have the 'rush around' attitude whereas out in the country life is always taken at a much slower pace. After all, what is the point in rushing anyway because that way you don't get to enjoy and savour all of that natural beauty that surrounds you. If you rush it just flies past in a flash and you don't get to appreciate it. Truly love you guys and it will be a big void when you sadly have to leave us to return Stateside. Please enlighten your fellow countrymen on the merits of our little island home and even encourage them to try a similar experience for themselves.
Thank you so much. I think that is one of the things that I will take away is the slower and less worrisome lifestyle. I will definitely scream it from the rooftop! We truly appreciate the love and support you all pour into us. 🤍 Jess x
About laundry detergent, you can buy on-line packs of laundry sheets in place of liquid or powder detergent. I first saw them on Instagram and various different firms supply them and send them in the post. So sorry to hear you’ll be leaving in 2025, I have so enjoyed your travels as I live in Brighton, south-east, so you’ve been showing me things and places I don’t know. I’m full of admiration for your driving on our narrow twisty roads too! Will greatly miss you, enjoy what’s left of your stay.
I will definitely look into that. Thank you so much! I'm always looking at trying to be more eco-friendly! I truly appreciate the information. We will continue our adventure here in the UK, and then when we have to leave, we will take take you all with us (via the channel) 🤍 Jess x
27:00 The countryside has been being grown for literally thousands of years - so there's a lot to see. That much of what remains pre-dates mass travel, which the railways introduced, means that agriculture, building and even food have local identities. Combine that with modern transport and the variety of what can be seen and experienced is virtually inexhaustible.
Suggest you contact Ekologik (based in Somerset, in the nearest village just a few miles away from me) - not sure if they do Laundry Detergent, but if they don't, I'm sure that they would know somebody who does (they are very friendly)
Thank you so much for your insight! I will definitely look them up and see if they carry laundry detergent. I definitely need some that is more eco-friendly! 🤍 Jess x
In reply to you guys - yes I'm sure you couldn't do anything like all 50 States in one session, but I thought maybe over several years you could make a video in each State. And then market everything as an online guide. In the North, you presumably only have a time frame of seven / eight months in each year. That's how it was for me when I did all 48 English counties. The amount of daylight is another huge factor over here, with six hours more daylight per day between mid winter and mud summer.!!
Another lovely, interesting video. Before you came to the UK, what were your thoughts? Were you looking forward to the adventure or daunted at the prospect? Please don't rush home - we would miss you xx
Thank you so much! We were definitely excited for this experience here in the UK. We definitely feel that we have tried to embrace and learn as much as we can. We truly appreciate all the love and support. 🤍 Jess x
Another great video Jess and Chris. Travel certainly broadens the mind; we are lucky to be close to other countries and cultures in this country and are small enough to be able to easily do day trips. But I am sure you will have a great time exploring parts of the States you haven't visited. There's lots over there that are on my bucket list too.
I could not agree with you more that travel truly really broadens your mind! We have truly learned so much, and we'll take it back with us when we return to the US. So we can start our small holding in Michigan. 🤍 Jess x
If you go to Northern Ireland and you fly, hire a car and head for the coast, north of Belgast is a fabulous coast road that takes in the rope bridge and the giants causeway, South is a peninsula that takes in the pretty town of Bangor. Lovely tea rooms and views.
Hopefully you have manage to travel over to the rest of Europe while you have been here , France Germany,Holland,Spain and many many more 😊😊 Plus many adventures across the UK. Thankyou for your time spent in our country and your Military Service, From an ex-servicemen 👍👍
We are definitely hoping to make it to europe!! Thank you so very much. We really look forward to traveling even more here. Also, thank you for your time in the service! 🤍 Jess x
2025 will be here in no time ,I've enjoyed watching your journey here in the uk & hopefully enjoyed this little island ,, the community spirit still is strong in most places of the uk , i hope you show us around the usa when you go home from home here & like you said about your kids i hope theyve made memories that will live with them for a very long time . Thanks for reminding us to appritiate what we have on our door step but sometimes take for granted .bless & wish you all the happiness in the future .🏴🇺🇸
Yes, it will be upon us way too soon.... We will definitely take you all around with us and show you some wonderful places in the US. This will also show you our hotmess of a small holding and us trying to fix it and put some UK touches on it. ☺️ We truly appreciate you so very much! 🤍 Jess x
Very interesting to hear an outsiders view of British food. You should defo try to get over to the rest of Europe if you can, the food in Spain and France is wonderful, I have heard that Italy is fantastic too but haven’t been myself
Hi Jess and Chris, had to speak up, I have followed a half dozen of your vlogs, since you are based close to my home City, I have always wanted too do the Sutton Hoo, as I was born in Kent, A lot of History spans our land, I have to say, Jess seemed on a mission to, Get the day done, and move on, Maybe a day at Warwick Castle, will restore her expectations, of Historic sites,
J & C: know that you're greatly loved by those of us who are avid devotees of your channel, of course when you go back home there will be a void left here that needs filling, but those of us here in the UK will only ever wish you the very best. Naturally, when you came over here you brought your dogs with you. To people who have pets, they are as much a part of your family as anyone else is. I have a cat, he's my absolute best friend and I couldn't imagine being without him. He's getting on in years, in cat years he's older than I am (and I'm in the autumn of my life.) He's become expensive to run - I have to give him a daily insulin injection, and give him medication for his thyroid and heart problems, but he doesn't seem to think he's got any worries. And that's the thing, I dread that I should have to go into hospital - even for one night - no-one else could medicate him. When you go shopping, do you use the BX or a local supermarket? When you return to the US, which part of north Michigan will you be moving to? Where will be the nearest urban centre of population? Will Chris still be in the USAF, or will he have left?
We hope that people stick around. When we return to the US so we can take you along for more adventures yet to come. I'm so sorry to hear about your cat. My heart goes out to you. My little Chihuahua (Axel) is my little BFF! We will be going to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is more of a rural area that we will be calling home. Chris will be retired from the Air Force. We have been so incredibly grateful for this experience and all of the love and support from you all! 🤍 Jess x
So glad you have made the most of your time here. Have you had many overseas deployments in the past and did you also benefit from those times and get to travel as much as you have in the UK? One of my regrets is that when I was in the forces although I did get around a lot especially all over Europe and Canada I spent a bit too much off time in pubs and restaurants and missed out on some of the things I will never get to do now. :) Still some great times though and the friends and memories have lasted me a lifetime. I'm sure when you get back to the USA you will look back at your time in the Forces with great fondness as in my opinion there is no other job quite like it.
This is our first station as a family , but I have lived in many other countries. Have had some great experiences and learned from them all. It is so wonderful to have a home away from home like we get to call the UK. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBound I have seen many places in California which is where my sister and cousin's lived also Arizona where we saw the Grand Canyon along with native American's. I also stayed with my cousin and her two girlfriends on Hermosa Beach, one of her friends was a half American Indian .
They have adapted great. Luckily we have the same food in the commissary we used before we left. We wanted to keep it the same for their sake. Cheers, Chris
You hit on a subject that i think may be even more important than most people believe as we continue to take in different pesticides . Yes the regulations in Britain and the E.U. are strict but still there are a number of "allowed" ingredients to our food. I think back to when cigarette manufacturers told us there were no problems smoking even though they knew otherwise ,the point being that the profit motive is a required motive for our progress [even in Communist countries] but human nature can influence the degree of desire and importance of moral judgement which should go hand in hand. I understand America may have less restrained regulations which should make genuine organic production even more important over there. Question is does organic food have a large market in America, that would be interesting to compare and does the chemical industry have political influence which would apply everywhere but more so where countries have more relaxed regulations regarding food content.
This is a huge subject that like you said, is more important that most people believe. It is hugely impacted by political influence. It is hard to understand that it is more about the income that the outcome for the food quality. Regarding organic foods, yes there is a large market for it in America, but there are also allowed to use more pesticides than most understand and that is also discouraging. This is why we are focusing on our local farmers that we know what they do. Cheers, Chris
I understand that your dream is to get a farm in Michigan? If that is right, you might want to check out some of the wonderful county fairs whilst in the UK, where you can likely get insights into how organic farming works in the UK. Maybe a dream of setting up agrivoltaics, where the solar panels provide shelter for the sheep grazing beneath them, instead of turning the land into a desert? In the Gower peninsula, the farmers get a great premium for their lamb and hogget ( 1 year older than lambs, more robust flavour ) as they graze on the maritime herbs amongst the grass, so top restaurants specify their produce. I'm excited for you, as you realise your dreams, of more community based, healthy, organic farming with respect for the land, moving away from agribusiness. You will likely have some productive and fascinating conversations with the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi, whose cultures were based on stewardship of the land, not ownership, so you can help repair what has become broken! Lovely people do lovely things. I am cheering for you!
Thank you for your kind words and support. It means more than you know. It is our dream to have our farm fully functional in the UP. That is a great idea checking out the county fairs here. That is a great idea with the solar and sheep. We have seen it here and think it is a great way to get what we need and give back to the land at the same time. Our goal is to make sure that we are able to leave our property in better condition that we got it. Not only the building for the next family, but the land to be more plentiful for the future as well. Cheers, Chris
As the great American writer Mark Twain once said: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”..
Twain had British roots, Cornish to be precise 👍
@@OriginalNiceButOdd Yeah, many Americans have British roots, on account of the fact that America was a British colony, to be precise...
@@jaysummers9396 And the second biggest source of immigrants were from what are now known as Germany. Luckily they decided to make English their national language or 20th century history may have been different.
@@UnknownUser-rb9pd Well, that's irrelevant, as America was an English speaking colony well before the 20th century when the declaration of independence was signed in 1776....
@@jaysummers9396 It is irrelevant. I was under the impression there had been a vote on what the official language should be and German lost by one vote. However, I see that's one of those historical myths that arise over time.
It often takes a newcomer to point out something you take for granted. You are the second Americans living in the UK who I've heard pointing out the sense of community. The fundamental idea that we are all in the same boat and look out for each other. I hadn't fully realised how ingrained this was until I had a conversation with an American about our health system and he asked me if I didn't resent 'freeloaders'. I honestly didn't understand what he meant. When he explained I just looked at him blankly and said the thought had never crossed my mind. To me it was like saying people who didn't pay any or much tax shouldn't be allowed to phone the police or send their kids to school. Weird. I once heard an American pointing out it's actually almost impossible to drive in the UK without embracing the idea of co-operating with other drivers but that's another story.
Incidentally, I live in Manchester a big city in the north and our street has a Whatsapp group we use regularly to help each other, shop for each other, give advice, lend things to each other - all kinds of things. Latest was when half the street turned out to look for the missing dog of one of our elderly neighbours. We found him!
It is something that like you said, you don't notice it until someone points it out to you. We have truly enjoyed it and glad to hear that you were able to find the missing dog with the community effort. Cheers, Chris
Such a pleasure to have you here in the UK, part of you will always belong here. 🇬🇧🤝🏻🇺🇸
Thank you for the kind words. Cheers, Chris
“The tearoom lady called me love. All the shop ladies called me love and most of the men called me mate. I hadn’t been here twelve hours and already they loved me.”
- Bill Bryson, a notable American-British travel writer and author.
Nice quote. Seems pretty accurate too. Cheers, Chris
Thank you for being so positive about the UK. Sometimes we moan and don’t see what is truly right in front of our noses.
We always do our best to look at things in a positive light. Because we feel there's just so much negative in the world. There is no reason for Chris and I to add to the
Negative. We appreciate your support! 🤍 Jess x
It is lovely how the roadsides these days have all the wild flowers back, instead of cutting them short every time.
Yes, my friend, I completely agree with you!!! 🤍 Jess x
Thanks for the shout out! Love the community aspect. Looking forward to having you as a part of this community. Great video!!!
Glad you enjoyed the video. We continually think of the efforts you are putting into the community and we are looking forward to getting there and embracing it. Cheers, Chris and Jess.
As always Jess, great video. I think I can speak on behalf of some of Britain and say we all love you guys and would miss you when you go back ❤
Absolutely agree !
Thank you for the kind words. We are glad to have made such good friends and seen such amazing places here. You won't have to miss us, you can just see us in America when the time comes. 🤍 Jess x
@@gregsmythe7705 what Jess doesn’t know is that when she’s home we’re all coming to visit!!
@@freddiemac1438 😂😂😂
You have absolutely taken full advantage of your time here in the U.K. your adventures are so enjoyable, the driving is outstanding and you will be missed. Very much hope you continue the adventure back home. Lovely family and yes 2025 will come soon enough.
Thank you for the kind words. We have tried to make the most of it while we are here and plan on doing the same when we get back to America. Hope you stick around to see our perspective on that. Cheers, Chris
The view of Americans presented through the media is very distorted for most British people who don't have the opportunity to live and work in the USA. Channels like this not only change you, but equally change the viewers who observe a lovely American family with all the same values as a typical British family.
Thank you for the kind words. We couldn't agree with you more. While media has done a great deal good for the world, it also only shows you what they want. We are glad to use this platform to show British families, and American families that there are a lot of people on both sides that have the same values. Cheers, Chris
We do not openly advertise our positive ways, we just let people find out for themselves. We are mostly caring and helpful just in a silent way. It will be a sad day when you leave but, hopefully, we will get to follow your progress back home. You will be missed.
We do appreciate all the positive things we have discovered here. We are happy to bring you all along with the progress of our property and visiting different places in America. Cheers, Chris
America seems to be obsessed with money, In Britain we are not. Money isn't everything. Food should be good quality not purely driven by how much profit can be made from it, especially if it's at the cost of peoples health and welfare.
Come to Japan, they will show you what a true food culture looks like. Food is a national obsession here, and that's a good thing in my book.
@@thadtuiol1717I would love to but the crime rate is a bit off putting. I was quite shocked when I saw the stats.
America does need to revisit the food quality. Like you said, especially with how important it is to peoples health and welfare. Sounds like Japan is taking the right direction too. Cheers, Chris
@@thadtuiol1717never been to a more expensive country in my life. We ended up eating cup noodles from you local stores. Your fish markets it was $14 for a single prawn. This was in Osaka.
Something you said about slowing down reminded me of two videos I've seen recently on the Europe versus the US experience.
In one an American family who have moved to France were talking about how they felt their life was more focussed. They explained that in France people will have one specific thing planned for the day like going to see friends or meeting someone for lunch or attending an event. That would be the focus for the day and they could spend as much time doing it as they wished to thereofore they felt less rushed. They admitted that back home they would often have several things planned and often be looking at the time and thinking it was time to move.
Another was a German girl who has moved to the USA talking about how it took her a while to realise that when she met up with her new American friends they would often stay for a while then rush off to the next thing they had planned or maybe even cancel at the last minute. She realised that Americans tended to have a number of things in their diary and be constantly moving on to the next 'date'.
That is an interesting take on the differences with American culture and different European cultures. It seems pretty accurate too. We enjoy a slower pace honestly. Cheers, Chris
Hi guys, I only found you today. Subscribed so 5001 for you now. I love that you have reminded me how lucky I am to live in this country. With your insights , honesty and obvious love for people is such a refreshing change. Can't thank you enough. You really get the "british" now. I hope you realise you are all honorary Brits now!!!! Keep spreading the truth and the love Craig
I know, becoming British is irreversible 😂
How cruel are we 😊... there is No escape 😮
❤ from Northeast England ❤️
Glad you were able to find the channel and that you have enjoyed it so far. We will keep spreading the truth here and when we get back to America. Cheers, Chris
My relations based in the US was in the UK for a few days and they noticed the quality of food is a lot better in taste here in the UK. They do buy organic food in the US but it still doesn’t taste as good as in this country.
It's truly eye-opening! Thank you for sharing. 🤍 Jess x
You know change is happening when somebody stops wearing a cap indoors. Very American.
Why do they do that?
Because they are bald and their head gets cold?
It also seems very American for them to to 'wear' their flag, too?
I’m British and wear a cap indoors. It’s not the 20s anymore 😂
@mj7613 If you wear the cap backwards outdoors when it is sunny, there is no hope for you. Hand in your passport. Wearing a cap indoors, strange. However, wearing it with the strap across the forehead and thinking keeping the sun off your neck is a good look is bizarre. Do you also call people dude?
The Government doesn’t need to give back to me for having a flower garden. but we all need this it’s so important for us all to do our bit for sustainability. I love your enthusiasm ❤️
The government will pay farmers a subsidy to plant fields with wild flowers.
Absolutely! We couldn't agree with you more. Cheers, Chris
You're such lovely people. I'm glad it's been so positive and you've had to put so much in to make it that way. We will miss good people like you. It's wonderful that you will do so much more exploring when you cross back over the pond. Look forward to another video soon, and seeing much more of your future adventures. Take good care.
Friend, thank you so much. It has definitely been a wonderful blessing for our entire family. I think it has truly opened our minds to experience and love things as we see them and not take things for granted. I think the American way is to hurry to our next thing. I feel this experience has allowed us to slow down and truly enjoy all of our moments, good or bad. We can not wait to take you all along with us, but we definitely do not want that time to come too soon!! Thank you for your love and support. 🤍 Jess x
Hi the first part we have a saying in the United Kingdom for that "keep calm and carry on" 🇬🇧
We can relate to that. Cheers, Chris
Can you squeeze in another summer next year before you go back, because this year has had unusually sub-standard weather conditions (the jet stream has veered much further south this year).?
I am not complaining about the weather. It is always changing and we are able to enjoy where we go regardless. Cheers, Chris
It always great to hear how much Americans love our country thank you
Absolutely. Cheers, Chris
If you want to travel to France, Belgium , Netherlands etc, with your dogs, it’s really easy, contacts your local vet, for a pet passport, as long as they have the appropriate vaccination certificate you can take them on to the continent. The easiest way would be by car, take the channel tunnel from Folkstone to Calias the tunnel crossing takes 35 minutes and costs approximately £150 return per car, not per passenger. Or you can take the cross channel ferries of which there are many, similar costs but the sea crossing takes 90 minutes. You really should visit France, Paris is only a 2 hour drive from Calais. Hope this helps.
I think its takes a bit longer to get to Paris, 3 to 4 hours depending on traffic. But in a similar time you could get to the Ruhr and southern Netherlands. With two people driving you could drive to the Alps in a day, 12 hours plus stops to eat etc.
Well, that is incorrect, when travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland, your pet needs: A microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, an animal health certificate, or a valid pet passport that’s accepted in the country you’re travelling to, tapeworm treatment for dogs if you’re travelling directly to Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway or Malta. You cannot use a pet passport issued in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland).
You can only use a pet passport if the country you’re travelling to accepts passports for pets coming from Great Britain. The passport must have been issued in an EU country...
Thanks for all of the information. We have most of that done, just need to check with the vet and make sure everything is still valid and we are good to go. Cheers, Chris
I’m glad we weren’t as scary as you thought we might be. Time is going sooo quickly, I hope you get to see some more sites that are on your list. I always smile when I hear Americans say that they are going all round the UK in 2 weeks, cause it’s so small. It will be a sad day when you leave. ❤
Aye, that always make me giggle too.
You can drive around the country in 2 weeks, but you are not going to be able to see all of UK. Even with us getting out and seeing as much as we can, there will still be places we won't be able to see because there is so much to take in. It will be sad when we leave, but we have lots to see in America too. Cheers, Chris
I love both your attitudes towards community life. I feel warmed that we here can influance you for the better. When you go home (sorry for mentioning it!) and you try to implement a few things you have learned over here be prepared for knockbacks. You have spent time absorbing lots of cultural information, the folks back home haven't therefore the take up may well not be as enthusiastic as you would like, don't give up though, prove to people how individual small steps can move maountains as a community.
With regards to travel, its the best educator. We have visited every continent except one, travel as much as you can.
Those are great words of advice. While there are a lot that will not understand what we are doing or why for that matter. There are a lot of people taking not on different ways to live and embrace what we are trying to do as well. And yes, travel we will. Cheers, Chris
Will be sorry to see you both leaving the UK, have enjoyed watching your journey over here. Your kids will be hopping mad that you’re taking them back stateside before they can go out for a pint in the local
It will be bitter sweet when we leave. They also are looking forward to some things, but also going to miss things too. Cheers, Chris
@@DaydreamersBoundI dare say that you’ll be back for the odd summer over the coming years, all of you seem to enjoy things here for the most part. But, equally, when home is calling, it’s calling
@isthatthetimealready We will definitely be back. We have made too many friends here and absolutely love it. So, yes, the UK can't get rid of us too fast. We will probably have holidays here for years to come!! 🤍 Jess x
You both have the ability to instantly cheer me up 👍
We are glad to be able to cheer you up. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Chris
It’s so nice to see your beautiful family getting to know the UK. I’ve watched quite a few of your videos traveling around . I wish you and yours all the best and a heartfelt thank you for what you do and how you have embraced us with open arms. Rab from Scotland ❤
Rab, Thank you so very much. It is just so wonderful to have this wonderful opportunity to call this home away from home. 🤍 Jess x
Great show, with some valid points on how community is important to English society. Do thinks you missed, how we love and look after our countryside and most of all...... Our Gardens. 😊🌻
That is a huge part you are correct. We love seeing it and knowing how it is helping the ecosystem. Cheers, Chris
Watching this and your Norfolk and Northumberland videos put the biggest smile on my face! Very refreshing to hear your thoughts on our country. I'll keep watching.
Glad to hear you have been enjoying the videos. We will keep them coming. Cheers, Chris
Love the Channel as I said before it's just and easy watch sitting in my chair with a cuppa. Talking just for a second about the bad stuff since you have both been here. My grandfather who I absolutely adored and was a wise old man used to say to me, and remember this saying, " Barry be careful who you trust in this life! Sugar and salt both look the same". Thank you for the channel and may God bless you both. Barry
Barry, thanks for the commenting and sharing. That is a saying that I will take with me and also use, hope you don't mind. Glad we can share something that you can enjoy. Cheers, Chris
@@DaydreamersBound All the very best Chris, I also was in the forces. I was in the Army in the 70s over in Ireland. I have also been over to Michigan. I was by Grand rapids at a place called Greenville. Anyway glad I could share one of my favourite and thoughtful sayings. All the very best to you both 👍
@bostinbrummie thank you for your service friend! We're so thankful for your time sharing with us. We truly love you're here with us and enjoy our adventures. 🤍 Jess x
It is so nice to hear you both. A lot of people like to run us down.Thank you.
Glad to hear your comment. You are very welcome. Cheers, Chris
I'll be sad to see you leave but at the same time really interested to see what you get up to when you are back in America 😄
There will be mixed feelings when we go for sure. We are also excited to share America from our point of view. Cheers, Chris
Great to hear that you've been prepared to open yourselves up to what's here in the UK. It's you that have decided to adopt and embrace some of the new ways, outlook and thinking that you've experienced here during your time with us. As we're all on a journey and evolving, it's nice to hear of what you want to take back with you and how we can continue to share with you even once you return to the USA.
Hopefully, you will continue to keep the contact and friendships and help encourage that positive interaction, sharing and growing understanding between the communities here in the UK and yours in the US.
Oh, we have so many things that we want to share with you all on what we're hoping to bring back from our experience here in the UK. Our list could go on and on! We have truly embarrassed our experience and love for this wonderful country. Thank you for your love and support! 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBound 😊🙏
With regard to food waste and plastic waste ( packaging ) the one factor that annoys and irritates me way beyond anything else is expiry dates . For more than half my life and definitely in my earlier childhood this was never an issue. People used the eyes and nose to judge if food was unfit to eat and if not it generally went to the dogs rather than the bin . Also as most people did not have a fridge they shopped more frequently for fresh bread , meat , veg , fruit etc. And ALL of it was wrapped in brown paper or old newspaper and we never contracted any horrendous diseases. Sadly I believe people have become soft , afraid of risk , unable to think or act outside the orthodoxy and even one day after the date into the land fill everything goes.
You make a lot of good points regarding where we were to where we are today. Progress is great, but we also need to be able to use common sense too. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Chris
As always a lovely video (still watching it).I think I have said this before but it's great to see Chris show his warmer side (I understand he's military and has to appear stuff upper lip).I am Sorry to hear what you endured Jess.Life can be fantastic if you wish it to be 💯. Love you both and the kids too inc the 4 legged ones.Have a wonderful day 👍
Thank you for the kind words. I am trying to do better for Jess. It is unfortunate what she dealt with, but I am glad she is able to talk about it. We are making the best of life and yes, it can be fantastic and we do wish it to be. Cheers, Chris
Good to hear you've taken some positives from our country. Having watched a couple of other channels where your compatriots have travelled to Europe and been surprised by so many things, in a good way, it's nice that despite all kinds of things here that need urgently fixing, the good things can still make an impression. Keep exploring and enjoying...whatever the weather !
It is wonderful to be able to take positive things away from a country that we are the less to be able to call home away from home. There is no country that is ever going to be perfect, but some come very close. 🤍 Jess x
We,ll miss you when you go home, your part of the family now will you continue with the channel when your back in USA , Be great to travel round with you ❤
We will continue the channel when we get back. We want to see as much of America as we have of the UK. And we are excited to bring everyone along with. Cheers, Chris
Hi Guys , if you dont have the downs how can you appreciate the ups of life , we find joy in fleeting moments , a walk in the woodland ,lunch with friends, family time , its impossible to be happy all the time . They way the world is we need each other more than ever i think . Love nature too its so important for the enviroment and our mental health . 😊❤ youll be missed when you leave 😢.
Very true facts about life. The lows makes the high parts more valued. We will leave, but the channel will continue with a similar vibe in America. Cheers, Chris
Organically grown, locally sourced, heritage varieties of food are, when possible, well worth backing.
Couldn't agree with that more. Cheers, Chris
There is an old saying in the UK about swings and roundabouts, but no one mentions the slide because if you dont control it there is a nasty bump at the bottom.
Interesting. Thank you for sharing. Cheers, Chris
❤the video Chris & Jess nice to see you are still in love with the UK. hope to see you have an open garden when you get state side. hope you have a very good farm and enjoy working it. hope you put a bit of the UK into it.take care you two 💯❤you see you sunday in your next adventure.
Oh, most definitely love the UK. I am planning on having an open garden when I return!! I absolutely love everything that I have experienced learned and am able to take back an implement at my small holding in the US! This has been such a blessing. 🤍 Jess x
Wonderful video Jess 👍 You & Chris are charming, decent people & we've definitely benefited from having your family in the UK, the glimpses into your UK lives will be missed 😢 btw love your yellow table !👍
Thank you so much. We truly have embraced and love our experience here. We hope people will follow us to the US ( via the channel) when we share our videos of our home when we return to our small holding in Michigan.
I painted that table!! Thank you for noticing..
🤍 Jess x
We will miss your gorgeous family but can't wait to see your life when you go back to the states🌹🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
We will miss it here too, but we will be happy to take you all with us. Cheers, Chris
We can see the difference, you have more confidence and you have grasped the English way of living. Love going to these places all over again with your travelling about. Exactly as my husband and I used to do. Shall keep travelling with you.
Oh, I'm so glad we absolutely love it here and are definitely trying to learn as much as we can!! You're so glad you enjoy our adventures and us sharing with you all. 🤍 Jess x
Very enjoyable video. Yes you have done so much, Welsh Castle, English Cathedrals, even helping with lock gates! Seeing history rather than just a book. So pleased you have enjoyed the "community" spirit of the UK.
We definitely have more to see and learn! Thank you so much for coming along with us for our adventures. 🤍 Jess x
Great to have you onboard , welcome
Thank you. Glad to be here. Cheers, Chris and Jess.
Lovely video Jess, you and Chris are an inspiration for fellow Americans. So many channels from America are waking up to the food issues, I can see your future farm being an example to your neighbours and I wish you all the best. I understand that America needs the huge farms to produce enough food economically. but I agree with you about community and keeping things local. I hope some of this rubs off on to your children so they can be healthy going forward. I know it will, as they are a credit to you both and appreciate what you show them. I do hope that you continue the channel from the States. America has so much to see but getting there is such a big thing. My parents loved America (they covered a lot of it inc Hawaii but the Alaska cruise was cancelled).
Looking forward to the next video lol.
Thank you so much. I really hope that we can be in an example to others, but we still have so much we need to learn. We will always be students and never know everything. We hope our children are great stuarts to our nation and for their own community. It is what Chris and I want is for everyone to just know that nowhere is perfect, but everything can be perfect if you look for it.
We will definitely be continuing the channel so we can take everyone along with us on our adventure here and in the US. We love you all way too much to end here! 🤍 Jess x
I’ve always enjoyed my visits to the the USA, found that in the main ordinary Americans are very friendly. A guy in Miami that we met in a hotel bar insisted on treating us to a meal at Joe’s famous crab restaurant, simply because he felt the Brits looked after him so well when in England. He saw it as payback for our hospitality.
We Morris danced in Salem during the Witch Festival and New York, we met many new friends who really looked after us. The US gets such a bad press but the people are very warm hearted, just like you guys.😘
That sounds like you had a great time in America. It is refreshing to hear that people have good experiences with Americans, like you pointed out, Americans can get a bad impression in the press. I suppose that is something that comes along with where the media is currently, but we like to hear the good stories more. Cheers, Chris
Congratulations on the 5K subscribers
Thank you so much! We are incredibly blessed to have some amazing people who support us like you! 🤍 Jess x
If you like flowers, you should pay a day visit to the Millennium Seed Bank in Wakehurst, Sussex. It houses more than 2.4 billion seeds collected from around the world including wild flowers; preserving them forever and making sure they never go extinct. There are several different biodomes to walk around such as Rainforest Dome, Asia Dome etc. and you can watch all the scientists at work, growing and nurturing the most rarest. Very educational.
Oh wow, thank you so very much. I will look into that. I really appreciate your insight and recommendation! 🤍 Jess x
Hopefully you will be here next summer, because this year the Jet Stream wasn't as close as usual so the weather hasn’t been so great.
Personally, I have not been bothered by it at all. Cheers, Chris
As the old saying goes, travel broadens the mind - your kids have started early (due to both of you) - you now realise they are going to be travelling the rest of the world in a few years time due to the confidence you have instilled in them - good for you!!
We really hope they travel the world and learn. We have tried to teach them to always have an open mind when it comes to life. We're alway in learning mode. One thing is to take away something positive from every place that they've been. We're so very blessed to have this opportunity and to allow them to learn and grow in ways that not many get to experience. Thank you for your kind words and love! 🤍 Jess x
Please please keep your channel when you go home it be lovely to see you showing your lovely families lifestyle in the States I have travelled quite extensively in the states but only seen the visitors view Much love ❤️ from your 89 young fan 🇬🇧
We will continue to travel in America and show everyone how it is from our perspective. Age is just a mindset, and sounds like you know that. Cheers, Chris
You were talking of time, and the speed at which it has travelled for you ; the sad truth is that as you get older it puts on the trusty running shoes, (those with spikes), and takes you on a journey much, much, faster than could be anticipated, and before you can say 'Jack Robinson,' (expression originated in the 1700's - happens very quickly ) you are looking back , instead of forwards. Keep planning for the future and enjoy every minute. I'm loving your remembrances. Thanks again. Sheffield South Yorkshire.
Indeed. I blinked in January and now it's July 😁
And it was still raining 😆😆😆😆😆@@Rachel_M_
You are absolutely correct. We try to let our kids know that all the time. As we get further in life we can see it. Each assignment we go to gets faster and faster. Now I am looking at retiring from the military and it seems like yesterday that I first enlisted. We will continue to look forward because it is what helps moving us forward. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Chris
Life is like roll of bog paper it runs out faster as you get towards the end
@@keefsmiff 🤣 🤣 🤣
We have laws protecting all wild plants such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Much of our pasture land dates back beyond Roman times. Cattle is removed to grassland during the summer season to allow the wild flowers to flourish as they have great benefits for the land, and cattle when they are returned to pasture land.
There were far fewer people and cattle in Roman times, large areas were wooded, marsh etc. The Enclosure Acts changed the layout of the countryside. Before cattle would have been grazed on the common, crops on large shared fields with small individual strips. A substantial amount of pasture would date from this time when the commons where fenced hedged and the large strip fields split up.
We truly enjoy seeing the cattle moving from pasture to pasture. Cheers, Chris
Hi Jess, Chris, Colette and Shane, Wow 5k it only feels like a few weeks that you hit 4k. 😀 Many congratulations my friends. I'm really hoping that your dream of a holiday home here becomes a reality for you. 🙏 It won't be the same without you here in the UK when you leave us. 😢
Have a lovely Wednesday and take care.❤ xx
Stephen,
I know, it's so incredible! We're all so thankful to have the love from so many. We wouldn't trade this opportunity. Just yesterday, I (Jess) was daydreaming of how I could just stay in such a beautiful heavenly place on earth. It will definitely be a sad day, but I'm sure we will be back to visit. The UK will have my heart forever and always, friend! Thank you for supporting us!
🤍 Chris, Shane, Colette, and Jess x
Well done guys!...thanks for such great videos!...♥👍
Absolutely, glad you enjoyed it. Cheers, Chris
Talking about soil , there is a revision on the quality of soil , these days they are tending to go back to the
Anglo-Saxons method of crop rotation
One year it's root crop the next it's wheat / Barely etc , the third year it's fallow ( rested ) .
Spraying wise they now call in a company who walk the fields taking soil and crop samples and test for the state of the soil and for bugs on the crop, the tests are put in a computer and if needed they just spray that area effected not the whole field using drone with a big tank . They will train your staff or yourself to do this .
There are a few places in Norfolk and Lincolnshire that still have some fields farming the Anglo-Saxon method , fields are divided up so everyone gets the same area and if your soil is not good you get a better area in the next field and to make sure it's fair 12 men are used to make sure it's fair and these are called a JURY . Look it up on TH-cam
Interesting fact about the jury. We are glad to see how crops are looked after over here. Something that I wish we could incorporate in American for sure. Cheers, Chris
You have a lovely outlook on life and you will all be missed. My landfill usually consists of one draw string bag from the kitchen pedal bin. There are two of us with my grandson dropping in from school. Scrunchy plastic goes to the local CO-OP and the test is recycling. If you nest some of the plastic containers and crush milk bottles down to push out the air and recap, you save a lot of room. Stay safe and I look forward to the next video.
Thank you so much. We definitely try to be aware of what we're putting into the landfill, and we will continue to grow and try and put less and less with each year that passes. We can all just try to do our best for our planet. Thank you so much for all of your love and support! 🤍 Jess x
Hi guys. As for laundry detergents, try Smol non bio pods.
Much appreciated. Cheers, Chris
Part of the problem with single use plastic bags was the amount of them you would find on the beaches, in the woods and forests or just stuck up trees or down drains. Moving to reusable bags has made a huge difference to the environment. The single use bags were recyclable, but too many were not being recycled. I get the impression that the US uses stiff brown paper bags and so maybe you didn't have the same problem.
Only this week it was reported that someone cleaning a beach of rubbish had found a plastic bag with a price stamped on in shillings and pence i.e. before decimal currency was introduced in 1971. It was at least 53 years old which shows plastic can survive for decades, if not for centuries, in the environment.
We used paper bags,then someone said "think of the trees" then we went to plastic and it was "think of the planet" now,we have thicker plastic bags that are supposed to be bags for life,but they just end up in the bin 😁
They use both in America, plastic and paper. I think at the end of the day we, it is up to each person to try and do better. Mainly by not wasting more than we need to. Thanks for the comments. Cheers, Chris
It's nice to see Americans branch out and experience another country. I got to be honest I'd never left Europe until I married my wife, who pushed me to see the states. Now we spend months over there visiting family.
We definitely love embracing and learning all we can about the UK. We miss our family back in the US. We're so glad that you have been to the US and enjoy it. Where have you visited in the US? 🤍 Jess x
You might enjoy listening to 'The Archers', a daily 15 minute BBC Radio 4 'soap opera' about life in a rural English community. Basically 'bad times and good times' stuff, but generally fairly uplifting, especially in the way people help each other and get on. Maybe a bit rosy-tinted in places, but gritty in others and does give you an idea how rural life in England works. It's been going since the 1950s and follows the extended families in the fictional village of 'Ambridge' in 'Borsetshire' (a bit like Herefordshire, maybe?) from various backgrounds.
On the other hand it will probably make them leave sooner.
Sounds like it is something that would be interesting to check out. Thanks for the recommendation. Cheers, Chris
@@DaydreamersBound no don't..
What a lovely couple. Travel clearly broadens the mind.
Indeed it does. Cheers, Chris
Completely agree.I feel that traveling broadens your mind, and I think everybody could do with a little open-minded. 🤍 Jess x
Hi Jess & Chris. Thanks for the video. It’s interesting learning about what you hope to take back to the USA in terms of thinking and behaviours, when the time comes around. It’s a real pleasure that you are here and it will be a sad day when you return to the USA. You really remind me of my cousins who are Stateside.
From an Essex resident, please please make sure that you go visit Yorkshire and especially the Yorkshire Dales National Park before you return across the Atlantic. If you need some ideas let me know. 👍🏻😃
Glad you enjoyed the video. the Yorkshire Dales National Park looks like a blast to check out. We will put that on the list for sure. Cheers, Chris
Your kids are so lucky to have you both as parents - who would have thought that when Chris joined the military that you would be spending a few years in the UK and getting to know it better than a lot of us who live here 🇬🇧 maybe when you go back next year you could do some trips out to show us more of your local areas 🇺🇲 we should all travel as much as we can - none of us know how many summers we have left to live 🌼
Thank you for the kind words. We try our best for sure. We did not think we would have this opportunity, but glad we have it and can share it with our kids. When we do get back, we are planning on showing everyone as much as we can in American too. Cheers, Chris
Canaidian living in the uk here I think you guys have hit this one outta the park
Oh, thank you. Thank you for your time watching and commenting, friend! 🤍 Jess x
Good luck folks🏴
Thank you! 🤍 Jess x
I imagine that deciding to live off-base was a little bit scary - but a brave decision paid you back in spades. Love your stuff. Keep up the good work. XXX
Oh, it wasn't scary. We definitely wanted to really embrace living here in the UK. We would have lived.
On base, it's like a little mini america in a way. So at living off base made us feel like we are truly going to learn something and experience something new. 🤍 Jess x
You are staying in a rural area away from London other major city so there are not many commuters, that makes it easy for a community to be maintained. You can get communities in London etc but it is harder because of the turnover of people. Where a reasonably large number of people went to school together, work nearby and socialize together for a few years communities develop.
Europe is preventive too for some things. It appears that we are generally preventive when the US is reactive and vice versa.
If you have the owner of the lands permission and the plants are not protected you can mow a verge when it is setting seed and collect some of the clippings (not all as you want some of the seeds to reset there). Spread the clippings where you want the wild flowers and the ones that where setting seed will grow (if the place is suitable).
If you do not get a dog passport to visit the EU etc you could leave your children behind, to look after the dogs, with a friend with a key to check up at random times. They are old enough to look after themselves for a few days with someone calling a few random times if they need help.
When you get back to the UP you are not that far from Canada, drive north as well.
You make a valid point regarding the community we are in compared to the larger cities like London. I like the idea about getting the seeds from the wild flowers and replant them in a place that is suitable for them. Sounds like something that helps encourage growth and the ecosystem compared to avoiding it. When we get back to the UP, we do plan on visiting Canada as well. Cheers, Chris
The other day my neighbours and i got together anð decided to tidy up our communal back garden i live in an apartment block of 6 flats and we all help each other out. My neighbour above me offered to cut my hedge i was going to do it myself but he offered so i said yes and i mowed the grass in my own garden and his then the back garden and it was so helpful it only took maybe half a day to get the work done. When we finished we all congratulated ourselves on a job well done. Yeah i have great neighbours. Some places in the UK there are places where there isn't a sense of community or even people don’t know their next door neighbours or even met them.
Oh, how wonderful. I know it made you so proud to be able to help your community and make something look so beautiful. I absolutely love and appreciate the sense of community here. Thank you so much for sharing, friend! 🤍 Jess x
Hi there beautiful people, I liked your comment on how you slowed the pace of your life once you were in the UK. Yes, our big cities do have the 'rush around' attitude whereas out in the country life is always taken at a much slower pace. After all, what is the point in rushing anyway because that way you don't get to enjoy and savour all of that natural beauty that surrounds you. If you rush it just flies past in a flash and you don't get to appreciate it. Truly love you guys and it will be a big void when you sadly have to leave us to return Stateside. Please enlighten your fellow countrymen on the merits of our little island home and even encourage them to try a similar experience for themselves.
Thank you so much. I think that is one of the things that I will take away is the slower and less worrisome lifestyle. I will definitely scream it from the rooftop! We truly appreciate the love and support you all pour into us. 🤍 Jess x
About laundry detergent, you can buy on-line packs of laundry sheets in place of liquid or powder detergent. I first saw them on Instagram and various different firms supply them and send them in the post. So sorry to hear you’ll be leaving in 2025, I have so enjoyed your travels as I live in Brighton, south-east, so you’ve been showing me things and places I don’t know. I’m full of admiration for your driving on our narrow twisty roads too! Will greatly miss you, enjoy what’s left of your stay.
I will definitely look into that. Thank you so much! I'm always looking at trying to be more eco-friendly! I truly appreciate the information. We will continue our adventure here in the UK, and then when we have to leave, we will take take you all with us (via the channel) 🤍 Jess x
27:00 The countryside has been being grown for literally thousands of years - so there's a lot to see. That much of what remains pre-dates mass travel, which the railways introduced, means that agriculture, building and even food have local identities. Combine that with modern transport and the variety of what can be seen and experienced is virtually inexhaustible.
Thank you for sharing with us. We appreciate your time. 🤍 Jess x
Suggest you contact Ekologik (based in Somerset, in the nearest village just a few miles away from me) - not sure if they do Laundry Detergent, but if they don't, I'm sure that they would know somebody who does (they are very friendly)
Thank you so much for your insight! I will definitely look them up and see if they carry laundry detergent. I definitely need some that is more eco-friendly! 🤍 Jess x
In reply to you guys - yes I'm sure you couldn't do anything like all 50 States in one session, but I thought maybe over several years you could make a video in each State.
And then market everything as an online guide.
In the North, you presumably only have a time frame of seven / eight months in each year.
That's how it was for me when I did all 48 English counties.
The amount of daylight is another huge factor over here, with six hours more daylight per day between mid winter and mud summer.!!
That is understandable. It is something that we have thought about. We will see what the future holds. Cheers, Chris
Nice honest talk folks 👌🙏🇬🇧👍
Much appreciated. Cheers, Chris
Another lovely, interesting video.
Before you came to the UK, what were your thoughts? Were you looking forward to the adventure or daunted at the prospect?
Please don't rush home - we would miss you xx
Thank you so much! We were definitely excited for this experience here in the UK. We definitely feel that we have tried to embrace and learn as much as we can. We truly appreciate all the love and support. 🤍 Jess x
Another great video Jess and Chris. Travel certainly broadens the mind; we are lucky to be close to other countries and cultures in this country and are small enough to be able to easily do day trips. But I am sure you will have a great time exploring parts of the States you haven't visited. There's lots over there that are on my bucket list too.
I could not agree with you more that travel truly really broadens your mind! We have truly learned so much, and we'll take it back with us when we return to the US. So we can start our small holding in Michigan. 🤍 Jess x
If you go to Northern Ireland and you fly, hire a car and head for the coast, north of Belgast is a fabulous coast road that takes in the rope bridge and the giants causeway, South is a peninsula that takes in the pretty town of Bangor. Lovely tea rooms and views.
Thank you so much for the insight on hiring a car and what we need to do. We appreciate your time! 🤍 Jess x
I'm really impressed by how well they have picked up our English language... sure they have an accent but they really speak well. 😉
Thank you so much! 🤍 Jess x
Hopefully you have manage to travel over to the rest of Europe while you have been here , France Germany,Holland,Spain and many many more 😊😊
Plus many adventures across the UK.
Thankyou for your time spent in our country and your Military Service, From an ex-servicemen 👍👍
We are definitely hoping to make it to europe!! Thank you so very much. We really look forward to traveling even more here.
Also, thank you for your time in the service!
🤍 Jess x
Waste collection depends where you live. Where I live black bins are emptied weekly and green bins fortnightly.
It is interesting the differences in areas. It is different state by state in American as well. Cheers, Chris
2025 will be here in no time ,I've enjoyed watching your journey here in the uk & hopefully enjoyed this little island ,, the community spirit still is strong in most places of the uk , i hope you show us around the usa when you go home from home here & like you said about your kids i hope theyve made memories that will live with them for a very long time . Thanks for reminding us to appritiate what we have on our door step but sometimes take for granted .bless & wish you all the happiness in the future .🏴🇺🇸
Yes, it will be upon us way too soon.... We will definitely take you all around with us and show you some wonderful places in the US. This will also show you our hotmess of a small holding and us trying to fix it and put some UK touches on it. ☺️
We truly appreciate you so very much! 🤍 Jess x
Very interesting to hear an outsiders view of British food. You should defo try to get over to the rest of Europe if you can, the food in Spain and France is wonderful, I have heard that Italy is fantastic too but haven’t been myself
If we are able to make it there we would love it. Thanks for the suggestion and input. Cheers, Chris
Glad You Enjoyed your time here! Please come back 😘
Oh, thank you. We are still here in the UK! We will continue the channel when we return to the US as well. 🤍 Jess x
Hi Jess and Chris, had to speak up, I have followed a half dozen of your vlogs, since you are based close to my home City, I have always wanted too do the Sutton Hoo, as I was born in Kent, A lot of History spans our land, I have to say, Jess seemed on a mission to, Get the day done, and move on, Maybe a day at Warwick Castle, will restore her expectations, of Historic sites,
It was a nice day out for a walk. It might have seemed like she was on a mission, but it was a good pace for us. Cheers, Chris
Have you tried “Surcare” detergent? The boxed powder is the most hypoallergenic. 👍
Friend, I have not tried that. I will look. I'm always looking for something that will work. I truly appreciate your time! 🤍 Jess x
Such a wonderful family ❤❤
Thank you. Cheers, Chris
If it has changed you it can only be for the better cos we are like that here!
Completely agree, friend! 🤍 Jess x
J & C: know that you're greatly loved by those of us who are avid devotees of your channel, of course when you go back home there will be a void left here that needs filling, but those of us here in the UK will only ever wish you the very best. Naturally, when you came over here you brought your dogs with you. To people who have pets, they are as much a part of your family as anyone else is. I have a cat, he's my absolute best friend and I couldn't imagine being without him. He's getting on in years, in cat years he's older than I am (and I'm in the autumn of my life.) He's become expensive to run - I have to give him a daily insulin injection, and give him medication for his thyroid and heart problems, but he doesn't seem to think he's got any worries. And that's the thing, I dread that I should have to go into hospital - even for one night - no-one else could medicate him. When you go shopping, do you use the BX or a local supermarket? When you return to the US, which part of north Michigan will you be moving to? Where will be the nearest urban centre of population? Will Chris still be in the USAF, or will he have left?
We hope that people stick around. When we return to the US so we can take you along for more adventures yet to come.
I'm so sorry to hear about your cat. My heart goes out to you. My little Chihuahua (Axel) is my little BFF!
We will be going to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is more of a rural area that we will be calling home. Chris will be retired from the Air Force. We have been so incredibly grateful for this experience and all of the love and support from you all! 🤍 Jess x
Try Ecover non-bio washing liquid, half a cap in the wash gets our clothes clean and skin is fine
Thanks for the suggestion. We will look into that. Cheers, Chris
Congrats on the 5k guys. Very well deserved. We love you guys and your beautiful enthusiasm for this country. You are considered honorary brits 😊👍
Thank you much. We truly appreciate everyone who supports and pours so much love into us! 🤍 Jess x
So glad you have made the most of your time here. Have you had many overseas deployments in the past and did you also benefit from those times and get to travel as much as you have in the UK? One of my regrets is that when I was in the forces although I did get around a lot especially all over Europe and Canada I spent a bit too much off time in pubs and restaurants and missed out on some of the things I will never get to do now. :) Still some great times though and the friends and memories have lasted me a lifetime.
I'm sure when you get back to the USA you will look back at your time in the Forces with great fondness as in my opinion there is no other job quite like it.
This is our first station as a family , but I have lived in many other countries. Have had some great experiences and learned from them all.
It is so wonderful to have a home away from home like we get to call the UK. 🤍 Jess x
America has some wonderful places to visit .
It does indeed and we look forward to sharing what we are able to visit. Cheers, Chris
@@DaydreamersBound I have seen many places in California which is where my sister and cousin's lived also Arizona where we saw the Grand Canyon along with native American's. I also stayed with my cousin and her two girlfriends on Hermosa Beach, one of her friends was a half American Indian .
How did the doggies adapt to British life?
What do they think of the dog food over here?
They have adapted great. Luckily we have the same food in the commissary we used before we left. We wanted to keep it the same for their sake. Cheers, Chris
You hit on a subject that i think may be even more important than most people believe as we continue to take in different pesticides . Yes the regulations in Britain and the E.U. are strict but still there are a number of "allowed" ingredients to our food. I think back to when cigarette manufacturers told us there were no problems smoking even though they knew otherwise ,the point being that the profit motive is a required motive for our progress [even in Communist countries] but human nature can influence the degree of desire and importance of moral judgement which should go hand in hand. I understand America may have less restrained regulations which should make genuine organic production even more important over there. Question is does organic food have a large market in America, that would be interesting to compare and does the chemical industry have political influence which would apply everywhere but more so where countries have more relaxed regulations regarding food content.
This is a huge subject that like you said, is more important that most people believe. It is hugely impacted by political influence. It is hard to understand that it is more about the income that the outcome for the food quality. Regarding organic foods, yes there is a large market for it in America, but there are also allowed to use more pesticides than most understand and that is also discouraging. This is why we are focusing on our local farmers that we know what they do. Cheers, Chris
You would both make really good local politicians
I will take that as a compliment, however, not something we would want to do. There is to much involved in politics. Cheers, Chris
Lovely to hear that all is going well. I notice the demi-johns. Are you planning to make country wine?
There are other videos where they mention home brewing.
That is a possibility. I do enjoy brewing and making wine. These might be for something else too... Cheers, Chris
I understand that your dream is to get a farm in Michigan? If that is right, you might want to check out some of the wonderful county fairs whilst in the UK, where you can likely get insights into how organic farming works in the UK.
Maybe a dream of setting up agrivoltaics, where the solar panels provide shelter for the sheep grazing beneath them, instead of turning the land into a desert?
In the Gower peninsula, the farmers get a great premium for their lamb and hogget ( 1 year older than lambs, more robust flavour ) as they graze on the maritime herbs amongst the grass, so top restaurants specify their produce.
I'm excited for you, as you realise your dreams, of more community based, healthy, organic farming with respect for the land, moving away from agribusiness.
You will likely have some productive and fascinating conversations with the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi, whose cultures were based on stewardship of the land, not ownership, so you can help repair what has become broken!
Lovely people do lovely things.
I am cheering for you!
Thank you for your kind words and support. It means more than you know. It is our dream to have our farm fully functional in the UP. That is a great idea checking out the county fairs here. That is a great idea with the solar and sheep. We have seen it here and think it is a great way to get what we need and give back to the land at the same time. Our goal is to make sure that we are able to leave our property in better condition that we got it. Not only the building for the next family, but the land to be more plentiful for the future as well. Cheers, Chris