About The Rural Notebook

If you’ve ever asked yourself any of the questions below, you’re probably in the right place.

“What is small town rural life really like?”

“Could I make the move to a rural town?”

“Could I be happy in a small town?”

“Would my kids be happy in a rural town?”

“What are the pro/cons of rural life”

“What do people do in a small town?”

Hi, I am Amanda, the face behind The Rural Notebook. I grew up in Hayesville, NC, a beautiful rural town about 2 hours to anywhere (Atlanta, Ga., Asheville, NC, Knoxville, TN, you get the picture). I moved away after high school and spent my college and adult years in the larger cities building my career and traveling. Now, I am married with a young daughter and a sweet fur baby, and my goals look a little different.

In 2021 after dealing with the impacts of the pandemic, we decided to make a move back home in search of a more relaxed environment. My husband and I both have full-time jobs and have worked from home for several years, so making this move was an easy decision knowing we would continue with the careers we enjoyed.

I am a flower-loving, antique collecting, creative introvert by nature, so blogging is the perfect atmosphere for me to not only share our story but some of the projects I find myself involved in when my mind gets restless. So now you have a little more about me; welcome to The Rural Notebook and my story of coming home.