Any views on life in payson area (Phoenix, Flagstaff: home, schools)

[dan k]

I would appreciate any opinions on the Payson area.We have 2 kids at home yet and are looking at moving to either Payson, Pine, Strawberry,Young or Christopher creek in July of 2008 to enjoy life the way it is meant to be.
Please give opinions on jobs, schools, crime, people , housing market and cost of living.We live in Phoenix so we know what the high cost of life we have here.Please help us find a nice friendly community with opportunities to give our girls a good life.
Thank you
dan k

[bstree]

Strawberry and pine are really pretty, Fire danger is high. REALLY. Life is slow there. I've known some who have grown up in Payson. Eek. The stories they tell.

[dan k]

Thank you for input.I love slow towns.I come from a town in wisconsin that was 600 people 30 years ago and is now 1000 people.One town i lived in my sons kindergarten class was 5 kids.
Thank you, if you have any suggestions for small towns in the upper elevations with lots of trees and some snow in the winter, please give me some advice,i would like to keep my wife close to her other 2 kids who are staying in phoenix.

[CosmicWizard]

dan k

You wrote: to enjoy life the way it is meant to be.

I'm curious Dan, how do you define that?

regards....Franco

[lelise]

Dan,

We lived in the Show Low area for 3 years and Heber (between Payson and Show Low) for 1 year. As far as enjoying life in the White Mountains, it depends a lot on your religious beliefs and/or political beliefs. We are liberal non-church-goers, and we were shunned (no joke) from most gatherings. If you are Christian, or if you are a hunter/outdoor enthusiast (i.e., ATV rider) and love exploring the pine country that way, then it is the place for you. Forest Lakes and Heber are very small, very close-knit towns close to Payson (as are Strawberry and Pine, but I don't know much about them). That entire area is beautiful. Yes, the fire danger is high, but the response is really impressive in keeping the fires down. We live in Flagstaff, AZ, and have had a very dry year, but the fire crews have jumped on any fire that pops up this year and kept the fires to a minimum. Still... that anxiety is definitely in the air during late spring and early summer. The schools in the White Mountains generally have small class sizes (don't know really about Payson, though), but again, if your kids don't go to the Baptist church or the Mormon church, think again about assuming that they will have friends. I honestly didn't believe it until we moved there. I always envied the Mormons there (my best friend is Mormon -- I have nothing against them) because I felt they had really found their niche (aside from Utah). Don't know if this helps -- good luck with your move.

[dan k]

Francowell what i meant by" enjoy life the way it is meant to be", is to be as one with the environment ,people, animals and all living things .I am the type that when i move somewhere to build a house, if there is an opening then that is where i build my house, i dont cut down the forest to put up a home.
If a wolf that kills my livestock i dont kill the wolf, he is doing what he needs to do to survive.I build a modest home so my family is comfortable , we dont need 10 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms.
We are the type of people that just want to enjoy the things that have been given to us like nature, clean air and clean water.My kids have all been in the woods since they were born and have been taught that what you take in you carry out and if you find something that someone else left then you pick it up for them and throw it away.
If you come across a bear or a wolf then you be as calm as possible and hope it goes away, the only time you kill that animal is if it attacks you but not just because you think it might.My kids also hunt bu they are taught that they only kill what they eat and they dont take more than they need.
We usually take one big game animal per year and enough fish for our family.
I want to live in harmony with my neighbors, if they need help all they need to do is ask, if they have something against people moving to their area or their state, please first get to know me before you hate me.Most of all remember that unless you are native american then you were not originally from this country either, your ancestors came across the sea.We were all outsiders at a time in our life.My family are all nice , helpful and understanding and we just want to be happy also.
Hope that answers your question

[CosmicWizard]

dan K

Thanks for your detailed clarification. From what you say, I'd enjoy having you as a neighbor. I think we'd get along just fine.

regards....Franco

[dan k]

Yeah, I am easy to get along with, myself and my family dont ask for alot and tend not to be bothersome neighbors.We tend to keep to ourselves where we are now until we get where we want to be , where you can actually associate with your neighbors.
I am the typical friendly country person, wave at everyone and i am a friend until someone steps on my feet, then i just stay away from them.