Picking up my son from high school, I passed the track field, crowded with hundreds of people. Teens were stretching out and practicing their pole vault stances, while coaches conferred and parents were pitching tents to keep out the warm afternoon sun.
Four blocks away, I parked at our house. Several neighbors were gathered in the driveway next door, chatting and watching grandkids play. I joined my neighbor after dinner and spent a few hours on my back porch and her front porch, as my teenboy humored her kindergarten grandson's request to play. Providing sidewalk chalk to keep the younger granddaughter amused in their driveway, we whiled away a couple of hours talking about my job and her travel plans.
Voices were booming over a nearby loudspeaker, and we peeked at the hike-n-bike behind our houses. People were gathered in the park, possibly for the cross-country teams from the track meet.
My husband and son left for a shopping trip. When they returned, my husband remarked that neighbors were on their porches up and down the street, and there was a game at the baseball field while the track meet continued. The pool was busy, too.
Our four-decades-old neighborhood is awake and buzzing once again. The vibrancy is tangible, as welcome as the buds appearing on the trees in everyone's yards. Life is good in the 'hood.
I love your description of your neighborhood. I also wrote about a small town neighborhood today. I especially love the sound of spring/summer in your piece. We still have trails of snow with below freezing temperatures. You bring hope!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kathleen! Yep, we're warming up already in these parts. I'll have to pop on over to your blog today!
DeleteI especially enjoyed the last paragraph. The waking of your neighborhood is welcome news, it still feels here as if we are on an endless loop of winter!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Amy! We've lived here long enough to see the activity ebb and flow; it's nice to see it coming alive once more!
DeleteSounds like an ideal neighborhood Chris! We live in an older Denver neighborhood (our house was built in 1910) and don't know a ton of our neighbors. Last summer, one of my neighbors started a once a month happy hour that a different house hosts - that was a fun way to meet new people. Looking forward to porch weather here!
ReplyDeleteI think it's because we are slowly getting more families with children and/or grandchildren in the homes; coupled with a busy sports season and nicer weather, the activity just increases each year! A monthly happy hour sounds fun, too!
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