Our Neighborhood

This is our neighborhood circa 1917





This is our neighborhood circa 2007



As you can see not much has changed in our neighborhood 90 years. The road is now paved, and the trees have changed a bit, but other than that things remain the same.

Living in a small community is nice. There is nothing else like it. You know the neighbors, and they care about you. If you haven't been seen in a couple days, they wonder if you are alright.
I grew up in a similar kind of neighborhood, and it is nice to know that these kind of places still exist. We all helped one another when it was needed. This neighborhood is no different. If we need help, they are there for us, and we are there for them.
Who are the people in the neighborhood?
We have Earl, the elder gentleman. He will be 86 this year, and still gets up and opens his store every morning at 7. He is there until 5. His day off is only Tuesday afternoon. It is great having a store right across the street to buy eggs, milk and other staples. Even at 86, Earl still mows his own lawn, shovels snow, and be-bops across the street sung to a lighthearted tune. Earl can spin a yarn or two about just about anything. He will eagerly tell a child about the furry fish hanging on the wall. As the story goes, that fish realized how cold it got up here in the winter. So he grew fur. The wide eyed 5 year old thinks, wow, what a smart fish. He doesn't care that it is just a fish that Earl put fur on for a joke.
Bill, Earl's son, owns the eclectic shop that has everything, and I mean everything. If he doesn't have it, you probably don't need it. In the shop he has antiques, collectibles, and much more. Bill is the quiet one in the family, but always lends a hand when a dog sitter is needed. He has helped us out quite a bit since we moved here, and we are very thankful.
Next, there is Allan. Allan is Bill's younger brother, and of course Earl's son. I would say he is the comic relief of the neighborhood. Always there with a smile, and a joke, and a helping hand when needed.
The matriarch of the neighborhood is Muriel. Being 96 has not stopped her from everyday life. You would never guess she was past 75. Winter keeps her in more often, but in spring she will be out and about more often. She has been an incredible help to my sewing skills these last few months. It is always a pleasure to visit with her and listen to her stories of our neighborhood years ago. Our barn use to be a summer theater, and she was one of the players.
Don, Muriel's son lives down the street. He is a quiet man, but still is there to give a helping hand. We don't get to see him as much as the others.
That is our immediate neighbors. We have others that live further down the street. One of our neighbors is 102. We think it maybe something in the water.
Who are the people in your neighborhood?