won’t you be my neighbor?
“the more we can be in a relationship with those who might seem strange to us,
the more we can feel like we’re neighbors and all members of the human family.”
-fred rogers
—
in honor of mr. rogers on this day and every day
—
image credit: pghcitypaper.com
now that I’ve moved from the west side to the north side
do I have to learn new signs?
—
“search for beauty without features, something deeper than any signs.”
-francesca da rimini
—
image credit: babycommunity.com
grandie f and his friends take a short walk
through their neighborhood
(and now mine)
to help bring a few first things over to my new digs.
the friendliest movers ever.
—
“i get by with a little help from my friends.”
-John lennon
central casting must have had a hand
in a scene on our neighborhood street today.
while waiting at the corner for the light to change
a mail carrier in his blues came by riding a bike
a doctor in scrubs walked across the street on her way home from the hospital
a construction worker in a bright neon vest held the sign for ‘stop’ and ‘slow’
all crossing paths
all in uniform
I have to admit that I felt a bit left out and underdressed
in sandals and comfy clothes
although I suppose I was in a uniform too
that of a teacher on summer break.
—
“I always had a sense that clothes, be it uniform or vintage,
could help to create a character.”
-collier schoor
—
book credits: naomi kleinberg, author – joseph mathieu, illustrator, google books, sesame street
the neighbors stopped by to check us out
“when strangers start acting like neighbors… communities are reinvigorated.”
-ralph nader
another polar vortex day
another movie adventure
one daughter
two grandies
four neighborhood kids
lots of action
lots of adventure.
—
“you never forget the neighborhood kids you grew up with.”
‘help yourself, but please leave bowl. enjoy!’
another friendly neighbor’s offering
left on the steps to their house
discovered while out walking.
—
‘the people who give you their food, give you their heart.’
-cesar chavez
when out walking
it’s so nice to see my friendly neighbors waving hello.
makes me feel at home.
—
‘be nice. the world is a small town.’
-austin kleon
the kindhearted and quiet and hardworking kid
who comes and goes
without much of a pattern
asking if i’ll hire him
to shovel my snow and mow my lawn
now has a name – ‘max’
and his legend is growing and spreading
he came once when i wasn’t home
and my neighbor paid him to do my lawn
in return for the help i’d given her in the past
and the next time he was over mowing
max suddenly stopped his mower
because he found a baby squirrel
who had fallen from the nest in the tree
and was sitting motionless and scared
we tried to pick the squirrel up
but he feebly ran away
into my neighbor’s yard
who then came out to help
and we all took him to my other neighbor’s house
who loves the squirrels
and said that he didn’t look good
put him in his backyard and see if he would play
then brought him back
and laid him down below my tree
the squirrel soon passed away
and we buried him in the garden
and now, after meeting him
my other neighbor has given max a job as well
and as more and more
of his generous and hard-working sprit is revealed
his business and his reputation as a decent human being
both continue to grow.
—
“as much as we need a prosperous economy,
we also need a prosperity of kindness and decency.”
-caroline kennedy
I didn't have my glasses on.... 