Our very own Mitford

Years ago, author Jan Karon created a cozy, close-knit community in which her readers readily escaped to and wistfully desired the reality described within the binding. The books were known as the Mitford Series. Maybe you read them as I did. They were not particularly spell-binding in a suspenseful way, but rather reading each book was like curling up with your favorite coffee mug, snug inside the folds of your favorite blanket on an Indian summer afternoon, with a light breeze that when coming through the window onto your face, caused the curtains to dance. It was everything comforting, calming and somehow, familiar-as though once upon at time, we too, lived there. (If you would like, here's her website http://www.mitfordbooks.com/ for your perusal.)

Last night, yet again, I felt like we have our own little Mitford where we live--and we barely have to leave our street! There is a unique comfort to be derived from being a part of daily living with the folks who come home to the same little street you do. We knock (sometimes) out of courtesy, but our doors are open to each other and you know that the Jones's (we really do live next to them!) or the Okonski's will help you out in a bind should you ask. Of course, this type of living takes an initial investment of openness and desire to know and be known. Usually these relationships are formulated over open car hoods, across fence lines and in the midst of shoveling out cars in the winter. There cannot be an agenda, for what good friendship ever succeeds with one?

Last week the big news was that the 100th anniversary parade in August will include our street on it's route throughout the borough! What more could we ask for! We will be envied for the 'box club' seating our front porches will afford us. I have no doubt that there will be grills on the sidewalks, lawn chairs on the porches and folks milling about from yard to yard. Now, lest you think it's a perfect little place let me tell you there are those whose faces we probably will not see, who prefer to go in and out of their homes without being seen and that is fine too. I just happen to think they're missing out on an unspoken, complimentary amenity to living where we do! ALL this (and boy, did it really take me 3 paragraphs to say this?) to share that we came home from a simple celebration of our neighbor Danny's 83rd birthday across the street (in which Long Johns were the birthday cake and shirts bought from Goodwill, his favorite store, were involved) and felt so grateful to be living here. Our children's lives, our lives and the way we view life is so formed by the interactions with the people who live here. It is a gift from God!

I'll leave you with these few final pictures. The first one is from last Friday night, when it seemed as though the "Picture gods" were smiling upon me...the children somewhat coordinated in their outfits and it was a beautiful sunny afternoon. I thought to myself "Perfect! Let's get a quick picture of the three of them since I do not have a real recent one of them together-at least one I'd want to frame". So thus the "Commander in Chief" side of me comes to the forefront and I tried my best to manipulate, make laugh, make a fool of myself-ANYTHING for even a half decent picture!!!! Had my "Commander" mode included deductive reasoning and the conclusion it would have naturally brought me to that naps were scare that particular day and that factor ALWAYS effects the happiness scale.

And so...here you have it. It is in a picture taken from a mother who had just given up hope of the perfect picture...yet again. Dear Rick gave it his best, but decided after the 10th try, that he would just go along with the crowd! This picture, even -and especially!- with it's tears, makes me smile every time!

And now here are two sunnier pictures, taken by one of the best photographers I know. She knows her subjects well, and they adore her to pieces. She took these on Saturday, while watching them so that I could go to a one-day conference (which I will write about in another post). THANK YOU mom, not only for the great pictures, but mostly for loving these precious little people as much as you do!

I pray you have had a contented day...See you soon!