In My Neighborhood

Today, we had incredibly beautiful weather-low humidity, perfect temperatures, light breeze, fluffy white clouds in perfect sky, you get the picture. Sorry if you're not enjoying such perfection. This is rare around here, so I feel the need to brag it up a bit. Anyway, I took Evan and guests out for a walk around the block and here is some of what we saw:

Flowers everywhere! This is the time for hydrangeas, daylillies, all sorts of annuals, roses, etc, and the show was stunning, starting, if I may say so, in my own yard. I do love my flowers.

Smiles, both fake and real:


Shady yards and curious dogs:


Eight flags flying in just one short walk around the block. I took photos of all eight (but I won't make you look at them all) because I liked the way they looked in front of their houses, some with flowers, one with a Mini-Cooper, one out but rolled up on the porch, etc. I love flags and all that they represent.


Bugs so interesting as to stop our progress for further exploration. We still haven't figured out what they are. We found a whole nest of them. I love that they noticed these bugs and were curious enough about them to stop and look, then take time to try and find out what they are when we got home. That was a moment of motherly happiness. I know, I'm easy to please.


Our Neighborhood Bed and Breakfast. I'll bet you didn't know that I live about 500 yards from a historic house called the Commodore Joshua Barney House that was converted into a B&B a few years ago. This is all you can see of it from the street, but the house and grounds are really beautiful. If you look carefully during the fall and winter, you can see it just before you get off northbound I-95 onto route 32. In the summer, the trees kind of hide it.


All the beautiful older homes in my neighborhood that were not built by Ryland or Patriot or Ryan and are unique and well-cared for and give our little corner of Columbia so much character. Sometimes I even like the crazy house near the four-way stop that has been under construction for, like, EIGHT years, sort of the way you love your crazy uncle. These houses are not crazy at all. I just love them. Look at the curved porch on the one with the rolled-up flag. We also love that garage with the little cuppola or dovecote on top. It reminded us of an old schoolhouse.




So there you have the Huntington East neighborhood of the Village of Kings Contrivance, Town of Columbia, MD. It's been a lovely place to raise our family-it is a lot like us-quirky and simple. Maybe it is so lovable because it is so comfortingly ordinary.