I love our neighborhood. The sounds of the outdoor concert wafting with summer air through open windows. Everyone collected nightly on their porches, chatting away and enjoying the breeze. The cling clang of the scrap metal collectors wandering through the alleys at dawn. The eclectic mix of gardens and summer smells as I walk the dog in the quiet of the day just beginning.
This morning I slowed my pace to enjoy 20 paces of my favorite garden in Whittier. A magical plot of land overflowing with trumpet vines, squash, huge cotton-ball-looking tufted flowers as tall as I am and the sweet smell of roses and honeysuckle laced throughout. It is beyond time and place, something I never expect in the concrete jungle, but relish the experience of. As I shuffled towards the end of the block a woman popped out of the squash patch holding a knife. Not a scary woman with any ill intent. A woman grooming her incredible garden.
I took the opportunity to tell her how much I enjoyed her hard work. That the smell and the beauty were an oasis for me in my mornings and how impressed I was by it all. She then pointed to an enormous pile of cucumbers on the ground and asked if I would take some of her beautiful produce home with me. I was taken aback, but I’m certainly not one to shirk the kindness of others and I’ll admit I was curious–just what does a cucumber grown on the easement portion of a property in downtown Denver taste like? I’ll be sure to update you when I have a chance to try these guys. Until there here are a few pictures.
It’s nice to know that even in a relatively large city the kindness of strangers and the generosity of neighbors is still alive and well. In fact just 2 weeks ago I was very lucky that 2 good samaritans jumped out of their cars on a Tuesday morning to help this girl in need. Long story short there was a bit of a tiff between Ozzy and a stray dog. Both dogs were fine, everything ended well, but it may not have been so if it weren’t for those two people.
Days like today and that Tuesday morning remind me to never hesitate in life. To stop being afraid. To stand up and dance when the mood strikes me. To offer help when it might be needed. You never know whose life you’ll change…
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