Weather and temperature permitting, I’ve tried to take a walk outside every day this month. It’s always invigorating to take in the sunlight, surrounded by the blooming flowers and sprouting shoots that return each Spring.  The walks are particularly special  in my neighborhood because residents have been putting up colorful paper heats on windows  and creating chalk drawings encouraging positive attitudes. Sometimes, the paper hearts are arranged to form pictures like an ocean wave and sun. There was even a chalk drawing the other day in honor of a young person’s 7th birthday accompanied by a display offering of rice krispy treats.  Spring and Summer always seems to be the seasons for art chalk around here.

Our neighborhood has always had a unique knack for decorating front lawns and driveways; whether its twinkling Christmas lights in December or projecting a giant gothic skull onto the front of the garage at Halloween. There’s even  a few who use wooden decorative display boards to expressing their feelings about current events. My block is full of creative, insightful people who are happy to share their joys and talents.

There’s a great amount of natural life in our neighborhood too. Currently, our lawns are havens for robins looking for worms and rabbits happily eating our clover. Whenever I’m outside in the summertime, the rabbits and birds always seem to be attracted to our yard in particular.  A lot of animals seem to enjoy our areas; there’s a duck couple who stays here every spring through summer while autumn is dominated by the occasional stray wild turkey.   You can always tell the time of year based on the  nature in our neighborhood.

Sometimes, I wish I lived in an urban area with more places to explore or things to do, but the mix of suburbia and natural settings of my neighborhood offers some great opportunities. It’s pleasing to be in a place where I can spot deer traveling  up from the ravine and also be a patron of a child’s lemonade stand. These are the  little things about my neighborhood that make it special;  it’s blooming with life and random moments.