Date: 04/10/2022

Time: Afternoon 4pm-6pm

Weather: 68°F, Warm and Sunny

Spring has come at quite an unexpected speed. I still remember driving in a snow storm last Friday, but now it’s warm and sunny. The entire neighborhood is bathed in sunlight, and one can only see sporadic snow piles in the shadow area. Of course, traces of the long winter are still visible in the neighborhood, though assuming a more implicit form. Many backyards are waiting to be cleaned up after a long winter, with leaves and branches now emerging out of the snow.

When I took the picture, a cat was looking at me from the balcony. It might also miss the feeling of sitting on the railing without worrying about the cold wind.

Next to the backyard, I noticed a small pavilion that belongs to another house. I did not immediately register it as a pavilion until I notice the small roof and the half-enclosed area inside, because the side that faces the street (my position) looks more like a wooden fence.

I tried to move to another side of the backyard to see where the open end of the pavilion is facing. It seems to be a small garden near the house. Similar to the backyard I mentioned before, the garden is also in a messy state. However, I can imagine sitting in the pavilion during late spring or summer and having a wonderful view of a beautiful garden filled with flowers, bushes and trees.

Bathed in the sunlight, people’s houses look colorful and warm. They also look pretty new, until I noticed a house with a small plate saying “built 1873.” The plate made me realize the long history of this neighborhood. The house has a new and clean facade, which might have been refurbished in recent years. Its interior has most likely been renewed as well at some points in the past. Maybe what remains is its architectual design. If I know more about the history of architecture, I might be better at guessing its age from its design. The house has an balcony outside its main entrance. The balcony is enclosed by window screens that shield insects but allow breeze to enter. Perhaps the wind chime is the best way to give shape to the intangible breeze. It is indeed a good space for family members or friends to sit and chat in a beautiful spring afternoon.

There are many other places with the potential of gathering and relaxing in the spring days. It does not have to be big, probably just a couple of chairs in front of one’s door. It does not have to be on the ground, like a tree house. It does not have to be stable, maybe a swing chair with two trunk tables beside. It also does not have to have a seat, like a basketball stand on top of one’s garage.

Besides those in people’s houses or backyards, there are also public spaces for gathering, such as the memorial pool and the skateboard park right next to the neighborhood. These two place are connected to the neighborhood through small paths, which are not shaped in a rectangular way like many other blocks do. It is also the reason why my walking path shown in the map seems pretty strange, as I almost have no complete “rectangle” to follow. The neighborhood block I walked indeed has great access to this beautiful place. Thanks to these open spaces, the houses near the park have a great view, as they can see the forests and the wind turbine in the distance (a little bit too far for my phone’s camera, but clearly visible for my eyes).

Among all the houses I saw during my walk, the one I love the most is a single story bungalow with a stone-like texture. It looks like a stone house from ancient times, but clearly with modern designs in mind. The house looks firm, trustworthy, and warm, like an old stone sitting quietly on the prairie, bathed in sunlight.

As I finished my walk, I came across a little free library filled with books next to a bench made of trunks. The library is probably made up of various books given by neighbors nearby. Many of them have a worn cover, but are still kept in good shape. They might used to be the favorite books of someone in the neighborhood, and probably will become the favorite for another person later. Through this small library, people are connected to each other.