Every two weeks Bloggers unite for a day to write about a communal topic. This week LetsBlogOff asks the question: What is home to you?
In almost a half of century of life I have never lived in a neighborhood like Seminole Heights. I grew up in south Florida and the area was just big to feel homey. I followed my heart to New Hampshire when I was 25 and wow was it hard to make friends up there. Thankfully my former husband had a great family and a few close friends because that made up my family. When we went our separate ways I lived in a sub division for two years, walking my dog three times a day and no matter how many times I said hello to people I never got more than a nod back.
When I moved to Tampa I rented for a while to get the lay of the land. I knew I wanted a neighborhood without deed restrictions, with mature trees and central to the city. I found Seminole Heights and loved loved loved the houses. 1920 bungalows were the norm. I moved in 9 years ago and a place has never felt more like home to me than this neighborhood.
Neighbors actually dropped in to say hello and brought bake goods. I joined a local yoga group where 6 out of 8 of us plus our instructor live in the neighborhood. All of us live within minutes of one another. Pick up the phone for an impromptu yappy hour and people and dogs will be there. Call to say I have a heavy piece of furniture I need help moving and someone will be there before you have hung up the phone. Whenever I go to our little grocery store I always run into friends. This past trip I saw a friend who belonged to the same book club as I did a few years back. We hadn't seen each other for a year or so and gosh I realized how much I missed her.
We watch out for each other here in the 'hood. We have a very strong sense of community. One of the original owners on my block passed away a few years ago. Most of the block went to the funeral. She was in her early 80's and I loved listening to her stories from 50 years ago. Mrs. Linderman was the one that told me about why my living room isn't square, it has a strange little nook in it. The builder's wife played the organ. She was so talented other churches asked her to play for them too. The nook in the living room is where the organ resided. It had to be close to the front door because most of the other churches were too poor to have their own organ, Mrs. Hudson had to bring her own!
Several years ago my brother and sister in law and my two nephews visited for the first time and I decided to throw a party in my backyard. I invited neighbors, friends, yoga chickees, my boss and his wife who lived in the 'hood. All these wonderful different mixes of people and my BFF drove 2 1/2 hours to be here too! I had a blast but what made me feel really good was the next morning my brother and I were drinking coffee in the backyard and he turned to me and said what a special place I had found. He felt it too.
Please take some time and read the other participants talented writing in Lets Blog Off
In almost a half of century of life I have never lived in a neighborhood like Seminole Heights. I grew up in south Florida and the area was just big to feel homey. I followed my heart to New Hampshire when I was 25 and wow was it hard to make friends up there. Thankfully my former husband had a great family and a few close friends because that made up my family. When we went our separate ways I lived in a sub division for two years, walking my dog three times a day and no matter how many times I said hello to people I never got more than a nod back.
When I moved to Tampa I rented for a while to get the lay of the land. I knew I wanted a neighborhood without deed restrictions, with mature trees and central to the city. I found Seminole Heights and loved loved loved the houses. 1920 bungalows were the norm. I moved in 9 years ago and a place has never felt more like home to me than this neighborhood.
Neighbors actually dropped in to say hello and brought bake goods. I joined a local yoga group where 6 out of 8 of us plus our instructor live in the neighborhood. All of us live within minutes of one another. Pick up the phone for an impromptu yappy hour and people and dogs will be there. Call to say I have a heavy piece of furniture I need help moving and someone will be there before you have hung up the phone. Whenever I go to our little grocery store I always run into friends. This past trip I saw a friend who belonged to the same book club as I did a few years back. We hadn't seen each other for a year or so and gosh I realized how much I missed her.
We watch out for each other here in the 'hood. We have a very strong sense of community. One of the original owners on my block passed away a few years ago. Most of the block went to the funeral. She was in her early 80's and I loved listening to her stories from 50 years ago. Mrs. Linderman was the one that told me about why my living room isn't square, it has a strange little nook in it. The builder's wife played the organ. She was so talented other churches asked her to play for them too. The nook in the living room is where the organ resided. It had to be close to the front door because most of the other churches were too poor to have their own organ, Mrs. Hudson had to bring her own!
Several years ago my brother and sister in law and my two nephews visited for the first time and I decided to throw a party in my backyard. I invited neighbors, friends, yoga chickees, my boss and his wife who lived in the 'hood. All these wonderful different mixes of people and my BFF drove 2 1/2 hours to be here too! I had a blast but what made me feel really good was the next morning my brother and I were drinking coffee in the backyard and he turned to me and said what a special place I had found. He felt it too.
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Wonderful post Ginny. That feeling that your are part of a community is what makes it all special.
ReplyDeleteI'm ready to move into your neighborhood!
ReplyDeleteTodd - thanks for the comment! It is wonderful you have two neighborhoods to be a part of :)
ReplyDeleteJames - I would love for you to move to my neighborhood!!
Wow, this is a terrific post! It sounds like a remarkable neighborhood. I can honestly say that my wife and I live in a wonderful neighborhood as well, although I cannot say I know the neighbors as well as you do. But we do know a lot of them and get together for barbecues from time to time. The other cool thing is the rainbow mixture of races and the fact that people here just get along. But even so, your neighborhood sounds like a very, very special place. You are truly blessed to live there.
ReplyDeleteYou're lucky to have such a good neighborhood, Ginny! Glad you appreciate it too. ; )
ReplyDeleteLovely post - you make it sound just perfect.
ReplyDeleteIt really6 does sound a wonderful place.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Ginny! I too found a great neighborhood here in Huntsville, though my cottage is a tad bit older than yours being a 1935 vintage. :-)
ReplyDelete