What a Lovely Neighborhood!

We had a little bit of rain on Wednesday night, so on Thursday morning, I decided to take my bike up to the Barrens to check out my favorite little pond. This involves putting my camera in my daysack (can't wear it on my shoulder while bike riding!), hopping on my bike, and riding it across the street and up a little hill.

We've got autumn colors a-hopping around here, and if you look out ANY window, you will see something gorgeous! The trees don't all turn at the same time. Goodness, no. So we have some trees that are done, some that are at full peak, and a few that are still just starting. The reds usually show up LAST.

Not unlike the child in that famous Walt Whitman poem, I am easily accidentally distracted enchanted by the things I find in my path during the day. So I made several stops: one, to look at the gourds (2 for $1!) they are selling at that tiny white stand on the left down the hill; two, to put books in the little free library that is just in front of that red bush on the right; three, to take photos of the milkweed at the corner on the hill just above me; and four, to put books in another little free library nearby. I am not a FAST traveler. No, by no means!

As I turned around and looked at our neighborhood, I felt very happy to live here. When I bought our house in Stormstown, back in May of 2004 (read that story here), I thought I'd found a secret gem: a place that is mostly sort of rural (my preference, having grown up in Juniata County) but very close to lots of good stuff. 

The Scotia Barrens was nearby, but I didn't know anything about it at the time. I've since explored many, but not nearly all, parts of THAT. State College is 15 minutes away; 20 if traffic is bad (my personal record for making that trek, I think, was 12 minutes, and baby, I was flying). Way Fruit Farm is a five-minute drive away, ahead and to the right. Pretty little Autumn Meadow Park is a five-minute drive away, ahead and to the left.

I realized with surprise this past spring that I have lived here for 20 years. This is now my personal record. I only lived at home with my parents from December 1964 through August 1982, when I went away to college at Penn State's University Park campus, at age 17. 

Came home the following summer, had a real ruckus with the parents over a boy,* and pretty much got kicked out of house and home for the shenanigans that ensued. (Oy vey!) Made up, of course, but never lived at home again. So - ahem - where was I now? Got distracted, LOL.

All of this is to say that apparently, THIS is my hometown now. And while I have the occasional grump about the local folks who run things (we disagree on the importance of funding library services, for one), I like it a lot and recommend it. I look at it now and think what I thought when I saw it some of those first times I was ever here: My, what a lovely neighborhood! Especially in the fall!

My soundtrack song is this one: Bruce Springsteen, with My Hometown.

*Sidebar: My parents were right about that boy. And big sister Barb was my hero on a white horse who rode in and saved me that night. I called Barb, and she came as quickly as possible and told me that I could come away and live with her if I wanted to. But then she mediated a compromise, thank goodness! Hooray for big sister Barb! Also, I am happy to report that my parents and I enjoyed a wonderful, close relationship for many, many years after that. Lessons learned: Be careful of the choices you make in life. Where possible, ALWAYS choose love. And forgiveness. And reconciliation. <3