My Peaceful Place

I count my blessings... I live in a beautiful house on a friendly street in a town full of charm and diversity. Ashland is the home of the Shakespearean Theatre and Southern Oregon University. Ashland is alluring to people who enjoy high quality theatre. In addition to Shakespeare, we are home to at least 8 other theatrical groups. Add a busy college to the mix and you have a community that leans to liberal, welcomes visitors with open arms, and thrives economically. The downtown is made up of shops that are unique and restaurants that could compete with the best world 'round. I love my little town.

Every year on the last Sunday of August, our section of town holds a block party to end all block parties. It has become tradition for us to close the street to traffic and bring all our neighbors together for potluck, barbecue, beer and music. We have tables full of food set up in the street while locally brewed beer flows from a keg and an odd collection of musicians sitting on hay bales entertain us with sweet bluegrass music. All neighbors within two blocks are invited as well as those who once lived on our street, are related to someone on our street, or who desire to live on our street. We usually have around 100 people turn out for our block parties. And yet it remains a mellow affair of neighbors and friends and family enjoying each other's company. Wouldn't it be lovely if everybody everywhere made time to spend time with their neighbors - to get to KNOW their neighbors? I do believe this planet would be a much more peaceful place.

And speaking of peaceful places...

This is my peaceful place. It is my front porch. Most evenings, my husband and I have a drink on the porch while Bailey the dog lays on the walkway and Avery the cat lays on the top step. We four relax and enjoy the wind chimes and the comings and goings of our friends and neighbors. Sometimes we might be reading the paper or a good book. Sometimes we just are. More often than not I am knitting. It is my favorite part of the day in my peaceful place.