Sometimes, I think I have moved to there - to Everwood! Who knew such a town really could exist !
Seriously, even I who have been associated with small country towns all my life, have kind of been blown away by this town we have moved to. I don't know what I expected it to be like, really - but every time I turn around, I am struck happy again!
I know, enough already with the " I am so lucky to be here talk"! The thing is, a lot of people...okay I am going to say most people living in big cities forget the true pleasure of living in their communities...that might be because their community doesn't really even exist in the true meaning of a community. An area bordered by certain streets does not a community make...only people make a community. I lived in a thriving community in the big city for 16 years, but very little in that community gave me pleasure or made me feel like I actually belonged to a community at all.
Back to finding Everwood...
Monday morning around 8 AM, I was sitting in my chair in the living room having my first cup of coffee when a tractor went by carrying a man in the bucket accompanied by a bunch of very large snowflakes. I watched them making their way down the street, then returned to my coffee and my morning check on Face book.
Within 10 minutes they were back and this is what I saw out my sun room window. Not only did they hang the snowflake, but they also hung a wreath beneath it - and both light up! So what, you say. So - this is not downtown Winnipeg, it isn't even trendy Corydon Ave. where I used to live. All they could manage when they remembered our street which was supposed to be decorated every year because of the Piazza across the street, was a faded tattered red material bow!
The same fella who is putting that snowflake up, is also the guy who all summer long watered the huge basket of flowers that hung from that pole and the huge tubs of flowers on every corner of the street. He is also the same fellow who smoothed out the gravel on every driveway approach in town (ours included), filled every pothole in town, and graded every gravel back lane in town, several times. I'll bet he is going to be the fellow that also clears the snow from the streets and sidewalks, and I judging from his behaviour this summer, I'll also bet that he clears everyone's driveway approach of snow before moving down the street.
To say this Municipality (community) takes pride in it's appearance, is an understatement to be sure. The residents and the municipality here are proud of this town, they keep it clean, they pretty it up, they keep it safe.
There are posters everywhere about the Christmas activities here in this town. I have not seen the word Holiday used once... it is CHRISTMAS all the way.
Families are getting together for a hayride around town, two stops will be made. One at the nursing home, where all the riders will hop off the sleigh, enter the facility and sing Christmas Carols for the residents there. The other stop will be at the senior complex where again carols will be sung. Then everyone will gather for hot chocolate and cookies afterwards.
No cost - just bring your voice, and your community spirit. This is not an organized group of people doing a nice thing for some people at Christmas, this is a community doing a nice thing for the people of their community. There is a vast difference.
Sappy?
Many would say so, but not me. This is a community where people care about one another, this is where Happiness and Goodwill abound.
Yup.... I am pretty sure I have landed in Everwood!
Incidentally - the snowflake was lit that same night - the darn thing is so bright it shone in my bedroom window all night. It kept me awake at first because I have become accustomed to the pitch black of the night here...but then I reminded myself of the room darkening shades I used to have to sleep behind in order to block the many street lights on the street where I used to live, and the sirens, and the honking cars and buses...and the next thing I knew it was morning...
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