Walking around the neighborhood

I like to walk around the neighborhood. It's relaxing to enjoy the slower pace and take in the sights and sounds. We have lots of trees--many shapes and sizes. I like to gaze up at them and admire their symmetry or their uniqueness if the limbs jut out at odd angles. I like to inspect the bark. Is it rough or smooth? Does it have the character of age like the wrinkled face of my grandmother? The weeping willow is one of my favorites, so different in appearance. 

The houses in America are often made of wood because it's so expensive to make one from bricks or stones. Unlike Europe, you don't see many tile roofs here. There's almost always a garage but often the car is parked in the driveway or in the street because the garage is filled with things that wouldn't fit in the basement! 

Most of the fences enclose only the back yard. The front door is exposed to the world. Most houses don't have individual mail boxes. There's usually one box for a dozen or so houses. Each box has smaller boxes inside, each with a locked door waiting to receive the latest advertisements, magazines, political propaganda--maybe once in awhile, a card or letter, sometimes even from a distant friend! 

People are friendly in my neighborhood. It's not unusual for one of them to say 'Hi' as I walk past, or if I meet someone walking a dog. I had a nice walk tonight because the weather is cooler than it's been recently. I'm looking forward to walking more in the next month or two as the leaves take on the burning red and orange colors of fall. Then it will be winter and once again the weather will try to keep me inside. 

Maybe this year I'll be bold and walk in the cold. No, I'm not too old!