Are You Getting to Know Your Neighbors ? / Community / Neighborhood Watch

From my windowsill:

Again, from my walk yesterday morning, it was so nice to see so many homes with outdoor seating in their front yards or porches.   This trend began in our neighborhood a few years ago.  When we first moved here, no one had chairs in their front yard or porch that I can remember.  Here are some of my favorites.

Almost everyone in our neighborhood has a fenced in back yard with a pool so unless the residents are out walking, doing yardwork, or sitting in the front, you never see them.  A few years ago we put a bench and two chairs in our front garden and my husband and I sit out there occasionally in the early evenings with coffee or a glass of wine and talk.  Sometimes I sit out there to read; my younger son does the same and I can often find him there during the cooler times of the day reading his high school literature.

It's a good way to get to know your neighbors as sometimes one will stop by and sit for a bit if they see us out there.  It feels different to be totally out in the fresh air instead of inside a screened-in pool deck.  Although I definitely retreat there when mosquitoes are out and you certainly won't catch me in a swimsuit in our front yard!

The days of borrowing a cup of sugar or dropping in unannounced are pretty much over, but I do like it when people do that at our house.  There are about eight houses around us that have families, couples and singles that we talk with on a regular basis, have get togethers every now and then, and exchange Christmas goodies with.  In fact, we attended a neighbor gathering on Sunday afternoon.  One neighbor put up a tent in their driveway and everyone brought hamburgers and snacks.  We sat outside for about 2-3 hours just chatting and catching up.  


Although we don't have the Neighborhood Watch sign up, everyone looks out for everyone else.  You can be sure if a stranger were hanging around someone's house, that 911 would be called pretty quickly.

It's comforting to know that if we forget and leave our garage door up at night, someone will call and remind us that it's still open.  We've even had someone call when my husband's car was home during the day just to make sure he's not sick.  One of my neighbors even gives me her coupons since she doesn't use them and we all take food over when there is a death in the family or severe sickness.


Neighborliness, to quote Martha, is a good thing.

Hebrews 13:2 

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, 

for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.