Kindness of Others

 Hello everyone.  Hope you are all well and safe on this Thursday. It is a soggy morning here.  It has rained overnight and still is.  YAY, I am sure the garden and flowers are doing their happy dance.  I walked out there this morning, and they were standing straight and proud!  The second rain barrel is now filling with overflow from the first - all good things.

I just wanted to share a little.  Good neighbors are such a blessing for not only individuals but for the neighborhoods.  All kind gestures pay it forward in some way, and it makes all smile!  I have some of those neighbors.

In the past couple years, I have really gotten to know many of the surrounding neighbors.  It all happened when I was dealing with the scary issue next door.  It seemed that the universe just came together to protect one of its own.  I feel very blessed to know these people.

Many of us ladies, bake or cook, and share our bounty.  Seems just about every week one of us is sharing some baked goods with others or a bit of a great casserole.  It is pretty neat.  Garden harvests get shared all summer long.  We all grow different things and share.

We talk and keep an eye on things and each other.  We make sure that the neighborhood stays safe.

One of the guys is a handyman and he is now 'retired'.  This man works harder now than he ever did before.  He works at church many mornings and evenings each week.  He will help anyone out that needs help.

He was recently donated some treated lumber - as someone knew he does a lot of projects.  After gaining permission from a couple homeowners, he used that lumber to make them handrails on their steps.  Both are older and have some mobility issues.  Above you can see a couple of the handrails.  One on the lower steps and one at the upper.  These are cemented at the base and will be painted once the wood is ready.

This would have cost these ladies a chunk of change - but it all happened for free.  He spent part of 2 days doing this.

I have another neighbor that will mow or help out as needed.  He was talking with a lady up at the corner last week, and her home had become surrounded by wild trees and brush growing up on her corner lot.  It has been a true eyesore and really a safety issue.  She isn't able to manage it and makes limited funds, so it has just kept growing.  He volunteered and she said yes - and her front and the entire area of the corner is now clean and free of brush and weeds.  He mowed and trimmed too (her normal mower broke his leg), however, he never trimmed or worked on brush - it was more than he could handle as a little person.

The neighbor will work on her deck and backyard in the coming week, and another neighbor has offered to help him.  She did pay him to take the brush to the dump.

This is how community should be.  Helping those that can't help themselves.  Being kind and good to others.  Jumping in and being a solution instead of a problem.  Taking care of things and keeping the community safe and protected for others.  Sharing.  

I am glad that I have 'found' these folks.  They are just great neighbors.  Sure, we have a couple who don't manage to maintain their yards (even though quite capable), but for the most part, it is just lovely now.

Do you have that kind of community?  Do you know your neighbors?

I am off to a luncheon today.  Wish me luck.  It is a longer drive than normal, in an area I am unfamiliar with, and off the beaten path!!!  So, here's hoping I find it OK!

Have a wonderful day to all the lovely community we have here!