Going Green: A Snowbound Neighborhood
According to the commonly understood real estate definition, a neighborhood is an
area of a municipality which is identifiable by a common use, a common atmosphere or a common business area. 
When I think of neighborhood, I imagine ice cream socials, welcoming living spaces, community organic gardens, evening strolls on tree-lined sidewalks. Family. Friends. Pets and Parties.
It's a very attractive picture to me, especially at this time of year. I so enjoy sharing images and stories of life in our neighborhood in the mountains in Asheville. And for the past number of years I even have been setting aside time each week to journey out to other neighborhoods, to explore the lore of days gone by and then talk with the folks who live in a neighborhood now.
There seems to be a common thread in the neighborhoods that attract me. It is not that they have a common business area or a common atmosphere. It has more to do with the "neighborliness" of the neighbors.
We had a huge snow storm this week. We were snowed in. We hit the wood pile, chopped the logs, lit the fire, and helped out the neighbors. Then we settled down with a hot chocolate. Does that make us "identifiable by a common use" ? Possibly. But there is so much more energy around the notion of neighborhood.
Maybe it has more to do with the esprit de corps grilling outside in the snow is all about.
______________________________________________________________________________
Going Green Series: A Neighborhood. Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved the green real estate Asheville Journal
