This neighborhood did however understand the true meaning of the word neighborhood. My neighborhood realized that a neighborhood was a community of citizens who weren't so much worried about keeping up with the Joneses as they were concerned about helping the Joneses. When times were hard the neighborhood banded together and helped eachother out. When times were easy they would kick back on the deck and drink a cold beer together and enjoy the beautiful scenery. In my neighborhood my Mom never baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies without sending a plate over for the neighbors and the neighbors never returned the plate back without making sure it was filled with delicious banana chocolate chip muffins. My mom never had to worry about me being in my house by dark because our neighborhood was safe and there was always someone looking out for me. One neighbor who was concerned with cars driving too fast took matters into her own hands. She would go so far as to jump out and scare cars into slowing down to ensure our neighborhood was a safe place for kids and pets to play. When my dog escaped the fence(which was a weekly,sometimes daily occurrence) there was always someone standing outside of our door smiling patiently to return her. My neighborhood even had its own Posse which consisted of all the neighborhood boys. Us girls of the neighborhood would like to think that we were "unofficial" members of the Posse since the boys never hestitated to call us whenever they needed extra players for a game of kickball or football. Every season in my neighborhood was a new adventure. Spring consisted of fishing the banks of the creek. Summer meant swimming in the creek and late night games of capture the flag. With Autumn came trick or treating and every neighbor knew my name. I can still to this day remember which house gave out which candy. One house in particular handed out healthy apples and as hard as we tried to avoid that house our Moms always made us stop by so they could see our costume and give us a healthy treat. Winter brought sleighriding and once we got too cold we always ended up at someone's house to warm up with hot cocoa and watch movies. Our neighborhood was perfect because we were close enough to town that we could walk to the Fair, but not too close that fairgoers tried to park in our driveways.
Most people who haven't had the privilege to live in this neighborhood have a negative feeling towards it. Whenever they hear the name mentioned they automatically associate it with a bunch of crazy nature lovers who refuse to move to higher ground. When I hear Fernville I think home. The one thing that turns so many outsiders away is the one thing that draws the members of this community in...the water. What the outsiders do not realize is that there is something so serene and peaceful about the smell of the creek in Spring and the sound of the geese in Summer.
Man is not an aquatic animal, but from the time we stand in youthful wonder beside a Spring brook till we sit in old age and watch the endless roll of the sea, we feel a strong kinship with the waters of this world. -Hal BorlandSo to those who think it would be so easy for the residents of such a beautiful and peaceful community to leave...think again. How easy would it be for you to leave the best neighborhood in the world?
