Rockwell’s America is alive and well…
At the lower left the bonfire. Off in the distance is the city of Roanoke and the Roanoke Valley. And in between is our street-turned-sled-riding-hill.
Pleasantville, USA – Norman Rockwell’s America is alive and well in The Noke… AKA Roanoke, Virginia.
The snow started falling on our street at about 10:00 Friday night. Crowley was fast asleep and as I headed off to bed, I heard it. The sound of laughing children echoed up and down our frigid block. The sure result of an unwritten rule in Southern households. Never spoken, but clearly understood because snowfalls here are rare (most winters,anyway). Whenever it starts to snow, no matter the hour, even if you are snug in your pjs and under the covers, fast asleep… when the snow starts to fall, kids can, should, and must get up, get dressed and get outside! And so I fell asleep with a smile on my face as the giggles and shrieks of joy traveled up to our window.
The sled riding hill to end all sled riding hills is our street. The V-DOT (Virginia
Anna & Crowley staying warm...
Dept of Transportation) plows know better than to plow our street until the neighborhood has had a few days to turn it into a sled riding party that goes from 8 AM to 10 PMish… so long as school is cancelled.
I am writing this Sunday night and they’re still out there, squealing and hollering as they fly down our road on inner tubes, toboggans and Radio Flyer sleds. And it’s not just the kids. The little ones have to battle their parents for a sled! At the top of the hill, a bonfire warms up a circle of neighbors, keeping warm and laughing as one sled after another launches down the hill just a couple feet away.
Crowley and I kept warm by the fire, the Roanoke Valley sprawling out in front of us, as Mike “borrowed” a child’s sled and
Walk out my front door every morning and see a mountain! Just over that peak is the Blue Ridge Parkway...
made a number of runs.
It’s an amazing thing. All these neighbors gathered, kids running around giggling. I know nothing is perfect. None of these families is perfect. Including ours. But this feels so good, it’s as close I ever expected to get.
I wish you all could experience this… Anna
Really cool story. :) Thanks for sharing a glimpse of the fun! I listened today as the kids in the neighborhood found a hill to slide down, the laughter is infectious and good for the soul. It’s good to know this kind of neighborhood still exists.
This brings back memories of sledding all day long and never getting tired. So much fun and so much exercise walking back to the top of the hill. No wonder we were skinny kids. Our “hill” was also never scraped and some adults would often turn on a fire hydrant late at night to further “enhance” the sledding the next day. Makes me want to go out and by a sled again. Happy sledding.
Anna, What a wonderful place you have moved to. It is so beautiful and I could not believe the picture of how many people were out in the neighborhood. That is amazing! These are the days that will make memories that you will cherish. Enjoy every day in your special new home.
When I was younger and there was a snowfall, I would drag out an piece of paneling to use as a sled. My big orange cat named Data would sled with me. He would happily hop in my lap, sled down then follow me back and repeat the process. I believe he actually smiled.