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Monday, April 09, 2007

Little Rock was dressed in her Easter best!!!!!



We went for a walk in our old neighborhood on Easter morning......It was positively delightful and a literal trip down memory lane!


(Azalea flickr photo by billums)




This neighborhood feels like a time capsule, from the minute we turn down the street where we lived for 15 years, it seems like going home......
We park our car and begin walking our, digital camera at hand!
This is an older historic neighborhood, most of the homes were built in the 1920's.
Following the sidewalk, as the street winds and curves going slightly downhill, we note that the homes have great variety of architectural style...(and not a single one looks like a tract house or imitation French chateau....) we see stucco bungalows , English Tudors , 2-story Colonials and others with a mix of Craftsman elements. These homes were built in the days of porches. Porches on the front to socialize with the neighbors and more porches on the back called sleeping porches. These were used on the hottest nights of summer before the days of air conditioning.


Most of these houses sit up just a bit from the sidewalk. They have well-kept gardens. Landscaping is very important in Little Rock.
Magnolias and Japanese maples are very popular. Azaleas and iris are blooming.

We note one bungalow with classic striped awnings.

Our former house is the sage green 2-story stucco with the large Bradford pear tree in front and coral azaleas in bloom around the front. (The azaleas, dogwood and the pear tree were planted by my husband.)
We also put the Pella windows in the front "music" room. They are still in good shape.
I like how the current owners have maintained it!
It was a house full of light...large windows, hardwood floors and French doors.
This is a house which still occurs in my dreams...














The tall trees cast shadows on the sidewalk, a Japanese maple and a rock garden add interest to the yard of this stucco home.

This shot was taken looking up the street, across the neighbor's yards.... It is a street of tall, older trees.
Several of Arkansas's governors lived in this neighborhood when they were not in the governor's mansion.
Bill and Hillary lived in the neighborhood for a couple of years (when he lost his bid for a second term here as governor.) After the next election, the Clintons invited the whole neighborhood to a Christmas caroling party at the Governor's Mansion...



It was a neighborhood of children visiting up and down the street and carpooling to school.
In the late afternoon, several of us (mothers) would sit and visit enjoying wine or coffee on the deck while the children played in the yard.




Today our deck is still there...however now there is no swing set or sandbox in the backyard....this is a photo my husband took from the alley. (Through a crack in the fence!!!!)
I can look at this and see the "ghosts" of my children and their friends at play here!


10 comments:

Lisa Oceandreamer Swifka said...

What a lovely trip down memory lane...it truly sounds like a wonderful neighborhood to live in. I am a big fan of non tract homes and large porches front and back. The days of neighbors interacting that way seem to be a thing of the past these days. With fast paced lives people tend to wave in passing. Thank you taking us with you on your Easter walk.....beautiful photos.
XOXO

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the home tour. I find this type of neighborhoods enchanting.
I liked the story about the Clinton's too.

Daisy Lupin said...

How lovely a safe happy neighbourhood full of trees and beautiful houses and gardens. Old time America to me, just like in the movies.

Janet said...

I think I want to move to Arkansas now!! These photos are just beautiful and it looks like the All-American neighborhood. Thank you for sharing your stroll down memory lane.

Annie Jeffries said...

What a beautiful stroll through memories. Such a lovely and old fashion neighborhood. We need this again in our lives.

Kelli said...

I really enjoyed the stroll through your neighborhood!! Such charming, beautiful homes! What a pretty Easter day!
Kelli

Mary Timme said...

Trips back to the old 'homestead' are so much fun and also, tinged with a drop of sadness. It is so funny to see some of our old houses and you did such a great job with the photos and the sidebars. Very much felt like I knew the neighbors, so to speak.

Annie said...

Now I have a place in my mind's eye of where you once lived in Little Rock. I've driven down that treet more than once. Isn't it wonderful to go back by old, loved homes and see that whoever's living there is taking good care?

A bird in the hand said...

Thanks for giving me your link, Lila. I added you back to my sidebar.

What a lovely neighborhood; I enjoyed the guided tour. President Clinton was a favorite with Canadians, especially when they were trying to pound him into the ground.

Kahshe Cottager said...

What a beautiful neighbourhood walk! I enjoyed visiting your memories with you!

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