Pride March 16, 2007 ~ 10:06 am
Posted by Julie in : In Da Hood , trackbackI took a picture last night that I really wanted to use in today’s post, but then I started cooking corned beef and cabbage and watching Ugly Betty and drinking some beer, and then it was 12:30 and I was asleep on the couch, so I just got up and went to bed without ever uploading the damn thing on to my computer and then to Flickr. So you’re gonna have to go with me here.
One of the things I like best about my neighborhood, Windsor Terrace, is the small town feel of it. And at no time is this more apparent than around holidays, when everyone goes all out to decorate. Yeah, you see decorations in other parts of the city, particularly around Christmas, but hardly ever do you see people go all out for say, Valentine’s Day. And St. Patrick’s Day? Fuhgeddaboudit. This is when my neighborhood shines.
Windsor Terrace has traditionally been an Irish neighborhood. Irish and Irish-descent families bought into the Terrace decades ago and just passed the houses down through the generations. There are other ethnicities in the neighborhood now, but we still wear our Irish hearts on our sleeves, especially at this time of year. The other night I was walking home from the local grocery (and yes, I had bought corned beef there) and passed no fewer than 6 houses with shamrock flags hanging out on my way. That’s not counting the shamrock and leprechaun cut outs taped up in windows or the green lights on front porches, either. We’re Irish! We’re proud of it! Everyone should celebrate this, the best of all holidays!!
My neighbor Forrest and his wife generally outdo everyone in the decorating department. These are the people whose house could be seen from outer space this past Christmas with lights, flashing signs, two inflatable lawn decorations tied to the porch roof, and another two inflatable decorations in the back yard. On St. Patrick’s Day, Forrest proudly flies an Irish flag off his front porch, right next to the American one. This year, I didn’t see the Irish flag. I wondered about it briefly, until I looked across the street yesterday to the little park Forrest helped get put in and takes care of singlehandedly. There, waving proudly from the flagpole right under the American flag is Forrest’s Irish flag (and yes, that’s the picture I took last night).
I love my neighborhood.
Comments
I understand much now.
I love living in an area with ethnic pride like that. Where I grew up in Rochester was heavily Italian and still is. It’s great being around that.
Have a few beers for me and have a happy St. Patty’s Day.
Ok, but you have to know that those of us from the San Francisco area are going to see the title of this post and assume it’s going to be about the Gay Pride Parade (which isn’t until June, so you’re a little early…).
That sounds great. I can’t wait to see the picture. My husband came home tonight and announced we were going to spend the weekend in NYC in June. I’m still in shock. I haven’t been since I was 17. I know I will feel like the ultimate bumpkin. I have no idea what to wear or anything. I thought of you immediately and knew you could give me some sage advice. I’ll get there on Friday, June 8th. The company that will be putting us up is located at Broadway and 8th so they will probably pick a hotel that is very close to their office. I’ll know more as it gets closer to June. I’m pretty excited about it.
Sounds like a really nice neighborhood, especially if you’ve lived there for sometime and know everyone.
Reminds me of growing up outside of Buffalo (lots of Italian pride, or Buffalo Bills pride). I’m thinking maybe that small town community feel is east-coasty, because the neighborhoods out on this side of the country don’t have that feeling for me at all.
Still going to post the photo?
It’s amazing to me how we all bond with our neighborhoods. I guess because they are ours.
LOL @ Aimee! I though exactly the same thing!
Hiya Julz! 