I always loved Mr. Rogers! Both the fictional one, and my crazy science teacher! My neighborhood is mostly dry land farm ground and pasture. We don’t have a bunch of crazy kids roaming the ‘hood’ playing kick-the-can; we have cattle and horses, coyote, badger, skunk, rabbits and a plethora of red-winged black birds and ground squirrels. One antelope, who just cannot stay out of our trees, has been munching on my corn stalks, I think.

Our closest human neighbor is about three miles to the south and west. We have a combination of older farm houses, many with newer additions, and modular homes like ours. Many silver Quonsets dot the landscape, along with grain bins, outbuildings, barns and some old outhouses.

We wave to each other as we pass in our pick-ups, tractors, combines, and yes bikes and on foot. We watch out for each other, noticing if someone comes along who doesn’t live here. We share our garden produce and iced-tea, coffee and canning efforts. Where we see a need, we stop and lend a hand. If we need help, we know we can call and if we get a call for help, we stop what we’re doing and help.

It isn’t a culture where everyone knows what everyone else is doing or going or who they’re seeing, but one where there is caring and respect for neighbor. It is a good neighborhood.