Well. Yesterday was a red letter day.
First – it was Canada Day. And the Little Street was decked out.

And in case you were wondering….Apparently the phrase dates to 1490. Red Letter came into wider use in 1549 when the first Book of Common Prayer included a calendar with holy days marked in red ink. Who knew?
Getting to the point. On the front page of the Globe and Mail (a copy of which I will be relentlessly seeking starting just as soon as it is polite to start telephoning) on July 1st – Canada’s Top Ten Communities. Turn to page 7 (I believe). The only Ontario community listed. Our Weston. Really. Not kidding. Not making it up. Truly. No guff. I mean even as a newcomer I knew this already. Certainly those who have lived here all their lives, those who have raised their children here – they all knew it. All those, and there are many, who were born here, raised here and left for other parts. They knew it. But it is a fact that many folks in Toronto didn’t know it. Although if they read their Globe yesterday – THEY DO NOW! Sorry didn’t mean to shout.
Oh BC friends did you see the Globe yesterday?

Photo from the Globe and Mail.
The article includes a picture of the Little Street. Tree lined beautiful street.

Photo from the Globe and Mail.
The summary in the Globe is good but it does not say it all. The heart of this is community. The small town in the big city.
You can read the whole article here. And if your are from here you can read it several dozen times. Before sighing happily and sitting down on the porch to watch the neighbourhood walk by…
Neighbours who know each other, watch out for each other and care for each other. And who come together to celebrate the ties that create community.
Before we moved here I spoke with several folks in the community about schools. One neighbour explained the community in these terms. She told me that when her boys were growing up and were going out on their bikes she would warn them to keep their helmets on. (This apparently being a point of conflict). She would remind them that within 30 seconds or less of the helmets being removed she would hear about it. Her phone would ring. The village would let her know that her boys didn’t have their helmets on.
It takes a village to raise a child.
A much beloved cat went missing. Dozens and dozens were out in minutes searching the neighbourhood.
It takes a village to keep us safe.
Our house was slated for the wrecker’s ball. The community came together in force and stood up for the Little House and the Elm. And they saved the Little House and the Elm.
It takes a village to be strong.
The Elm, which stands at the front of our property is said to be very old. Older than Canada.

Not mentioned in the article – Neighbours Night Out. The Weston Historical Society and Weston’s first (but not last) designated Historical District. Halloween on the Little Street, The 24th Annual Garage Sale on the Little Street.

On Canada Day Joe and Liz throw the best party in the best community in the city country. I was distressed yesterday to have missed the best parts for the second year in a row…Will find a way to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.Bagpipes, singing of O Canada and on and on. But the fireworks were awesome.
Don’t have to muddle words any more. No more – we’re near Black Creek and the 401. The 400 and the 401.
We live at Jane and Lawrence. In Weston.
Read Full Post »