by Digger Barr
https://gaiasgardens.guru/
I found hope on the Fourth of July.
In a place where one would hope to find peace and tranquility, I indeed found the world that I envision for the future.
Peace and tranquility on the American fourth of July in most places would be considered an oxymoron.
When even the most remote areas are inundated with campers that for some odd reason bring loud with them as a standard part of fun.
I am not fond of the traditions adopted by this particular holiday as I am not in favor of loud banging nerve racking fireworks.
Add to that the constant vigilance over the dangers that come with playing with fire in nature, none of that is my idea of fun
With some skepticism but a little bit of hope I traveled out of my fair city seeking a respite from the neighborhood’s pops and booms.
With a friend and her dog we drove to a nearby lakeside town.
What we found there was a beautiful reminder of why we chose that spot.
Here is a shout out to a town that is doing it right.
I am not going to say where it is, sorry.
Perhaps this is to be a seed for thought that this harmony may happen anywhere in the world.
I will say that this town is a huge draw because of its gorgeous lake.
The very first thing you will see pulling into town is a very large sign designated this town as a pedestrian town and all cars must yield.
That is a very good sign.
Summer crowds are part of the program and the traffic that goes along with that.
Add in all the celebratory visitors, and a post parade situation, we thought we were going to be swimming upstream without a paddle.
But as it turned out we just became part of the flow.
An amazing thing the city planners and city council have done is create Free Parking in the areas closest to the lake.
Free Parking for the most convenient access to businesses, Marina and the City beach park areas !
This is one of the most refreshing ideas of our time.
Instead of trying to profit and gouge people further, they welcome them to come enjoy themselves.
Once the free lots fill up as they are on a first come first serve basis, you can purchase a one time parking permit to park anywhere else in the city.
Any street is available with normal time limits that they have actually changed from 2 hr limits to 4 hour limits.
This seems to be contrary to other towns that seemed to have shifted the opposite direction.
The openness and acceptance of allowing people to park and become a pedestrian is inviting.
One doesn’t feel the need to fight for parking and immediately the feeling of being part of the community makes one feel included and at home.
It promotes the feeling of goodwill instead of competitiveness.
Our destination was a place designated specifically for dogs. It was called the dog beach.
We located the trailhead and found plenty of free parking near a very clean and tidy restroom facility.
It was a clean well maintained area full of informative signs complete with ‘you are here’ maps.
Any visitor is immediately fully informed on what is nearby, how to get there and what is expected.
This was indicated by including free doggie doo bags.
Kindness preempted by kindness.
Before we found our parking space, we had ventured into a natural food store to find some lunch items.
We pick a natural food store run by local proprietors, not a chain store.
This store was bustling with shoppers, so a huge yes by the locals.
It turned out to have everything we needed and more.
First thing in the door was a refrigerated end cap that displayed all things for the healthy gut biome.
I was stunned because that is exactly what I was looking for. There were a plethora of healthy choices even in the hot and cold food bar.
They even offered recycled boxes or gave you a bag option without a charge for the bag.
We packed up our picnic and chairs and proceeded onto the trail.
It was a little bit of a walk but I think that is what is expected when having a dog.
This is the other thing about the decisions made by this town’s planners.
Here is a piece of real estate that is cut off from the main city beach by a railroad but, instead of closing it off they created a trail to it and allow dogs to go off leash to enjoy the water.
It was very private and large enough to accommodate multiple parties. I would say there were many dogs and their people but we had plenty of privacy because of trees and rock formations.
It was very well thought out.
And so we had a spot by the water for the day.
The scenery was stunning.
And even with the park squeezed between a rail bridge and the highway which was busy with traffic, the lapping of water was winning our attention.
This brings me to another point that came into my awareness later in the day.
At no time did we hear any bangs and booms of firecrackers, fireworks or any other such loudness.
There were plenty of boats on the water, including several kayakers, but no loud obnoxious behaviors such as blasting music .
I don’t know if the marinas post for such noise ordinances but I noticed that particular noise pollution was absent.
I am leaning towards the thought that the people made those polite choices themselves.
There was a feeling in the whole day that respect begets respect and that in this moment the community worked together in achieving this.
In a setting such as this framed by blue mountains, a shimmering lake of pristine water, the community becomes a reflection of its environment.
Unlike the dystopia running rampant over the planet, this was the experience of a community working together to create a community for everyone.
It is inclusive to visitors and residents alike. It was about choosing a healthy environment and promoting in that vision a better way to live.
It took the healing qualities of nature that should be free and available to everyone and instead of capitalizing upon it they made it more accessible.
Don’t get me wrong, the real estate here is off the charts.
As most lovely places on the planet it costs a lot to own and people are flocking in to buy.
Housing is driving prices up everywhere.
But there was one little thing more that made my day.
When I read the label on one of my purchases from the local store, it said there was a 50 cent return deposit on the jar.
The product was bottled by them and they were willing to pay for you to bring back the reusable container.
A business that uses recyclable containers and takes responsibility for their packaging.
My mind was blown!
I love these guys.
I love this town.
Of all the ways we can do things on the planet, here is a small out of the way place that is actually doing it well.
No wonder people are flocking to it.
Let’s pray they can hold out against any adverse influences. But from what I saw, they are and they will.
And maybe, just maybe this idea of how to live well will catch on.
With loads of love
Digger24