July 8, 2014

City


Did you know that we basically live in the city? We are on the border of Cambridge and only a short bus ride from Boston, and we actually do take advantage of everything that proximity to a big city has to offer... but I rarely choose to document those moments. I'm not exactly sure why, except that I grew up in the country, and spent much of my early years in Boston longing for the familiar comforts of wide open space, green gardens, and a decent kitchen... and now that I finally have carved out a plot in our community garden and scored an ample kitchen, that's the part of our lives that I typically want to celebrate. 

I have spent so much time fretting over the life that we are providing for our children, trying to give them a good dose of the 'country' that I relished as a child, despite a more urban home turf... but there are also so many obvious advantages to celebrate with access to the culture and architecture that comes with city life. In fact when we moved to our current 'hood, we were very deliberate in not emigrating to the more spacious 'burbs, precisely so that we could still feel engaged in city living (okay, well maybe that was James's idea!). I am finally coming to realize what a special opportunity that balance affords, and so it's one of my mid-summer resolutions to do a better job of chronicling our urban adventures, even if we are just seeking out the green spaces in our city* (what can I say? I'm still an outdoor girl, through and through!).

*These images are from a Sunday stroll down the garden mall in the middle of Commonwealth Avenue... and isn't that a lovely limestone building behind us in several of the pictures? It must have been designed by a very talented architect (aka daddy!).

5 comments:

  1. There´s definately pro´s and con´s with both the city and the country. I live outside of the city core with my family in a very countrylike area, but sometimes I wish it would be faster and easier to take advantage of the perks of the city. However, it takes us 5 minutes to a lake which is a good thing in the summer. :-)

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  2. You have the best of both worlds! And that building-- wow, you really are a family of artists!

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  3. Ah. I remember well the day little sis invaded her brother's room and took out an intricate block castle he had built to commemorate a particularly nasty battle his toy knights had fought. She was like Godzilla, or the imaginary medieval equivalent. There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth that afternoon. Good times lol

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  4. After years of fretting I think I've finally found the balance between country and city. Living {now} in the first with a short journey to the latter. It is a tricky one to balance but if you can make it work then it can only be a good thing. I believe.

    Nina x

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  5. Yay! Fabulous building! Great job! I love the city pics...keep 'em coming. I think you live in a perfect area, accessible to city and ocean. :)

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