Back Alleys and Sunshine

In the grey Vancouver winter my neighbourhood is quiet. We stay inside.  We use our backyards to access our vehicles in the garages that line the back alley.  We sneak out back to take out/bring  in the garbage.  We think of the back alley spaces as a means to an end.  Then the rain stops and the sun starts to shine. And the beauty of our neighbourhood and our back alleys becomes clear.  

I love the...

• laughter of kids playing street hockey and the calling of "cars" in multiple languages
• back yards of the Vancouver Specials, which are really just drive ways, lined on either side with thin patches of gardens planted full of tomatoes, peas and carrots
• conversations with neighbours over the back fence
• sound of multiple lawn mowers almost creating a symphony together
• way kids don't see race, culture or religion, but instead see a friend to ride bikes with, even if they can't pronounce each other's names
• water washing down the alley from cars being washed
• laundry that appears almost by magic on the line the instant the sun peaks out for an hour
• smiles and hellos as you walk along the alley
• kids knocking on the gate asking if my son wants to play
• sound of children yelling, screaming, crying and laughing
• that the sense of neighbourhood and community is not lost

I love the back alleys of South East Vancouver.