Living in this Northern Hemisphere, we truly appreciate the warm weather. In my hometown, we’re considered Zone 3. What that means folks is that we are joyfully living our lives where the growing season can vary between 82 and 107 days.

Our garden plants are hardy and need to be resilient (just like we humans are) to winter temperatures that can drop to the -40 to -30F range. You can understand why we love summer when we get it!

Although we look forward to this time of year however, we are often ill prepared for the heat. That was yesterday.

After spending the day in non-air-conditioned working places many of us are worn out. But then, what do you do? Do you skip your usual after work walk? Yes, I definitely swayed in my decision but missed my intake of daily fresh air. Out I went at 7:30pm to get in my kilometres.

Walking on the shady side of the street gave me a different experience. I followed a route in my neighbourhood in the opposite direction than I usually take. Crossing at times to stay out of the still blazing sunshine.

And as I walked, and maybe because I kept my pace down, I noticed more.

- The lazy sprinkler covering a newly seeded portion of someone’s lawn

- The sweet sounds of children being corralled for their evening bath

- The elderly couple having their stroll and then a little sit down break on the bench at the bus-stop

- The large rock marking a neighbour’s address 13885. The 8’s had been replaced with a different colour.

- The garage door that was left open while a man worked inside. There were 2 enormous glistening chandeliers suspended from the ceiling

- Three senior ladies walking slowly, snapping photos of each other and giggling like school girls. When I offered to take a photo of the three of them together, they said oh! no, no, no, no

- Owners and their dogs, smiling and sniffing as we passed each other on the pathways

I am so glad that I didn’t let yesterday’s unusual heat prevent me from having my walk. Because stepping out in the evening, I discovered some wonderful things in my neighbourhood that I would have missed seeing.

Being on the shady side of the street, allowed me to slow down, and brought me in a full circle to what I love most, Home.


When you stop to discover, what will you find? (Click to Tweet)


What 7 discoveries will walking on the shady side of the street bring to you? (Click to Tweet)