Behind the Hedge, part two

French bread

Two rings of it

All baked and ready to give by 3pm (here’s one of the rolls that ended up on our table)

So, we braved our new neighbor’s front door again. While heading up the walk with our bread gift I reminded John Ronan (for he is my giving buddy as of late) that it’s a lot nicer to just ring the doorbell once and then wait. And if you think the doorbell isn’t really working, then you knock just once, and then wait again. And the sweet boy listened.

After one ring the door flew open and in about two seconds flat we were invited in, introduced, and John Ronan was off to some play land, where I later was implored by one of the three little ones to help save a fish. John Ronan wanted to pet the fish.

They are lovely, this family we’ve heard playing in the yard behind the hedge, and I’m tempted to scold myself for not getting over there earlier in the summer, but that’s just how things worked out this time around. At least we have this next month, before they move. Three playmates!!! About twenty-seven paces away. And a wonderful lawyer mama, who loves bread, who loves people, who loves our city so much she and her husband bought a house and are staying for good.

So, your cheers worked wonderfully. Another loaf of bread that multiplied. A little food and hopefully love passed from my kitchen to anothers’–and in the exchange people connected, stories were told, and a fish was petted.

On days like this, I’d say this humble experiment is working just the way I’d hoped 🙂

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Behind the Hedge

This has been the busiest summer on record for the Meyer Family. There are lots of reasons why: college classes but no driver’s license, music making, summer camp, an open door for visitors… So I suppose I have an excuse for not saying hello to the family who has moved into the house behind the hedge. For many years this house, after an expensive and lovely remodel, has stood empty. My big kids got a tour through it once, and that sold them–they fell in love with the place. It has a sweet, fairy tale feel, but the owners live elsewhere and all we saw for months and years were the gardeners.

But squeals from the backyard, little folk riding scooters up and down the driveway, real people inhabiting the place?!

After two months of squeals and inhabitants I finally made my way to their front door with a ring of rosemary rolls. But even with one car in the driveway and one on the street, no one answered.

So, instead, I asked a woman who happened to be traveling down our road if she wanted the bread and she said, yes. So off drove my rosemary rolls with someone other than the intended. That happens in this business, doesn’t it?!!!

Now that I’ve made one effort, I won’t be stopped. I’ll be baking again, and here’s to hoping that someone will come to the front door, that I’ll finally welcome our neighbors as I should have two months ago.

Cheer me on, would you?