Now that school has started and I’ve gotten back into my regular habits, I realize how much I love the routines and traditions that mark time passing in our neighborhood.

 

For example, what is better than strolling through Art on the Avenue in October, savoring early hints of fall weather? I accompany my mom for a morning walk before the festival officially starts. She sips her coffee, and we watch the artists setting up. Then we go back later in the day to do our actual shopping, hoping to find holiday gifts for friends and family. When I was younger, we painted pumpkins and made scarecrows in preparation for Halloween, one of my favorite holidays—especially in Del Ray.

 

One year I was able to find a spot at the very front of the Halloween Parade with my sister and some friends. We waved enthusiastically to all the spectators, and when we checked the windows of Pork Barrel BBQ the following week, we were able to grab printed photos of ourselves showing off our costumes!

 

When Thanksgiving arrives, I’ll cheer for my dad and his friends running the Turkey Trot. Soon enough the jack-o-lanterns make way for Christmas lights outside our homes, and whenever we see our neighborhood friend Arthur in December, he’s overjoyed. He looks forward to the holiday season for months, and I think we all do for one reason or another. One of my reasons is watching the annual tree lighting. And, if it snows enough in Del Ray during the winter, I love having snowball fights, sledding on Uhler Hill with friends, and seeing Mt.Vernon Avenue covered in white.

 

When the spring weather warms up, we want to spend as much time as possible outside, so we go tune up our bikes at Velocity Bicycle Co-op. On Saturday mornings, it's really nice to pick up produce from the Farmers Market, a routine I continue as spring turns into summer, when First Thursdays become a staple of the season. I love listening to music and walking down to the Sheriff’s booth to get a free Slurpee coupon. 

 

As things change in my life, new habits and routines form, and some fall away. It’s comforting to know that many things remain. Our friend Arthur is right in knowing that after one tradition is done for the year, another one is coming: once Halloween is over, he says, “Gobble gobble!” Then, “Santa Claus is coming!” With all the volunteers and community members working to make these special events happen, there's always something to look forward to in Del Ray.