My wife, Maureen, and I bought our house in Tara-Leeway Heights 20 years ago last summer. The neighborhood was filled with mature oaks back then, and the limbs formed a vibrant green canopy over portions of our street. With a toddler and an infant, we were a bit concerned about the lack of sidewalks, but our block felt more like a quiet country lane than a busy suburban street.
After a year or so, I casually wondered aloud to one of the elder statesmen on our street why we didn’t have sidewalks. He informed me that someone had tried and failed to get the requisite support of the neighbors. He also shared that the process would take years and then warned, somewhat ominously, that I’d make enemies if I pushed for it. I had a lot on my plate with a busy job and little kids, so I dropped the idea.
Given that sidewalks are, well, a given in many communities, we decided to explore why so many of our streets in Arlington don’t have them, why they often seem to start and stop, and what’s required of residents to get one on their block. Unless you’ve been through the process or know someone who has, I think you’ll be surprised by the amount of time, effort and hassle it requires.
A few springs ago, we hosted our daughter Katherine’s pre-prom gathering in our backyard. Parents were invited. One of the dads, who had earned his Master Gardner certificate, remarked that we had done a pretty good job introducing native plants, but that we had a few shrubs that ought to go, including two large nandinas. Their bright red berries, while beautiful, are highly toxic to birds, yet you see them all over Northern Virginia. Wait, what? We love birds. That’s why 59 million of us feed them and spend $4 billion on bird seed each year, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The choices we make in our yards can help—or hurt—the avian population.
In this issue, writer Amy Brecount White details how we can turn our yards into havens for birds. You can do it over time by making incremental changes. However, given that the U.S. has lost an estimated 25% of its bird population since the 1970s, it seems like we should try and do our part.
Speaking of flight, you may notice a change in our Get Away travel column. Up until now, we’ve kept it focused on locations within driving distance for an easy escape. But with the launch of new carriers and the big airlines offering seasonal deals, we decided to extend Get Away’s reach. Our new travel columnist, Tim Ebner, outlines a quick spring skiing trip to Vail and Beaver Creek, with tips on dining, lodging and other fun.
I hope you enjoy our March/April Home & Real Estate issue. As always, thank you for being a reader or an advertiser. We can’t publish the magazine without you. If you are not a subscriber, please consider becoming one. Visit ArlingtonMagazine.com and use the code HAD326 for a discount. You also will find terrific content on our website that isn’t published in the magazine. If you like what you see, sign up for our free email newsletter. As always, I can be reached at greg.hamilton@arlingtonmagazine.com. Feel free to reach out.
Greg Hamilton, Publisher