Cul-de-Sac Dining
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Rev. Leah Quarles
I admit I’ve had a challenging transition to live in Arizona. While having grown up in very different areas in Pennsylvania, we were still used to more social neighborhoods. I grew up in a neighborhood where it was uncommon to see a fence in the backyard with exception of around a pool which was required by the township. We’d run through backyards to get to and from our friends' homes and visit neighbors when they were outside too.
Justin on the other hand, was used to a more city type neighborhood but still, fences were not taller than your chest and they were typically chain link so you could see and talk to your neighbors. Front porch hangs are common. Kids and elders alike relax on the front stoop, play music and catch up with neighbors.
When we moved to Arizona everything felt so quiet and neighborhood life, even with full-time neighbors felt isolating. Our backyards, while so close to each other, are closed off with cement and cinder block walls so you can’t see through or over. Most people drive up and into their garage without spending even a minute outside.
Having hosted friendsgiving on our front porch at our condo and many meals with family, friends and neighbors–this wasn’t what we imagined life would be like once we finally bought our first home. So we decided we would do things to try and change our cul-de-sac living.
First thing Justin did was buy a basketball net and place it right in the cul-de-sac. His logic was that both kids and adults will want to come play and we can all share it. I started dropping off citrus from our trees and we started eating on our front porch again (when it’s not 120 degrees). It has the better view of Four Peaks anyway. And then I decided I would just text our neighbors and tell them that an upcoming Friday night would be a cul-de-sac dinner.
I texted BYOB&S (Bring your own bowl and spoon). I made two crockpots of chili, pulled all the patio and dining furniture we had into the street and decorated Justin’s pick up truck bed with table clothes and strung twinkle lights from his ladder rack for the buffet. Before I knew it we had 10 adults and 5 kids all enjoying dinner together in the street.
Slowly but surely over the last 2.5 years we’ve started to get to know our neighbors more and more. It’s common now to see families playing basketball together or inviting each other to the playground. This Christmas, I hosted our neighbors for dinner and they gave us the best compliment we could have asked for: “You guys are the glue for our cul-de-sac.”
I’m a firm believer that if we want to make a difference in the world – it starts at home. Of course with our families but it extends to our neighbors. What a great way to show others we serve a Savior who tells us to go and love our neighbors.