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Sometimes, suburban life kicks ass. My parents' neighborhood association holds a "Yard of the Week" competition every summer. Actually, it's not a competion - it's a recognition. So they say. Anyway, every Saturday, a new yard is selected as Yard of the Week, based on criteria such as green grass, nice flowers, few brown spots, no weeds in the flower beds or grass growing up through the sidewalk, and most importantly, no basketball hoop in the driveway (part of the neighborhood covenant). That's a picture of my dad, being weird as usual, after his yard was recognized as Yard of the Week in 2003. Notice the lovely even greenness, as well as the delightful color of the beds.
I happen to know this year's Yard of the Week judge, so last night I went for a tour of the neighborhood to help select YOTW. Let me tell you, there are a lot of subtleties involved - it's sort of like a wine tasting. Color is good, as long as that color isn't brown. Small weeds in the flower beds are bad. Side yards aren't judged, but if they could detract from the overall aesthetic of the yard, one should take some care with those as well.
At the end of the day, a lovely yard was selected, and the judge had to get up at 5:30 AM in the pouring rain to take the sign out of last week's yard and move it to this week's yard. It's a stealthy process that brings the community together... and isn't that what neighborhoods are supposed to be about?
Yard of the Week: B+.
4 comments:
I was in Edmond a few weeks ago and helped the yard of the week judge make his rounds as he searched for that week's winner. Wow. It was pretty intense. We had to drive around the neighborhood for half an hour, acting all nonchalant as we cased the subdivision like a couple of cat burglars in a pearl white SUV. Honestly, it was really fun. I felt honored to help select the winner (and really, it IS a competition.) I know that there are some people in the neighborhood who are opposed to the whole YOTW idea, but seriously, if you move out to the suburbs to an area where they have neighborhood associations, what do you expect? Cut your grass, pull your weeds, and shut the eff up...Yard of the Week is good for everybody.
Um...seriously...Amanda....YOTW. It can even just go by letters? And why hasnt your mom and dad had any recognition for their yard since 2003? Or have they and its just not documented? Or are they slackers? Um...I dont know what to say about yard of the week. Yes, yes I do-thats a lie. I think its strange. But i love you and your family just the same. But really...strange. I picture some guy with nothing to do except take care of his lawn. Then he gets insanely upset when the day before judgment a brown splotch appears on his lawn. At the moment he realizes...he may have lost "yard of the year". What to do?
Okay. I should totally start Yard of the Week in my trailer park! That would be something spectacular.
Never you fear, DustyJames - we recieved YOTW in 2004 as well.
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