Simple Pleasures – A Nice Country Neighborhood

My wife and I live in what used to be a rural area about twenty miles west of Austin. However, the explosive growth of Austin now is shooting out in all directions and is wrapping around our little pocket of the old and simple way rural neighborhood developments had been done. This little area is around 145 acres, with one way in and out, and while each lot is a minimum of one acre that was unusual in the beginning. There still are quite a few homes on three to six acres, even though (as one might think these days) some landowners have subdivided their plots. At any rate, we now have around fifty-five homes, with the average a bit under three acres per homesite.

One nice feature is Bear Creek, which is the basis for the name of our neighborhood: Bear Creek Pass. The fairly significant creek meanders through and within the neighborhood, as well as a nice tributary creek, called Cub Creek (get it?). Cub Creek runs perhaps half the time, depending on rainfall, while Bear Creek is rarely dry, but that does happen at times. The only road in and out includes a low water crossing, which is picturesque and "cool." A small dam, perhaps three feet high forms a teensy lake on one side where Bear Creek Pass traverses the creek, yet Bear Creek overflows the dam most of the time. We have waterfowl including traveling birds that resemble small crane-like creatures. I'm sure that's not the correct term, but they sure are interesting. There have been times when it was impossible to get across a flooded Bear Creek, but those are extremely rare and I suppose in a live-threatening situation, a helicopter rescue would be feasible.

We moved here in the spring of 1984, and my wife and I used to know virtually everyone - at least a little - but no longer. Some of the old timers have passed away or retired into "senior living" arrangements. In fact, without a thorough fact-check, we now might be the oldest (I prefer the term longest-term) residents. The neighborhood has a nice low-key but effective committee to handle the few matters that come up. One nice feature of the original "rules and regulations" of the 'hood was a very short and simple set of "requirements." These included that homes must be at least one-half made of brick or stone. Oh yes, also no pigs or swine allowed, so that rules out any rush for pig farming I suppose. Other than that, it's pretty much live and let live. We could live with both of those easily. In fact, my ham radio hobby thus could include one or more towers, and that is not a trivial allowance. Other neighbors have similar "needs" in various areas. So, we live and let live.

No Comments Yet.

Leave a comment