Beautification with a huge B

This evening, at a pleasant gathering of the community organization whose board I am rejoining, I warned them all that my first crusade would be to bring back hanging baskets to our neighborhood. Last summer, it seemed many other block clubs and business groups were able to maintain beautiful baskets all summer long. So I just don't see why we can't. "But we have to keep them watered," they said. "Yes," I replied. "I think it can be done."

To be honest, it is a big pain in the ass to maintain baskets, but I think it's worthwhile. And to be fair, there are a few other beautification chores we usually don't have—such as reforesting Allen Street and the adjacent green spaces. We also have a little pocket park we started and never finished. Nonetheless, it will be fun doing neighborhood beautification again.