Tuesday 4: Your New Town

This is a dream-time meme for today...thinking about a town of my dreams. So why not dream along with me?

Your New Town

Welcome to Tuesday 4 begun by Toni Taddeo and kept up in her memory. We are so glad to have you joining in! You can make your post as elaborate or as simple as you wish. The object really is to share with others.

This week let us talk about a new town/city/village that you are going to create. It is brand new.

1. You are establishing a new community. Where will it be located? What will the surroundings be like? Describe the environment and the weather which you get to create.

Although I am thankful to currently be living in north central Florida, where we do not have extreme weather too often (except for the high heat in summer), my new town will be in a part of the country where we get more of the four seasons, but with a mild winter...just enough to enjoy perhaps a little snow for the holidays, but no extreme or extended freezing/blizzard type weather. Spring will be beautiful, with all manner of blooming trees and flowers, and summer will be warm enough to enjoy swimming and boating and gardening, but no extreme high heat or humidity. Autumn will be gloriously colorful, with crisp, cold air, apple orchards and pumpkin patches, hiking trails and places to explore. This idyllic town will be in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, probably somewhere in north Georgia or south western North Carolina or southeastern Tennessee.

2. You are in charge of naming this new town. What will you call it and is it a town, village , city? Is it country, suburb or city? I am still debating in my mind what to name my new little town, and yes, it is a town, with a village like atmosphere. It would be considered more rural than city or suburb, but the closest larger city would be within 15 or 20 miles.  I will give the name of this town at the end of my post, because I am still thinking about it as I write.

3. What features will your new town have? Library? parks? restaurants? Rural or metropolitan area?

Oh, my new town will definitely have a public library, well stocked with wonderful books, and yes, there will be parks in every direction, with a central park on the town square, complete with a gazebo for summer and fall community actitivities like concerts and festivals. There will be parks for children to enjoy, and also most likely there will be some kind of a public beach or waterfront with a place for family picnics and swimming and/or canoeing/kayaking in season. There will also be hiking trails around the community. 

As far as restaurants go, there will be delightful little cafe's on the town square, a bakery and a tea room, a pizza parlor, and other small home town and locally owned diners and restaurants to enjoy a variety of kinds of food. However, there will not be any franchised type of restaurants...and no "fast food" places, except for what is created and owned by the local people. There will be a locally owned grocery store that is well stocked with fresh vegetables and fruits and really good meats, and a really good deli/bakery.   This town will be developed with a town square with the City Hall or County courthouse in the center of the square, and businesses will be located all around the square and within walking distance.  There will be interesting gift shops with items created by local artisans and craftsmen. Our new little town will encourage entrepreneurship, and each store will be uniquely designed and owned and operated by the local people. Oh, there will also be an old fashioned Drug and Five and Dime Store with a Soda Fountain, where you can sit at the counter and get an ice-cream soda or sundae, or your favorite soda fountain drink with hamburger and fries or a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch, while you wait for your prescription to be filled,  

Our town is very friendly and welcoming, and you will find an atmosphere of people who are happy to live and work and thrive in this community.  There are wonderful churches and civic groups who are actively involved in the daily workings of this little town, making it a peaceful and happy place to live. Of course there is a local Police Department and Fire Department, and these home-town "heroes" help keep the community safe and secure. There is also a small community hospital for the more routine medical needs and emergencies, but the larger county hospital will be in the next city about 15 miles away.

Oh, I almost forgot...Our town will have an old historic Train Depot and there will be train rides available through the countryside and mountains and also to the Apple Orchards in the fall, and also a special Christmas train ride in December.  Also, the town will always be decorated for Christmas throughout the holiday season and there will be caroling on the square and other fun and meaningful Christmas activities throughout the month of December. There will also be a live Nativity Scene nightly on the square, with live animals and people.  The true meaning of Christmas will be celebrated along with a Christmas Parade with Santa.  

4. Your new town has a high school and it is your job to name it. What name do you give it? 

Well, I guess the high school will be named after the town name, and the school mascot will be something indicative of the local wildlife.  Since our town is in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, I'm thinking the mascot will probably be the Bears.  I am still debating on the name of the town, but it's going to be something like Mountain Laurel, named for the beautiful mountain laurels that bloom in the spring all around the area.  

Internet Photo of Mountain Laurels blooming

Mountain Laurel flowers information.

Okay, that's my town! Now let's go see what others are dreaming up today, shall we?  Click here to join the fun.