Neighborhood children flock to join couple as they watch TV

By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

The 300 block of Elm St. has become the setting of a modern Rockwell most summer evenings.

Kathy Biswell and Bruce Davidson sit on their porch most summer evenings with neighborhood children watching their 32-inch television and enjoying the outdoors.

“I did this last year because every kid in the neighborhood was over here,” Biswell said. “When Bruce moved in last year, he was shocked by the number of kids.”

The couple doesn’t have as many visitors on their porch as last year because some neighbors moved away, but it’s good for parents to know their children are safe and out of trouble, Biswell said.

“I would come home sometimes and kids were swinging on the porch,” she said. “It’s a great porch and that’s part of why I bought the house.”

That neighborly bond isn’t limited to one house, Davidson said. Other neighbors are more inclined to say, “Hello.”

“We just like spending time outside,” he said. “When you think about doing something and see someone else doing it, it invites you to say, ‘That looks fun.’ ”

Sometimes spending time outside is more about connecting with nature than with neighbors, Davidson said.

“I come out here in the mornings and drink coffee,” he said. “You can hear the day wake up. There’s the birds and the sunshine.”

Having so much time on the porch motivates Davidson to water plants and keep the space in top condition because of their surroundings.

“It’s a nice neighborhood,” he said. “You want to keep things nice.”