The title of this post is the question I kept asking myself while walking along the streets nearby the hospital where our daughter recuperates. Charming. Quaint. Throwback. All are appropriate. Many of the houses are older, with bountiful yards teaming with plants, trees, and wildlife (mostly birds and butterflies). The smells and sounds are so idyllic.
I saw nothing but single-family homes, at a time when across San Diego County so-called Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) pop up in backyards faster than and as abundantly as mushrooms after the rain. Buildings are leveled to make way for multi-resident housing. Renovations turn homes with character into caricatures.
But in a neighborhood where streets have no sidewalks and barely blacktop, none of the ruinous redevelopment is evident. Most homes are one story, and some two. Trees tower, rather than structures, adding much to the overall ambiance.
The Featured Image captures some of what delights: simple living stripped of the chaos. In my neighborhood, cultural clashes are everywhere, often manifested in symbols with political undertones, like Black Live Matters signs, rainbow banners, and United States flags. On some streets, values wars play out in what residents display on doors, in windows, and upon yards. I saw none of these things today. Not one.
I used Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to make the moment. Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 10, 1/320 sec, 23mm (film equivalent); 12:55 p.m. PDT.