When it's minus 10 Fahrenheit and snow drifts pile up outside your door, you find yourself reaching back to try and find any memories that might convince you that summer actually is coming. Each memory is scrutinized for authenticity, examined and cross examined. Surely there are warmer days to come.

This photograph is one such memory. I've had this photograph sitting on my desk. These are the kids next door.

Sure they ripped off the window screens and broke into the house (for the cookies). Sure they pick the garden flowers. Sure the other neighbors eye them suspiciously when the ride by on the broken down, rusty bicycles. It doesn't matter: they are our neighbor kids and we love them. It wouldn't be the neighborhood without them.

They are the reason that we learn how to hang window screens. They propel us to think leafy colorful coleus instead of flowering clematis. They make us want to set good examples for when the ground thaws, school is out, and once again the boys and girls of summer go roaming the neighborhood.