Gardening | Welcome to North Woodside

**Sights to See: Natural Wonders**, e.g. “The Niagara of North Woodside,” viewable whenever the sky really unleashes.

Want to know where some famous people grew up? Which house still has an old horse hitch and well in back? Where the hidden stream flows? Where to find some delicious guava, mango, or soursop ice cream on a hot and sultry day?

Discover the humble wonders of our very own neighborhood in The Staycationer’s Guide to North Woodside. Written and organized like a tourist guide book—Sights to See (Natural Wonders, Historical Sites, Botanical Gardens), Things to Do, Where to Eat, and How to Get Around—the guide’s 27 pages contain almost 60 things* to see and do around the neighborhood—something for all ages and staycation inclinations!

**How to Get Around: By bike!** Need a tune up? Contact Freewheeling Bike Tune-Ups, a free service of North Woodside resident Manuel Vera.

The guide was a fun little summer pandemic project a couple years ago for North Woodside resident Anna White. This summer it may be of particular interest to any new neighbors wishing to get to know their new home better, anyone who’s had their vacation plans scuttled by airline cancellations or Covid, and parents and caregivers of young children looking for ideas for simple, fun, and creative activities to pass away downtime.

North Woodside residents and NWCA members who are subscribed to the neighborhood listserv can access the guide in the listserv’s online file section (Click on the “Fun” folder). A digital or hard copy can also be requested by sending an email to the NWCA Communications Coordinator.

**Enjoy the Local Art Scene:** Check out the painted stones around the neighborhood!

Thanks again to all the neighbors who provided information for the guide! If after skimming through it you’d like to suggest additional North Woodside-related history, places, things, or activities to include in an updated version, please do!

For a few more things to do and see listed in The Staycationer’s Guide to North Woodside, see below.

* Note: A few listings in the guide are now out-of-date. Likewise, there are a number of brand new neighborhood sights to see and things to do that are not listed and may be included in a future revised version.

**Things to Do: Peruse Used Books**. Visit one of the four little libraries in North Woodside. Above: Children read books found in the Philip F. Welsh Memorial Library.

**Participate in the Local Art Scene: Color in a North Woodside Coloring Page**. Neighborhood resident Barry Galef created one for each of 12 neighborhood scavenger hunts that took place Spring 2020. The one above was for the Scavenger Hunt #1 (One-of-a-Kind Decorations).

**Sights to See: Historical Sites**, e.g. Houses That Mirror the History of Residential Architecture. Can you find the above Sears Kit House?

**Sights to See: Botanical Gardens.** There are many small and beautiful gardens to be found in North Woodside through the seasons.

**Places to Eat: Tropics Ice Cream.** The best tropical ice cream around!

North Woodside now has a gardening interest group! You might ask, why create a group now, months before the next growing season? Well, I say why not? In the midst of winter, why not get our imaginations and our green thumbs itching to grow prize-winning tomatoes! Or find out why a particular crop (e.g., my potatoes) had a low yield last year? The North Woodside Gardening group exists so that all gardeners (novice and experts) can learn, share ideas, get advice, and (most importantly) grow relationships within the community.

Who can join? Anyone on the NWCA listserv who is interested in gardening is welcome! Our gardens appear as various types, planted in the ground or in pots or planters. Some may grow plants for fundraising, as a hobby, or for food. Some might be interested in the naturalistic approach by planting native flora and herbs to attract butterflies and birds. If this sounds like something you are interested in, please go to the NWCA subgroup and follow directions to subscribe.

— Glenn Santos