Neighborful Station

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Episode 42: Hedges, Part 1

Original air date: 14 Mar 2026. A warm and welcoming day greets you as you step out of your house and onto your porch, on your way down the block to your neighbor Edwin’s house. There, several of his friends from the Railroad Club have organized a cleanup of

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Episode 41: Railroad Club

Original air date: 7 Mar 2026. You are walking down College Avenue on this sunny late winter morning, and you feel the very first stirrings of spring in the air around you. The chorus of birdsong has been growing louder and more complex with each passing week. You see the

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Episode 40: Cavern Pool

Original air date: 28 Feb 2026. On the last Saturday in February, you walk into the Natatorium at Lucretia Mott College to go winter swimming. The cavern pool is open every Saturday all winter to the entire town, for free. The humid smell of chlorine greets you immediately as you

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Episode 39: Sock Hop

You are walking over to the Care Center on the evening of Valentine’s Day, to serve as a chaperone for the Sock Hop taking place tonight. You notice that there is still light in the sky, even after 6:00, and you hear many more birds than just a

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Episode 38: Snow Day

You are getting ready for an early bedtime, as a snowstorm settles into the Neighborful Valley. You wash your face and brush your teeth, tasting the sharp mint of your toothpaste. You dry your hands and shuffle back into your bedroom, your feet warm and cozy inside your fleece slippers.

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Episode 37: Winter Picnic

You step out on your porch in the brilliant late morning light of a sunny winter day. All around you, neighbors are dragging their patio furniture off their porches and out of storage, into the street, which is closed to traffic. Today is the first block party of the year

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Episode 36: Claire's Birthday

You are crossing the river on the College Avenue bridge on a snowy Saturday afternoon, heading to Chris and Emily’s house, for Claire’s first birthday party. Giant flakes are falling slowly from the gray sky, laying a frosty blanket over the town. The last stragglers from the weekly

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Episode 35: Chili Bowls

After a few days of milder weather, winter has returned to Neighborful Station, with a deep chill from Canada arriving on the northwest wind. You step off the tram in front of Rustin Middle School just before sunset, on your way to Chili Bowls, a town-wide dinner hosted by the

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Episode 34: Unresolved

This January weekend arrives in Neighborful Station with gray skies and steady rain, and a temporary reprieve from the cold that has dominated the winter so far. You are sitting in Cafe Frances at the Union Hall with one of the Jessicas, who has invited you to join her for

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Episode 33: Jolabokaflod

On the afternoon of Christmas Eve, you and your Mom are on the tram heading back to your house from the train station in town. She has just arrived to spend the holiday with you. The tram is decorated inside with intricate paper cut snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, swaying

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Episode 32: Parade of Lights

You are standing on the corner of College Avenue and Stevens Lane, across from Johann’s Pizza. All around you, neighbors are gathering beneath the night sky for Neighborful Station’s annual Parade of Lights, which takes place in the days before the winter solstice. You are wearing a reflective

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Episode 31: Reunion

This is a crossover episode with The Stick, a memoir blog written by Frank Walter. To learn more about Ian and the start of his visit to Neighborful Station, read the post Old Friends. ☺️ You are walking up to Johann’s Pizza on a brisk December afternoon, to pick up

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Episode 30: Holiday Swap

On this damp and breezy November day, you are cozy under the covers, reading a book as you enjoy a slow morning in bed. You have a cup of chamomile tea with a bit of honey steeping on the nightstand next to you, and your comforter is gathered around your

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Episode 29: Founders' Day

Today is the 150th anniversary of the founding of Neighborful Station. You are standing on an empty stage, set up at the foot of College Avenue. There will be a dedication ceremony for the gigantic mural covering the street, telling the history of the town, from here all the way

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Episode 28: Yard Signs

You are walking through a gentle November rain with your neighbor Grace, who is pulling her family’s careworn red wagon with wooden side panels. The two of you are gathering political yard signs from the houses on your block. Election Day has come and gone this past Tuesday, and

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Episode 27: American Chestnut

You are hiking on the Ridgeline Trail, along with Darryl and Kerri, who work together at the Land Trust. They have invited you along for a visit to a rare American Chestnut tree, which lives in the rugged forest on the very edge of town. As the three of you

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Episode 26: Tunnel Treats

You are walking down your street on this last weekend in October, heading for College Avenue to take part in the Tunnel Treats Halloween celebration. Jayda and DeAndre have requested that you wear an animal costume, so you are dressed up as a giraffe. There is a gorgeous light show

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Episode 25: Homecoming

You are standing in the bleachers at Thaddeus Stevens High School, where the Neighborful Station girls’ varsity soccer team is playing their Homecoming game. The opponents tonight hail from the town of Aberlin, on the other side of the county. Your neighbor Olivia is playing in the game, as the

Episode 24: Canadian Friendsgiving

Saturday evening in Neighborful Station, You are about to head out the door to the baked potato buffet along with your Mom, who is visiting with you for the weekend. The two of you have made mushroom cornbread stuffing, at the request of Grace, who usually does not ask anything

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Episode 23: Harvest Festival

You are standing outside the Union Hall on this first weekend in October, taking in the sights of the Harvest Festival kicking off all around you. There is a communal cider press happening on College Avenue, which has been closed to car traffic for the weekend. People from all over

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Greenhouses and Gardens

You are sitting in the Greenhouse District, with the weekly farmer’s market in full swing around you, as a gentle rain falls on Neighborful Station. You are meeting Kerri from the Land Trust for your promised tour of the greenhouses, and you have arrived a few minutes early. You

Welcome!

Hello, You - Neighborful Station is a story-based meditation podcast, set in a fictional small town in Pennsylvania. Every Saturday, we tell a 10-minute story from a small town that's big enough for all of us. You can listen to our show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or whatever

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Episode 21: House Call

You wake up on a brilliant September morning, feeling a little tickle in the back of your throat. You swing your legs over the side of the bed and plant your bare feet on the small and fuzzy area rug on the floor, feeling its softness beneath your toes. You

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Episode 20: Bike Bus

On this clear Saturday morning, you are walking from your house to visit your new neighbors, who are moving in today a few doors down from you. As you approach their house, with a few stray bookcases standing in the yard, you remember back to when Grace first visited you,

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Episode 19: Johann's Pizza

School is back in session in Neighborful Station, from the preschool up to the college. You have been spending some late nights at work, helping out with activity fairs and first year orientation. Tonight, it is already after dark when you are leaving your office. You pause at the front