Mary Kinstler & Tina Espinosa: Neighbors with Heart

The People Next Door
They say that good walls make good neighbors, but Karen Rossi would beg to differ. In a world where great neighbors are hard to come by, she has found herself doubly blessed. When she moved into her first home in Meriden, CT, Karen found many new experiences awaiting her. Home-ownership proved to be both a challenge and an adventure, as it was something that neither she nor her fiancé, Greg, had tackled before. Having always been content to live in apartments and condos, they were surprised by many of the ins and outs of a new home. However, one of the most unexpected surprises turned out to be the neighbors that they moved in next to. Mary Kinstler and Tina Espinosa soon defied all the common misconceptions of neighbors. Never content with the simple wave or courteous nod that so many neighbors limit themselves to, Tina and Mary were willing and ready to lend a hand whenever one was needed.

Hidden Treasures
Karen and Greg moved to Beaver Lake not knowing quite what they were getting themselves into. As they began to work on the house and yard, the simple fixer-upper jobs quickly turned into major projects. An addition was put on the house, and some extreme landscaping became a necessity when the front lawn began to erode away. Tina admits that the most shocking change, however, was the hot tub that Karen and Greg placed on their roof. Karen herself is quick to point out that, "it looked a lot worse before it started to look better." But, through it all, their faithful neighbors were supportive, encouraging, and patient. They were there to lend their time and talents, as well as their power washers and snow blowers. Lessons on birds, plants, and furnaces were always delivered with genuine smiles. When asked about her neighbors, "hidden treasures" are the words that Karen uses to describe these two generous women.

Nature Queen
On one side of Karen's driveway lives Mary Kinstler, a bird-lover and master gardener who Karen likens to Mary Poppins herself. Her life, her spirit, and her home encompass the best things that nature has to offer. Herbs fill Mary's kitchen with their luscious scents and add their fresh, unique flavor to many of the dishes that she cooks. Plants grow lavishly throughout her entire property. Birds find year-round solace in her backyard, for they have been assured, season upon season, that the feeders will never run empty. Although she points out several types as usual customers at her feeders (finches, cardinals, and woodpeckers), she is quick to note that "every other kind of bird you could think of" has been spotted in her yard. And, she certainly has had some special feathered guests over the years. At one time, there was a white dove that became a familiar visitor. This particular bird was especially tame, and Mary and her husband could always get quite close to it. Sadly, it was this lack of fear that probably caused its death. One day Mary watched as a hawk attacked that beautiful little bird. The peacock, however, was probably the most unusual bird to find its way into the neighborhood. One day, Mary looked out her window to see the colorful bird strutting across the lawn. While each of these creatures holds a special place in Mary's heart, she seems to have a special affinity for the little, yellow finches who are always finding their way into her yard. In fact, she's blessed them with their own finch feeder, just to ensure that these little guys get their fill.

Born to Garden
Having been raised on a farm, Mary was instilled at a young age with her appreciation for plants, flowers, and animals of all kinds. Her life has always been filled with such things. Cats and dogs were tag-along friends, and gardening was a love that sprang from the childhood lessons of growing and cultivating plants. Gardening has provided an oasis of sorts over the years. "You get off in another world when you are out in nature," she says. It's a lifestyle for her, one that she probably doesn't even really think about. It's just how life has always been and how it probably always will be. Even when leaving the farm to begin married life with her husband, Raymond, she remained in a setting surrounded by nature. After some time, they moved into the home that his mom and stepfather had built in Meriden, and she found herself in yet another nature-lover's paradise. Just yards away from her front door lay Beaver Lake, a beautiful little pond that was home to wild ducks and served as a popular swimming hole. At the back of the lot, there was an orchard where apples grew plentifully and cows were a regular sighting. Back then, the neighborhood was much different than it is today. Depths of trees lined both sides of the street, and hardly any other houses were within view.

Everything Changes
Over the years, Mary has watched the wave of development sweep across her neighborhood. The orchard was replaced with houses, as the desire for living space began to outweigh the beauty for a natural setting. The pond lost its ability to serve as a swimming spot, when a local factory found it the ideal spot for dumping hazardous waste. And the street itself, once lined with nothing but trees, finds itself now lined with homes, trod upon by countless dogs, and scampered across by children who grow up too quickly and soon move away. And yet, despite all of the changes that have occurred since she first moved into that home, Mary finds herself quite content. A loving community surrounds her. Although it's not quite as quiet as it once may have been, the squeals of little voices and the barks of the neighbors' dogs bring joy and energy to the little neighborhood by Beaver Lake.

Neighbors Abound
Two of the voices that are often heard outside of Mary's windows are those of Veronica and Valerie Espinosa, Tina's daughters. Often finding their way to her front door, the girls adore Mary. She never fails to welcome them with open arms, and in good neighborly style, she always provides them with some sort of treat or snack. Tina calls her "an unbelievable lady," and it's clear that the bonds between these neighbors are strong and long lasting. Tina and her husband, Tabare, first met Mary when they moved into the Beaver Lake neighborhood over ten years ago. One could easily think that it was the pond itself that drew the young newlyweds to this area, but if truth be told, it was actually the big bow windows that first attracted them to the house. Once they saw it, however, everything about the home made them fall in love with it. According to Tina, the "great location, beautiful view, nice quiet neighborhood" were all selling points that helped to draw them to Beaver Lake. The Espinosa family truly helps to round out the unique trio of neighbors. While Karen and Greg remain the career-oriented couple and Mary makes up the retired segment of the group, the Espinosas are the young family in this little cluster. It all melds quite well, with each person adding that special something to the mix.

A Common Bond
Despite the obvious differences that exist between these three households, they all share more than one common bond. The biggest, however, is probably their mutual love for the pond that lies just beyond their front yards. Each finds inspiration from this quiet, peaceful setting. The Espinosas take pleasure in watching the pond as it adapts to the changing seasons. No matter what time of year it is, they never fail to find some way to admire the splendor or enjoy the fun that the pond provides. With spring always comes the beauty new life, as the families of swans and turtles show off their new little babies. The turtles have even come to lay their eggs right below Tina's bow window. Summer brings with it paddleboat rides across the lake, which the whole family (including their two miniature poodles) take part in. Autumn means a lot of work but also a fair share of fun, as the Espinosas tackle the task of raking leaves. It usually takes at least 50 or 60 trips of loading the tarp before the job is done. But, the girls and the dogs always have a ball when they find the huge leaf piles that are just perfect for jumping into. Winter rounds out the joy of the year as the lake freezes over and makes it the perfect spot for skating and ice fishing.

A Dream Come True
The beauty of the lake is something that this young family has especially enjoyed over the past few years, while Tina has taken time off to raise the girls. However, recently, Tina decided that it was time to get back into the working world. She and Tabare felt that perhaps this was the right moment to take a leap of faith and attempt something they had dreamed of for years: running their own business. When they stumbled upon the perfect location in August of last year, they knew that this was their chance to give it a go. Cristina's Consignment World opened in October and has been growing in popularity ever since. This shop in Farmington, CT has proven to be quite the success, with a growing band of followers who know that, when searching for the best deals, they need to look no further than Tina's boutique. Throughout the entire process, Karen found Tina's determination extremely inspiring. Always encouraging of new businesses, Karen was happy to offer business advice and help with press releases.

Growing Friends
After record amounts of snow fell last winter, Karen found that her "neighbor sightings" were becoming more and more rare. It seems that the only times she caught sight of Mary and Tina were between the falling flakes or as she watched them plow and shovel away the growing mounds of snow. And so, as spring is finally finding its way toward New England, Karen is anxiously awaiting more opportunities to see her neighbors. She anticipates sharing plant and gardening tips or stopping to chat while out tending to their lawns. It seems clear that the warmer weather will not only be helpful in growing plants, but in growing friendships as well. In their little enclave of three houses, it seems that the one common driveway isn't the only thing that these neighbors share. As they swap stories, laughs, and advice, Karen, Mary, and Tina prove that sometimes you need to look no further than your own backyard to find true inspiration and friendship.