What is so attractive about a small town like Ashfield in the middle of the twentieth century? It's hard to define, because there's no one thing, but lots of little things.
To begin with, there's the town, a post-card picture nestled in the heart of the Berkshires. It's the town hall with its Wrenn-inspired steeple. It's the two churches, still pristine and white, still vibrant and active. It's the hills and valleys, and Ashfield Lake, where we swam and fished.
But it's also people who share a genuine concern for one another. It's people who really care and who are unafraid to reach out and help one another. It's old folks sharing values and relevant history. It's Moms and Dad's struggling to balance earning a living with caring for youngsters. It's bright-eyed children, full of promise, each one an affirmation of God's hope for all of us.
Author Bob Bates introduces us to these people in a series of light, lively and often comical vignettes, painting an honest picture of Ashfield in the 1940s and 1950s, when things were simpler but the problems were no less relevant