My garden has always been my haven. If I'm feeling down, I'll go out and weed or dead head my flowers, or just listen to the buzzing of the bees. It is very peaceful. Since it is on the side of my house, I see my neighbors walking by with their dogs. I say "hi" to the ones I know. There are very few cars; the roads leading into our neighborhood don't connect anywhere, so no one else travels them.
That was until last week. The neighbors have been fighting a construction project for about 10 years. The area was conservation land, donated in a will. The 4H club had control over it and had a little petting farm there. But they got into debt and had to sell it. The town bought it, so they could control what got built there.
The neighbors wanted to have housing like what is here now (houses are in woods, with about 1/2 acre for each home). To pay the town back we would only have to build about six to ten houses. The selectmen were pushing for a large nursing home. Technically nothing should have gone in there because the only access to the spot broke a town ordinance about frontage for a road, but politics being what it was, they ignored the neighbors desires and pushed through the special permit for the road. The legal wrangling took a long time, but about two years ago, the neighbors and Salter (developer) came to an agreement. They would make it an assisted living home and only have 88 units.
The construction started two weeks ago and the location of the new road? Well it is right across the street from my garden (you can see the equipment and port-a-potty in the photo). My sense of peace in the garden is gone. They start about the same time I go out into my garden every morning - 7am. I was out one afternoon picking some herbs for my meal and I felt like they were all staring at me, because they do, at least if I spend more than one minute in the garden. Arrgggg. I want my garden back. I can't wait until their little road is done so at least all the people will be down below the hill.
My friend and neighbor across the street (right next to the new road) says she won't go into her yard now. She used to spend lots of time during summer slowly making a labyrinth in her back yard. Not anymore. She is staying indoors for the duration.
I hope it gets peaceful for you soon. A port-a-potty is not a pleasant view for a garden.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry. That must be very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI'm truly sorry Daphne. I have had to garden under not so ideal circumstances in the past so I know first hand what you are going through. When the garden is your solace you feel lost without it. I hope this disruption is only temporary.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, I just hope it doesn't take too long for peace to return to your garden and the neighbourhood!
ReplyDeleteThanks all. I hope it doesn't last long either. I have no idea how long a road takes to build though. I know they are going to be bringing in a lot of fill though. The hill is too steep for a road right now so they have to raise it.
ReplyDeleteThe noise would certainly make for not very peaceful conditons. But hopefully an assisted living facility is better than something more commercial. Gardening in a very urban setting, I've had to get used to the neighbors watching me when I'm out in the garden. And people walking by on the sidewalk always stop and stare because they just aren't used to seeing a veggie garden in the city.
ReplyDelete--Curmudgeon