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Saturday, September 20, 2014

Be Careful What You Wish For

My neighbor drives me nuts.  

He plays his music at an outrageous volume; in winter I can hear it through closed windows and hefty snow banks.  In summer, he floods my yard with noise.  We have to speak loudly on our own deck to have a conversation.  

I cherish music, and wouldn't mind sharing his tastes, if I could hear anything but the bass. He must love bass; it overpowers the words, the melody, everything.  I can feel the thumps reverberating in my skull and down my spine.

But, he does have a beautiful yard, and it is a pleasure to walk by his gardens.

I complained to a friend about the pounding sound pollution and voiced the wish that he would move. She cautioned me to be careful what I wished for.  And she was correct.

The neighbor sold his home and there are new folks living in the noisy house with the gorgeous yard.  All is quiet now, feels peaceful, except for last week.  The new neighbor went out to his yard with some friends and together they began ripping at his trees with a hand saw and trimmers.



What a heartache to watch him cut down a saucer magnolia.  Does he know how challenging they are to grow in our climate zone?  Does he know how inspiring it is to see a twenty-foot tree full of pink and cream blossoms; blossoms shaped like cups and saucers pouring out spring?  

Of course, all of this is none of my business.  I know that.  A neighborhood is really a village of people who need to respect and tolerate each other, so I will, and I do.

Still, how can anyone cut down a tree so lovely?  I don't understand.

And, I must be more careful what I wish for.



4 comments:

Jane Brideson said...

Of course it's their garden now but to cut down such beautiful trees, especially a magnolia, is very sad.
I suppose it takes all sorts.

Jane Brideson said...

I know we have to get on as best we can with our neighbours but it is such a pity to cut down trees that aren't harming buildings - especially a beautiful magnolia that you will miss so much.

JANE Tims said...

Hi. Happily, we are blessed with great neighbours. I am sorry about the plundered garden!

Carol Steel said...

Hello Jane B and Jane T. Thank you both for comments. As aggravating as I find the butchering of the magnolia, I do recognize that this is their yard, their decision and their home. I still feel a huge sense of loss and will, more so, next spring when the tree would have been covered in huge pink and cream blooms. It's just sad.