This feeling of attachment to where we live has been magnified as I have combed through my counties website where there are aerial pictures showing our property dating back to 1957. At that time, our land was part of a large farm which still exists today and is owned by the same family. Our house now stands is in the middle lower portion of the picture below.
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| ~1957 View~ |
This next picture was taken in 2002, and it shows our house and barn. In looking at all the photos, there was one thing that stuck in my mind. This was that despite the county that I live in being one of the fastest growing in the country, our road has changed very little over the years.
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| ~2002 View~ |
As I mulled over the upcoming changes, a thought occurred to me which was that just as 'room' was made for our house, I know there is room for another. But it still makes me sad to think about...
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| ~2010 View~ |
I can understand how you might feel kind of devastated.
ReplyDeleteWe don't live in the country, but we were quite upset when the empty lot behind ours was sold for housing development.
*hugs*
Have a good weekend. ♥
I understand as well . There is a chunk of land beside us that has been for sale for some time Papa and I wish we could afford to buy it . I dread to think of a house going on it ! Hope the new neighbours are at least friendly !
ReplyDeletewill one person live on it..or will it be subdivided?
ReplyDeleteIt will all work out...have hope
maybe they are dog lovers
Kim,
ReplyDeleteI'm truly hoping your new neighbours will be dog lovers also.
I know it will be sad having a house build behind yours and hopefully they will respect the nature that surrounds them. I find so many people love to be in the country and the next thing they do is start cutting down all the trees. I've never understood this kind of thinking and hopefully the newbies will also be nature lovers.
I'm sure you will keep us posted on the new house build and neighbours.
Maybe your new neighbors won't mind if you take the dogs walking there. 10 acres is a big space! It is hard to watch progress take place around us...I get connected to the land and woods too.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad. I had the same thing happen to me. Fortunately, I still have views on my 10 acres. It is still very quiet and the air is still clean. Life is good.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me very sad too. I hope at least get nice people back there and that they love dogs. Maybe...just maybe...they won't mind you continuing your walks there.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad that you're sad, but don't cross the worry bridge until you need to.
ReplyDeleteWe bought land in NH 8 years ago with the thought of building a retirement home but so far that hasn't happened.
Who knows, maybe whoever bought it will love dogs and have some of their own and your gang will be able to make new friends.
If not, I do have three acres in NH that's for sale. :-)
xoxo
Oh Kim
ReplyDeleteWe hope who ever moves in, will respect the solitude, and be good neighbors. Also hoping they are dog lovers, and good hearted people.
We would feel exactly how you are feeling.( unsettled and sad)
We know you moved to Golden Pines because of the peace and solitude that you felt. Your hopes were that it would stay that way.
It was sacred land, and you have connected to it, and speak to it each day.
I hope there will still be a special place for you to walk with the dogs.
I hope the peace remains. We know how important it is!
love
tweedles
I know what you mean, changes are happening all the time, but I would still like to make it stand still sometimes.
ReplyDeletei totally understand your feeling of loss and sadness. and i also understand that the farm family must have felt a bit of the same when you built your house there. but still, loss of space and privacy and freedom...
ReplyDelete(kim, would you consider removing word verification? pretty, please?!)
I understand and sympathize with you.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a lover of change,and get most uncomfortable when made to do so, I like things to stay status quo.
You've enjoyed the seclusion and peacefulness of living in the country, and the dogs have had their freedom to run, now that's going to change.
Hopefully your new neighbors will be animal lovers and enjoy seeing you out and about with your babies.
~Jo
Maybe they have dogs, but Lucas is wishing for an extra Cat.
ReplyDeleteI guess change is bound to happen. I bet the people who bought the property are excited about it. Maybe they will let you walk on their land?
ReplyDeleteOne can only hope they are nice people and will allow you to walk the dogs there, but if that isn't the case, good fences make good neighbors.
ReplyDeleteXXX
Kim,
ReplyDeleteWe know exactly how you feel, In the house we lives in before the one we are in now, their was a huge open field behind our whole block> I would estimate it was at least 10 acres.
Our boys played games with their friends, we took our dogs to run, even mowed a large area. Though we were living in a suburb, it felt more like out in the country.
Stayed that way for about 10 years. Then one day the bulldozers came, several houses were built and our beautiful field and view was gone.
I hope whoever moves in are nice neighbors.
Sheila & Bob
One day the bulldozers came
Make some cookies and make them welcome. Maybe they'll let you continue your walks!
ReplyDeleteHope it works out. We hate change, too.
XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy
You know Kim, I think this change would be hard for me to take as well. It's sad when lovely trees and wooded areas are dug up. I guess because we have so little of both in Saskatchewan it makes me extra sad.
ReplyDeleteLet us hope it is a teeny tiny house they are building. ;)
Pups are looking extra cute down below!!
Happy weekend!
xo Catherine
At least you still have ''some'' space for the dogs to stretch their legs.. just wondering what kind of animals will be displaced whenever they start building
ReplyDeleteI can understand. Maybe your new neighbors will be a blessing. Here in Baltimore we are up our neighbors butts... I wouldn't know the quiet and calmness of living so secluded. Sounds serene.
ReplyDeletehave a great weekend.
I understand your feelings. But maybe you can come to a 'right of passage' agreement with your neighbors? I would try not to worry until you know exactly where they're going to build their house and how they'll use their land :o)
ReplyDeleteKim,
ReplyDeleteYou'll probably have the most wonderful neighbors. I know I would feel the same way, however.
Have a great weekend!
Oh, I feel for you, and sadly have been there, too. I live in an old agricultural community, and behind us are recent developments of very large homes with a decidely suburban, covenant-controlled lifestyle. Unfortunately, our "neighbors" up there aren't farm-loving people. One, in particular (apparently representing many others), tried to have our rooster taken away from us because he felt it was disturbing his peace (even though we took great pains to minimize this), and he's well over an acre away! Thankfully, our right to farm and have livestock is protected in our community. It's difficult not to feel some animosity and now having to worry about newcomers encroaching on our way of life. I try to remind myself that a handful of houses is much better than a shopping center or something, though! Goodness, sorry for my rant there - I just feel strongly about preserving country life :) I hope your new neighbors tread lightly and see what a blessing it is to live near you.
ReplyDelete-Jaime
Do they have to get planning permission ? Or can they build whatever they want ? Let's hope it's sensitive and well landscaped !
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone--I do consider us good neighbors, even with the dogs I'm already thinking about how their barking may affect them.
ReplyDeleteThe property originally belonged to the family that owned the land our house is built on. They sold it to a realtor (whose family owns the adjoining property to ours) who had plans to 'slice and dice it' and have several houses built. But thankfully the zoning laws in our county changed just after it was purchased and now you're not allowed to subdivide anything less than 20 acres, and this is 10 acres. So in the end, the way the laws are now, only 1 house can be built. But they can build whatever they'd like and pretty much do whatever they want...Which is why this whole thing is so unsettling.
Yes, that kind of change is hard for those who love the country and long walks with dogs.
ReplyDeleteI understand how you feel so acutely, Kim. We have a new house going up next summer that makes my stomach turn. I know how much the animals use the property that has been vacant forever. I also know how I appreciate the open space and quiet.
ReplyDeleteI hope that the new house turns out to be almost invisible and fits into your landscape well.
In the meantime, I sympathize.
I am sure it will all work out fine in the end,
ReplyDeleteGill
I feel for you! I always thought that if I bought a chunk of land, I would want to own as much as I could around me. I hope your new neighbors are good and that this will become a good change. Kit
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling well. We had a park behind us for years and the city sold it and let them build condos right next to our backyard fence!
ReplyDelete