Comments on Homegrown Evolution: In Praise of Disorder

Wow! I've felt so alone for the past 3 years (well...

2008-05-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

Wow! I've felt so alone for the past 3 years (well, not so alone, I'm married) living in the old town I grew up in, that seems to have gotten too yuppie for its britches. We actually live in the house I grew up in, that's been here for 65 years and several years ago they tore down two houses surrounded by 4 acres of woods to build 50+ condos complete with a HOA that seems to agree that our dogs should not be allowed to bark. Ever. One of whom has called the police on us several times.
Down with the tight wads. I'm sorry for your experience, I know the pain.

I had to laugh when I read this post. Living in a...

2008-04-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

I had to laugh when I read this post. Living in another car-centric megopolis (Phoenix) in a neighborhood much like you describe, I've had my fair share of citations (mostly zoning). Fast forward a few years down the road and PRESTO - my house is now drawing record crowds for tours sponsored by the Phoenix Permaculture Guild. Suddenly I'm a boon to the neighborhood instead of a bane. In the last rounds of someone calling the city for weeds in everyone's yard (hey - it's spring after a wet winter in Phx - there's weeds!) I didn't even get a citation. Saddly many elderly (and sickly) residents did - however some of us pitched in to help clean up their places before they were fined.

Onwards!

PhoenixJen

Survive LA/Homegrown Evolution folks: Yes, fixatio...

2008-03-31T17:06:00.000-07:00

Survive LA/Homegrown Evolution folks: Yes, fixation on minor annoyances is an annoyance in and of itself - it's also worth noting that clean, clear, clutter-free, orderly ways of living are among the best markers of a civilization at its high point. Zen Buddhist Japanese culture, the Dutch or the best of the comfy, tidy English ways come to mind. Sure, let's have a little chaos. Never hurts. But don't throw the baby out with the bath water, and don't excuse slovenliness or trashiness on the grounds of "creativity." Please.

Last fall I came home to one of those unlicensed d...

2008-03-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Last fall I came home to one of those unlicensed dog warnings on my door. I was worried that somebody complained about my dogs. I talked to the folks at the dog shelter I volunteer at and found out that the county goes door to door and rings the doorbell. If they hear a dog and the house doesn't have any licensed dogs, they leave a warning. I licensed two of my three dogs -- the licenses were cheaper than the fines.

Sherri and Presto,Thanks for sharing your comments...

2008-03-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

Sherri and Presto,

Thanks for sharing your comments and experiences with us!

Hi, I live in one of those older 'in between' neig...

2008-03-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

Hi, I live in one of those older 'in between' neighborhoods in Houston. The neighborhood is small and surrounded by old small businesses, so it's hard for developers to modernize us very much, although a cheaper builder did fit in some homes with teensy yards into a few fields. There's a mini-ranch (we get their horse manure sometimes), and a few open fields next to where I live; I'm hoping the owners never sell; I like having the fields there, except after rains when the cottonmouths come out.

The mini-ranch area is grandfathered, but the rest of the neighborhood is subject to regular city ordinances. I grew up here, and then moved back about 10 years ago, and most of the time there's been little incidence here, except for the time we had an over-zealous city inspector hounding all of us a few years back. I heard rumors someone threatened him; until I heard that, I wondered why he suddenly backed off when he was so frothing at the mouth at first LOL

I see roaming dogs on a regular basis, and if they don't threaten me (including riding my bike), any neighbors, my pets, or jump my chain fence to try to get to the rabbits, I'm fine with them. I used to have fence jumpers myself, and some of the single dogs have been friendly, then disappear back to their homes in a little while.

But if any jump my fence, threaten me or my family or my neighbors, I'm usually packing at least one legal weapon once I hear any unknown barking close by. And I get almost as pissy if I'm growled at in my own front yard, even if I know the owners!

But the growling incident was discussed with the owners, who we're now friendly with. One fall they wanted their trees cut down, and we wanted firewood (the former owners put in a small fireplace for some bazaar reason, so why not LOL). So hubby and I had their blessings on all the border trees, and cut down three. We had free fires that year, and saved money on heating (yes it gets down to freezing occasionally).

Since this is a greenie blog, please remember this is a Gulf Coast city, and there's hurricanes and tornadoes to consider. I prefer smaller fruit trees and crepe myrtles, not only because they give fruit or look pretty, but because they're not big enough to crush a home.

There was a former neighbor that I tried to work out a problem with (not dogs), but they didn't like to play nice. Heck, I called his business phone to tell him when his front tree fell on his house, argh. Once I even got into a screaming match with them. I never had that happen before; it slipped up on me before I realized it. So the next time they did it again, I called the police on them, and didn't request anonymity. They were miffed, I told them get used to it since they don't care about being neighborly. That was when people from many blocks around started being friendly with us (the ones that didn't live here a long time and already know me). People still grimace when their names are brought up.

But for the most part, with the exception of extremely unneighborly people and threatening dogs, you summed up our neighborhood in your post. And caused me to write a book, ha ha.

Sherri

Well said. It's a sad comment on today's society ...

2008-03-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

Well said. It's a sad comment on today's society that when some minor problem comes up, their first thought is to call the police. If your dog had attacked someone, I could understand, but in this case your neighbor should have come to you first. The police have better things to do than worry about your elderly dog.