For today’s Stream of Consciousness submission, Linda G. Hill asks us to write a post with our least favorite word or one that bugs the heck out of our sensibilities.
I first thought of the following unlikeable words: Liver, Algebra, Covid, Hate and Death. However, some of my readers already know I hate liver and algegra; I find Covid to be tiring and overwhelming; and both hate and death are not what I want to write about today.
I found a hyphenated muse of the week, though, courtesy of a group of developers. It is land-clearing.
I’m having deja vu or PTSD and I can’t decide if I’m angry or heart-broken.
When I moved into the apartment complex, it was surrounded by field to the north and trees/shrubs/wild growth to the south and west of us. Other than the farmer’s field, our surroundings looked a lot like this:
In 2015, the farmer’s field and some trees were cleared to make way for Costco. I wrote a post from that time, detailing the lovely beeping and machinery noises we heard for around five months while this business was being built. Then, about two years ago, land was cleared to the west to build “luxury” townhouses, which means that we now have more traffic and people walking their dogs on the nearby streets.
Welcome to the week of July 12th, 2021, when land-clearing began on a large area, which borders my street to the south and butts up against two other busy roads.
When I moved here in 2014, the natural surroundings were a plus. My prior apartment was into the city and didn’t provide much of a view so I was happy to feel as if I was a little removed from concrete and neighbors that weren’t always respectful.
In this chunk of land, neighbors and I have seen all manner of wildlife (owls, bunnies, squirrels, fox) and listened to the chorus frogs in spring. We saw the landscape change with the seasons, admiring the purple clover and Queen Ann’s Lace that grew in wild abundance. Natasha was always excited in June to watch the fireflies in the field at the top of our road’s hill. My heart is sad over all of the creatures being disturbed by this as I wonder how or to where they can escape.
While Costco provides occasional unwanted noise from delivery trucks and sweepers (I’m hearing an annoying beeping as I type this), I had thought (hoped) that no one would buy the land across the street – that it would be wild forever.
I was so wrong.
Land-clearing is my least favorite word this week and depending on what the developers do with this parcel, it may be my least favorite word for a long time to come. I have to wait and see, but I hope whatever is built here is at least pleasing to the eye and neighborhood, and doesn’t create a more difficult traffic cluster.
I understand progress and change in a growing community such as this, but I wish it would happen somewhere else.
Stream of Consciousness Saturday is the brainchild of author Linda G. Hill. Every Friday, Linda provides her followers with an inspiring blogger’s prompt. It can be a word or words and sometimes bonus points are involved (my favorite). Linda asks us to write without editing, other than correcting spelling errors.
Just go with the flow.
Like a babbling brook or rain drops. Click HERE if this type of writing floats your boat or helps with your decision-making. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “least-favorite word.” Use your least-favorite word in your post. If you can’t decide on one, use a word that just really bugs you. Enjoy!
Mary J Melange 
That’s a great word not to like, or to not like, whichever. The poor critters will be on the move and people will complain about them eating their flowers. It is so sad to see nature removed and displaced. I hope you have a good weekend, Mary.
I guess this was inevitable, Dan. Once Costco moved in, I figured we would slowly see new businesses spring up in the neighborhood. I just wasn’t ready to see it happen across the street. I’d rather look at nature than brick and mortar.
You have an awesome weekend too!
The first major intersection we come to has gone from four corners of farmland to a large Honda warehouse, a ginormous Amazon warehouse, an industrial park and we have a sport complex on the way. The developers are like sharks.
Soooo…we have something in common today. Roundabouts, land developers and a sports complex (we have a new one of those too). Yikes, I may have to move to the country…wherever that is!
Haha – the country is getting harder to find.
Same here all our green spaces are being built on! 💜
That land was a nice little nature preserve for all who live around here. The more space that is built up, Willow, the less we’ll see any geese, cranes or critters hanging out.
Yes unfortunately it’s the same here, all the deer have houses built on their routes. Lovely as it is to see them on the front lawn the traffic is too dangerous for them. Also all the wildlife are loosing their homes!
a terrible loss
It is and one I’m reminded of every time I pull out of the driveway. Boo!
That is a great choice. I hate when they clear the land to put up another big building. I also feel your pain with living around all the construction. It gets on your nerves.
I’m afraid of what might be built on this land. I hope it’s not warehouse or industrial.
So sad… We had corn fields and woods behind us for 15 years and then all of a sudden it was gone and houses were being built. Our neighborhood was over-run with all the animals. We still have herds of deer wandering down the middle of the road during the fall. The groundhogs have had to be relocated several times… The saddest part for me was when they spray painted big Xs on healthy trees. At least my neighborhood preserved the green spaces (we have more green space than homes) which is why al the displaced wildlife has relocated to our neighborhood….
It’s too bad the critters lost the fields and woods behind your house. I liken it to having someone come around to condemn my apartment and tell me I have only hours to get out. I can’t imagine how frightening it must be for animals when they are displaced like that. I hope your neighborhood is welcoming to the deer and other critters and doesn’t try to chase them away. They deserve a home too!
I feel your sadness and wish I’d thought of the word, “developers.” At least land-clearing is more accurate, because that’s what they do. I have written to the local government on surveys, etc. that they need to at least leave an island or three of trees in parking lots. This time of year in the south, shade is important. So is wildlife habitat and oxygen.
They haven’t cut down all the trees…yet. There are still patches, but it may be only a matter of time before that is gone too. You’re right about shade from trees – the shade from concrete buildings is no kind of replacement.
Maybe they’ll save a few trees. Sigh.
So sorry to see the land being cleared Mary, I wish developers would stop claiming these green spaces and wildlife habitats as if, somehow, the animals’ needs can be ignored. It would be good to find out what is planned here and our thoughts are with you in these challenging times 💚
I have always thought that this space should be a wildlife preserve, not grounds for development. Thank you for your kind thoughts, Xenia. I’ll be keeping tabs on this but in the meantime, have a wonderful weekend and week to come.
I too moved in 2014 to this small city from a small town where I had trees flowers, birds, deer and other animals such as the farm above me. I miss all of those lovely sounds. Even seeing a bird where I am now is rare.😩
Oh, I am sorry that you aren’t able to see nature from your home. I hope that you can at least drive to more scenic locations from time to time.
I can’t drive but my family does take me
I love open space and nature. One good thing is when a community designates land to remain open or an organization buys up parcels to preserve it. I think that’s the only way to prevent all the ‘development.’
True, Deborah. Thankfully, there are some of those spaces in the area – preserves or sanctuaries – that keep the city from being all about big buildings and development.
I am so sorry to see these photos, Mary. Land-clearing…here in my part of Florida, it seems all the local hospitals (we have 4) need doc-in-the-box locations all over town. Down come the trees, up go the offices. How many people get sick in this town?! I don’t care how much they landscape to ‘fit in’, a heckova lot of damage has been done to the landscape already. End of rant. Bless the poor critters who have to find new places to migrate.
Doc-in-the-box…yup, we have those here, along with the specialized clinics in urology, spinal and whatever else. There are a couple down the street that were there when I move in, but their green spaces and retention ponds continue to attract the geese, cranes and ducks, so that’s a good thing. I really hope these critters find a home that can be permanent for them.
I’m pretty sure anger and heartbreak can exist concurrently. Actually, I’m totally sure. Nicely written.
Thanks Ben. I’ll keep both of those emotions in mind as they continue to clear the land.
Well, you certainly hit a nerve with this post, and I’ll chime right in. Down the road, they cleared the land and have been scraping for a couple of months. They’re building another storage facility. I understand when people move they need storage for a while, but as I drive by all these storage units I wonder what in the world do people keep in there. I really don’t want to know or care, I just wish folks would make decisions about keeping or throwing and they wouldn’t keep building them. 🙂 I also find it interesting that as you drive around most towns or cities you see abandoned strip malls, buildings, and even full sized shopping malls, but they keep clearing land and putting up more businesses.
I hear you, Judy! I try to not keep things that I don’t need, but had to utilize a storage unit once while moving. I think some people either accumulate too many things or they can’t let go of the junk. When Natasha moved out and we started going through everything that was stored in a rental garage for 7 years, we realized how much we could have thrown out. It’s a shame that we are being surrounded by new storage units and buildings when so many stand empty.
I see this frequently in the fringes around our neighborhood. To make it worse, they kill the native prairie dogs before chopping down the few trees and leveling the land. It just makes me ill.
Killing the prairie dogs is a horrendous practice! Clearing land is bad enough without taking the life of a furry little being. Ugh.
I hear you. We built back in the woods. My husband used to lament not having a view, but I always said, and you’ve just vindicated my guess, that a view is only good if you own it.
True, Marian! I’m glad you have a view of the woods and not one of concrete and steel.
😞 We watched it happen in Florida over many ‘lives’ there, mostly for tourism sake. The last neighborhood we lived in had a man made pond. The ducks were so beautiful and even laid eggs behind my patio. Some of the neighbors wanted them ‘eradicated.’ Humans. Arrogant and oblivious in too many instances. I hope whatever comes there will be gentle on the surroundings and useful for you. 🤗
Yes, Chryl, humans too often choose concrete over nature and when they do get back to nature, expect running water and room service. And no ducks in their ponds. We still have geese, ducks, and sandhill cranes that hang around, but I’m fearful that will go away if they keep clearing land and building.
Well most of the wildlife in Florida is uber protected though I have trouble sometimes understanding why that is. They adapted well to sharing their space, unlike so many humans.Hopefully yours will adapt too. 😞