Word on the Street

 

Hell hath no fury like a local blogger who thinks she’s clicking on a local story on Columbia Patch only to discover it is sourced “from all over America.” Sheesh.

Uncut Grass, Junked Car Graveyards, Blight: Block Talk Hears Your Pain, Beth Dalbey, Patch Staff

Well, phooey. I was so hoping for some juicy local complaints about other people’s yards. You may recall that four years ago I got sucked into what I called The Great Columbia Grass-Cutting War.

This. Means. War.

As the weather warms and when - - and if - - Spring decides it’s here to stay, we’ll all be spending more time outside. Perhaps we’ll be casting our eyes over at our neighbors’ yards. The Patch article suggests that there’s a lot of that going on. 

Respect My Lawn!

Americans spend about $115 billion annually on landscaping, according to an industry estimate. Does that give them veto power over what people do in their own yards?

Some readers think so.

I’d like to turn this concept on its head and ask what you have appreciated about your neighbors’ yards. Not everything needs to be a complaint. When was the last time someone asked you to hold forth on what you like?

It couldn’t hurt.

Our next door neighbors just redid their front garden bed with lovely white stones and a row of flowering potted plants along the border. They added little lights along the edge which not only highlight the garden but make walking up the pathway a bit easier at night.

On the other side of the house our bird neighbors are building a nest in our downspout. They have put a lot of effort into it. I’ve decided I’m going to be happy about it because it’s not in the dryer vent. We’ve been down that road before and there’s nothing to be happy about there.

Saving the best for last, we love our other neighbor’s pink tree. We wait for it every year.

Send your outdoor accolades here: Village Green/Town² Comments. You won’t appear in Columbia Patch but, if we get enough responses, I’ll make a blogpost out of them. 

If you are in the mood to complain, well, there are plenty of places to do that..