Revisited

My former next door neighbor invited me up to her home yesterday. She thought that I should come take a look at my former garden in bloom.

As for my former back yard and garden...since the new homeowners are not gardeners and my former neighbor told me they had done nothing to prepare it for winter or spring, I was surprised to see how good it looked.

Well, there were a few exceptions. Like a lot of green, bushy stuff about two feet high growing in places where I hadn't planted anything. I'm pretty sure that they are weeds. But they're green, so apparently the new owners don't know the difference. Most of the shrubs and bushes that I would have pruned and trimmed were adopting a natural, wild look. Oh, and the dog that the new owners have has torn up the small area of lawn in the back. And it looked like one of the evergreens that we planted our first summer in the house is dying. It either didn't get enough water this winter or has fallen victim to the rumor in the neighborhood that someone has been poisoning trees. Oh, well.

While visiting with my neighbor, she told me that her house is for sale. In jest, I'm sure, she asked if we wanted to move back into the neighborhood. She has a beautiful home that I like very much. But I had to be honest with her that living below the Nimbys again wasn't something that we wanted to do. I can just imagine what that would be like. Especially, since I'm on the opposite side of her lawsuit with another neighbor. The light displays, pool parties, loud music...uh, I don't want to go there.

She also told me that since we moved there have been no colored lights on the lot line pergola - not even at Christmas. I always suspected that the annoying light display was just for my benefit.

So, I'll pass on the opportunity to move downhill from the Nimbys. Besides, it would drive me crazy to watch my former backyard where I spent hours of physical labor and work kind of go in a different direction.

This and That

It seems like we might be done with the trees and views issues with the Nimbys. Monday night at an Architectural Review Committee meeting, Nimbys agreed to expand a line of yews across their rear lot line. That will more or less give us the screening we would like. We, on the other hand, will remove 5 or 6 small trees on our hillside that are on the extreme edges of the property. These trees will at some point in time will be over 30' tall. The curious thing about this final arrangement is that the trees we will be removing are not the original trees that they wanted removed because of the view issue. In fact, in order for their view to be blocked by the trees we will remove, the Nimbys would have to be standing in one particular square foot spot on their rear deck. But before we remove trees so that they can have a view from that square foot spot, the Nimbys have to come to a final agreement on a couple of other issues. So, we will wait.

I had a minor emergency this morning while getting ready for work. My hair dryer quit working!! Yikes! There was a time when my daughters were at home that I could borrow theirs and not missed a beat in the getting ready process. I panicked! What was I going to do? But through quick thinking and action on my husband's part, I didn't have to go with an unflattering natural look to work. Due to an early appointment he had this AM, he was already up and dressed. He willingly drove to my daughter's apartment and got hers and saved the day. He's a hero!

Not done yet...

This is what happens when attorneys get involved in what is an other wise simple solution.

Since the mediation with our neighbors, the Nimbys, Kent has been able to work out what seems to be a reasonable solution about our trees and need for screening and the Nimbys desire for views. We've agreed to remove a few, very small trees and the Nimbys have agreed to plant additional yews on their side of the fence. So from my point of view, we should both just get out our shovels and start removing trees and planting yews and be done with it.

But, oh no. The attorneys involved need written agreements full of legal ease, stipulations, and conditions. Geez, can't we just move on and be done with all this trees and views business??? I guess these attorneys haven't quite paid for their cabin, boat, or European vacation.

Troublemaker and Tree Lady

Thanks to my wonderful neighbors, the Nimbys (see earlier posts), I guess I'm getting a bit of a bad reputation. I had to go to a meeting today with some HOA board people, my neighbors (good ones next door) and the attorney who's representing all of us in the mediation with the Nimbys.

I introduced myself to the attorney. His response was "Oh, you're the troublemaker". Great, I think. I know it was in jest. But it's a little frustrating to be known by a complete stranger as "the troublemaker".

Last fall, I was invited to a party at the home of the HOA Design Review Committee chair. I've gotten to know her mainly due to all this tree stuff and the problems created by the Nimbys. The party was a varied group of women. Some of them lived in the neighborhood and others knew the hostess through other connections. Again, I introduced myself to a woman I didn't know. Her response was "Oh, you're the tree lady". I had to quickly make it clear that I was the downhill neighbor, not the one across the street who was causing all the fuss.

So watch out, this Tree Lady may move into your neighborhood and be a real Troublemaker.

Do You Want To Buy A Ticket?

These tickets may go fast and the money will go to a worthy cause.

Here's the deal...our HOA is having their semi-annual meeting next Tuesday night. It should be a doozy! Next year's budget will be presented. The HOA president told me that the fees will be nominal for 2008. However, another budget item for legal fees due to a mediation will also be presented. The fur will fly when owners demand to know who is suing the HOA (it's the Nimbys). Even though the majority of people in this neighborhood have plenty of money, they won't be too happy about an assessment for legal fees - especially over trees and views.

An additional agenda item is for an amendment to our Design Guidelines that is being proposed by the Nimbys. The Nimbys want all trees that are now over 24' or at sometime in the future will be over 24' tall removed. Specifically, they're proposing this amendment to give them a little ground to stand on in their claim about our trees blocking their views. But, any provision in the CCRs and Guidelines has to be applied to every homeowner, and therefore, every tree in every yard. You can imagine how people will react to that.

Anyway, this meeting should be a interesting to say the least. The HOA president suggested to me that people may want to buy tickets just to witness the Nimbys being ripped to shreds by the high powered Type A personalities that live in this neighborhood. I suggested that the proceeds from ticket sales be applied to legal fees. Call it creative fundraising!

So don't miss your chance as seating is limited.

Trees, View and Shovels..

I am taking donations so that I can buy heavy duty "you know what" shovels for the entire neighborhood. Or maybe if I get enough donations, I can convince that guy on the cable TV show "The World's Dirtiest Jobs" to come and do the work for us.

Trees and Views

We are still trying to go with trees here. But, decided that we should remove a couple of trees that the Nimbys were complaining about. Today some very efficient tree guys came and took them away as well as moved another one. Luckily, it didn't cost a fortune.

We have a wonderful large space on our uphill property line where these two trees stood. I am SO happy the Nimbys now have an unobstructed view....of our family room and breakfast area, as well as the previously mentioned roof. I will have to be sure I'm fully clothed all the time, OR NOT!

On a cheerier note, the Nimbys have also submitted a proposed amendment to our HOA CCRs regarding tree height, views, blah, blah, blah....too complicated to go into here. So I have spent the last couple of days commiserating with my next door neighbors about a couple of statements we will read at our HOA meeting in November. You know, "united we stand, divided we fall". We've decided to take no prisoners and are ready for battle. Even though the Nimbys "you know what" (thanks Al for that great comment) has been rolling down hill for quite some time, we are trying our darndest to shove as much of it as possible back up their way.

Which leads me to a "shoving it your way" action I took today. The Nimbys delight in letting their light shine forth - so to speak. They have 2 non-conforming motion activating flood lights on the rear of their home (which just happen to activate just about every time a microscopic spec floats by and consequently flash on and off in our bedroom windows all night), they also have non conforming colored globe string lights across their rear lot line pergola and numerous solar powered stake lights around the perimeter of their yard. Even though we have no way of getting any screening from all this light shining forth, we've tried to ignore it. Oh and they also have 2 pink flamingos perched in a tree - been there all summer.

But today I decided that I had nothing to lose and sent an email to the poor guy on the HOA board who gets all the "rat on your neighbor" emails. I ratted on the Nimbys lights and flamingos.

You be the judge

A year ago the house uphill from us was sold. It didn't take long for the new owners to start to make major renovations both inside and outside the house. We came home from a 2 week trip last fall to find that all of the landscaping in the rear yard (that borders our rear yard) had been taken out, a fence put in and a construction on a swimming pool had started. It was a surprise to say the least. Since we live in an area with an HOA, I figured everything had been approved by the HOA. It was not that big of a deal.

Last Spring, the new owners (I'll now refer to them as the "Nimbys" as in "not in my backyard") started on the new landscaping. The HOA CC&R guidelines, among other things, require that fences be screened. The Nimbys new landscaping didn't quite provide enough screening given the fact that they now had a pool, huge kid's swing/climbing set. So we planted some trees across our back lot line to give a little more screening. We were careful to follow HOA guidelines as to mature height of the trees. We also did not plant the trees in our uphill neighbors "view corridor".

You'd think that most people would like some trees - you know, a little contribution to combat global warming. But the Nimbys seem to think that they had a home on a VIEW lot and made a complaint about trees in our yard, and in our next door neighbor's yard, blocking their view. They demanded that all of the trees in these two yards (32 in all) be removed. Most of the trees have been around for 5 years or more!

Here's the view the Nimbys have from their yard:



And these views:



Yep. I agree. Our trees are blocking their view......OF THE BACK OF OUR HOUSE!!!

However, our trees provide screening for us and from the views into the Nimbys yard. Here's a "view" we've had this summer of the Nimbys yard.

A flock of pink flamingos took roost for about two weeks. They'd probably still be there if I hadn't made a complaint to the HOA.

And this one is really special:


When I first saw this on the Nimby's back deck on a Sunday morning, I thought that someone didn't quite make it back into the house after a pool party the night before. But on closer inspection, I realized it was a blow up doll wearing a t-shirt with a message just for us. The poor thing hung out on the deck in the blazing sun for almost a week.

Anyway, because the Nimbys didn't like the idea that the HOA Board said no trees had to be removed, they've hired an attorney. That means that the HOA Board has had to hire an attorney. This is where the whole thing gets ridiculous. Every homeowner in our subdivision, INCLUDING THE NIMBYS, will have to a pay a special assessment to the tune of about $1000 per homeowner so that the HOA Board can have legal representation. So the Nimbys are technically suing themselves.

This whole situation is really gathering steam. A meeting with the HOA Board, the Nimbys, us and our neighbors, and attorneys for both sides, will be held in the near future. I just can't wait.

In the meantime, you be the judge. Trees or views?

ABCs and Agriculture

It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So here's to my daughters...I'm copying their ABC list.

A is for AGRICULTURE. Agriculture? What's with that? I've never lived on a farm and my best attempt at any form of agriculture has included weed eradication, lawn mowing (which I now pay someone to do); growing tomatoes in a pot on my patio (a failure to say the least), and planting fruit trees on a steep hillside. Actually, I don't take credit for that idea. The one who thought it was a good idea did not think ahead to harvest time or the problems that would occur when the fruit overloaded a particular tree and it start to slide downhill. He just wanted them up there because fruit trees look pretty in the spring. Brilliant! What's the real reason behind choosing AGRICULTURE? Yesterday, I was with my granddaughter who's in the 4th grade and had a chance to help her with some school work. One of her Bonus spelling words was "agricultural". She spelled it correctly the first time. Now that's brilliant!

A is also for ABC, my younger brother's initials. Due distance (he lives on the east coast, I'm in the Rocky Mountains) and other more personal reasons, we have not been very close. I'm sure that it didn't help that I was not a very good older sister when he was little. In fact, I was down right mean to him. I was jealous that someone, in the form of a baby (my brother), had taken over the place where I had reigned supreme for over 5 years - the youngest child. I'm not very proud of the way I treated him. But through the power of modern technology - specifically blogging - we may be reconnecting a little. We discovered we both like Mexican food, watch HGTV and like the color blue. It's a start.

Weeds Be Conquered!

Yesterday, I spent 3 hours weeding the top portion of our steep back hillside. Even though, I spent hours this spring planting ground cover, perennials, more shrubbery and trees (actually, professionals and Patrick planted the trees and shrubbery), the infamous wild grass and morning glory still took over the hillside. You really couldn't tell what was growing up there. Six black garbages later, the place looks a lot better.

However, my body is paying today for the physical labor. Aside from the usual aches and pains, I also sat down hard on a small rock and bruised my tail bone! Ouch! I didn't know the rock was right under my butt when I sat down on the hill. I should probably just let the weeds totally claim the hillside as theirs. They've been trying ever since we moved in here. But I won't be conquered by the obnoxious little weeds. Even though it seemed that no one in my family noticed my hard work, or the six garbage bags sitting on the patio waiting for someone to haul them around front to the garbage cans; I have some satisfaction of a job well done. Hopefully next year, the perennials and shrubs will grow up and show the little old weeds who is in charge.