Life and lemons (and lemonade?)

[iris lilies]

We got bad news yesterday about our "community garden" next to one of our tiny houses in the near-ghetto neighborhood several blocks from where we live. The bad news is that a builder may exercise its option to build "low income housing" here. Ugggh.

The details are boring, and this is just in the beginning stages, but egad I do not look forward to re-locating all of this iris, I just did that about 3 -4 years ago. And when relocating the lilies, half of them died. I refuse to do that this time!

This is the down side to urban gardening. >:(

[Valley]

I'm sorry for this disruption to your community garden. You must be disappointed and frustrated!:(

[razz]

That is stressful to contemplate.

[catherine]

Oh, that is such a bummer, IL!! I wish cities had more insight to the quality of life that community gardening brings. Hopefully the wheels of the zoning board and planning board will turn REALLLYYYY slowly.

[JaneV2.0]

I'm sorry about your garden--and about your tiny house being overshadowed. Is it too late to get your neighborhood designated an historic district?

[Florence]

Is there anything you can do to stop the construction?

[peggy]

What a crappy thing. Sorry. Can your Iris group help? Maybe help move some. We are coming up on a good time to transplant. How many lilies do you have in this garden?

[iris lilies]

I'm sorry about your garden--and about your tiny house being overshadowed. Is it too late to get your neighborhood designated an historic district?

It's already a historic district which is why we couldn't tear down one of the tiny houses for more garden space. But the construction company will put up hideous faux-victorians that just barely meet minimum standard. Ugh. This same company came to the neighborhood I live in some years ago with similar proposals. We laughed them out of the room. My flower garden neighborhood is poor, for the most part (at least in my end it is poor.) Most people don't give a damn. There are a few upwardly mobile young people who have purchased houses and are trying to make it better, and a few stable people who have lived there for decades. But many MANY don't work, hang out on the corners during the day drinking, druggin, and etc. This "new housing" may look ok for a few years but will soon fall into crap.

They are using tax dollars to do this, so thanks ya-all!

I am so sick and tired of fighting housing corporations trying to get some of that gubmnt gravy, and Nanny gubmnt projects: All they know how to do is crap on real development by people who put their own money, sweat, and tears into these neighborhoods.

[iris lilies]

What a crappy thing. Sorry. Can your Iris group help? Maybe help move some. We are coming up on a good time to transplant. How many lilies do you have in this garden?

Oh, I have several hundred. I probably won't start moving them until next spring. Not sure where they will go. This construction project is a long way from starting, and they've got to secure financing first.

[Packy]

Yes but: They are going to build nice, clean, safe, new houses, that are built in accordance with current building codes. Progress, as Promised. They will NOT be masonry structures that will collapse like a house o' cards when the next seismic disturbance occurs along the New Madrid Fault. 'Sides, "those people" need a place to live, too. Sorry, but it's for the Good of the People. If I were you, I would relocate waaaaay up north, to a small town out in the middle o' nowhere. Land, with good soil there, is only $10,000 an acre, M/L! Lot, lot cheaper than them Trendy Places on the Left Coast you been checking out. So, you'll be better off, have Flower Space, and won't have to contend with the prospect of Civil Disturbances in the foreseeable future. They also have Restaurants that serve VERY greasy food, and Pizza Places galore--and even a company that manufactures sausage and pepperoni. Hope that helps you some.

[Packy]

I did some preliminary research, and found that it just may be feasible for you to move to "Ashland", Lilies and all. Y'see--just a few miles south of Columbia, Mo., there is the small town of Ashland. So, it's not too far away, and being rural Zurra, prices no doubt are still affordable. But, it wouldn't surprise me if the radically conservative locals in Ashland have already printed up bumper stickers that say: "Ashland--Don't Louis It Up!". Ha. Get It?

[iris lilies]

At the neighborhood meeting tonight, our Alderman (a woman) told everyone that this construction deal had a long way to go before it got financing and we should not "get our panties in a wad" about losing all of the community gardens in the area. Just calm down, she said, it may not take place. Then some guy yelled at her for using "sexist language" and stomped out, mad about the "panties" comment.

It was a satisfying and entertaining meeting. :D

[Packy]

At the neighborhood meeting tonight, our Alderman (a woman) told everyone that this construction deal had a long way to go before it got financing and we should not "get our panties in a wad" about losing all of the community gardens in the area. Just calm down, she said, it may not take place. Then some guy yelled at her for using "sexist language" and stomped out, mad about the "panties" comment.

It was a satisfying and entertaining meeting. :DHa. It sounds to me like that guy who Flounced out o' the meeting "got his panties in a wad"!. I wonder just who it was, because that is 'zackly the kind of metaphor the homies in a littlebitty, insignificant town way up North in the middle o' Nowhere would use, by god! Ha. In the future, they prolly need to have piping hot pizzas, piled high with sausage & pepperoni & Canadian bacon and ooey-gooey melted mozzarella cheese waiting to be served after the meeting. Satisfying Comfort Food. This way, it will take the attendees mind off of the controversial issues, and onto the Pizza. See?

[shadowmoss]

Hey, IL, is Packy your long ago boyfriend who used to hang out here a few years ago? The writing style is almost an exact duplicate.

[catherine]

At the neighborhood meeting tonight, our Alderman (a woman) told everyone that this construction deal had a long way to go before it got financing and we should not "get our panties in a wad" about losing all of the community gardens in the area. Just calm down, she said, it may not take place. Then some guy yelled at her for using "sexist language" and stomped out, mad about the "panties" comment.

It was a satisfying and entertaining meeting. :D

haha.. see, this is when I want a "like" button on this forum.

[iris lilies]

Hey, IL, is Packy your long ago boyfriend who used to hang out here a few years ago? The writing style is almost an exact duplicate.

Well, I once knew someone like that, yep.

[Packy]

Pizza at those Meetings! Piping HOT Pizza, piled high with pepperoni and Sausage and Canadian bacon and oeey-gooey mozzerelli cheeeese! Mmmmmmmmmmmmm! Yum!