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Exactly one year ago, I grabbed my camera and took a walk around my block to find my slice. This slice was full of natural noticings: interesting sky trails, limbs on trees, and nests that are usually hidden by foliage. Nothing stays the same, the neighborhood has changed considerably in one year. Let me show you, but first a little background information.
We moved into this subdivision twelve years ago. There were less than a dozen houses built on the four streets. During these years, the developer extended the subdivision by lengthening the main street and adding a couple more side streets. As lots were purchased, homes were built. Slowly the subdivision grew. House by house, families built and moved in. It was a gradual building of a neighborhood.
Then one day, we discovered all of the remaining lots were purchased by one developer. Houses have been popping up on each empty lot. As I walk around the block this year, I see houses in various states of construction. I think I’d rather be counting bird nests and noticing tree limbs.
Two foundations, a framed house, and a house waiting for its brick.
One house complete, many more in progress.
The road is stained by the tracks from the trucks. At least on this walk there was a bluebird and one clump of daffodils. Lots of things “springing” up in the neighborhood. I wonder what the walk next year will reveal.
elsie tries writing 
This would be a teeny bit hard to swallow! I think I would have a hard time being a good neighbor. The little bungalows in my neighborhood are being razed to make way for mini-mansions. I hate it!
I’d like to think that next year you will be overwhelmed with the sound of happy families enjoying their neighborhood, children riding bikes with cards tucked in the spokes, lemonade stands and no more construction for at least a decade or two!
I love your ending with a bluebird and those blooming daffodils. We just have buds right now, which is a few weeks early for us. I too have a golf course next door that was sold and houses do spring up pretty fast – my pictures of that would mirror yours.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to know what the bluebird thinks of all this? What does he chatter about with his friends? Hmmm…
Birds and trees would be prettier now, but maybe next year you’ll have little kids and pets playing happily in yards, and new friends greeting you! 🙂
I think I like the birds and the trees better.
I love how you notice things!
Progress? Hopefully, you’ll have some wonderful new neighbors in the neighborhood. And some new trees and shrubbery to encourage the return of local critters! Love the bluebird pic!
I guess one way to look at all this construction is that our economy must be improving. I prefer the quiet of our neighborhood, still some vacant lots, but at present no construction. Hopefully you still have lots of open space for all of your wildlife.
I supposed that is called progress these days isn’t it?
Those are a lot of changes, Elsie! So many new homes – hope there is somewhere for the bluebirds to live! Like the way you compared last year to this year. I love reading my old posts and notebooks to see what was on my mind at the same time last year.
I really like the idea of the gradual building of a neighborhood…both literally and figuratively. Having gone through the construction of a new neighborhood before, I know it can be noisy and messy for a little while; but once the families and kids start filling up the houses and yards, it’s worth it!!! I LOVE the bluebird. I am trying to attract them to my yard this year; but so far, no luck.
Nope, nothing new in our neck of the woods. The only new construction is the sunroom we added on. Otherwise, we are surrounded by farmland and rolling hills, so that kind of construction doesn’t happen much. No, new around here means are they planting corn or beans! 🙂
Changes are hard to get used to for sure. One of the things I love about where we live is that there are still so many open spaces! I know in town the land will be gobbled up and more houses will be built but for now I really enjoy the openness, probably because I always lived in the Chicago area . . . or how I like to refer to it as the concrete jungle!
More houses, more people. But the lawns look pretty big. I hope this doesn’t change all the wonderful nature things you’ve enjoyed, Elsie. Thanks for that bluebird. I did love them when I lived in Missouri!
This is a big change. Not one but several buildings. Lets hope that the people who arrive will be lovely.
Our little development has changed over the 18 years we have been here, but because the lots are covenant protected wooded 5+ acres, most everyone has built so houses are not very visible. It is sad to see so much change suddenly. I enjoy the nature and privacy, as you do, and this must be difficult to watch! I’m glad you can still spy the gifts!
I, too, would be saddened by the explosion in new building. The landscape that you can barely see beyond the construction sites looks so wide open and tantalizing. It must have been lovely in your earlier years to have that much room in your life. I was excited to see the bluebird photo. We don’t have them on LI and I’ve always wished I could see one. Now I have!
I remember that previous slice, Elsie. New nestings going on now, crisscrossed jet streams are now truck lane stains and yet nature prevails with a clump of daffodils here and bluebirds there. Your noticings inspire me to be a better write. Thank you.
Wow. Our neighbourhood is full of renovations – and it is sometimes startling. But I can’t imagine all of those new builds.
Once again, your reflections made my mind wander about my own life. That’s what great writing does, Elsie.
Let’s hear it for the bluebird. Yes, change is constant and not always for the best. I would imagine it to be quite noise with all of that construction going on.
I will address the noise in another post. 🙂
Such a lot of building, Elsie – and I imagine lots of new families will soon be there to settle in and call your subdivision home.
I live in an older neighborhood. Last year an old woman who lived a block away died. Her two-bedroom bungalow sold, was demolished and a monstrosity that doesn’t fit the neighborhood went up. I’d rather have her little house back. The money that went into the demolition and construction would easily have covered the cost of updating the house.