flowers blooming.......wild critters drinking..... post...........
because I am very upset
The photo above is a portion of our land that I call.........
"my meadow"
where the butterflies float, the flowers bloom, and the critters find refuge.
Through the years, I have had to come face to face and get into a shouting match with a farmer, on his tractor.....then again on his road grader.......to make him get off "this land" and to stop plowing it up. After survey papers and a very severe warning.......he realized he couldn't just take it.......
then came the oil company folks.........NO NO NO.......STAY OFF.....
they did.
Now this has happened to it............foolishly.........mistakenly.........
Last May, we were approached by a local electric company who asked to "rent" "just a portion" of an acre here to place a "temporary electric" pole . They PROMISED no land to be damaged and that they would be gone by Dec 31st.
Foolishly, we signed the papers.
For months, we left them alone as they banged and clanged and did their work.........
on good faith we thought they were keeping their promise.
Because of the recent snow they have not yet left our land but yesterday I saw this and more things piled up on the land and decided to take some photos to tell them it was time to leave.
as I walked toward the debris my heart sank as I saw the torn up prairie grass and missing trees
then my anger started brewing as I saw the pile of trees
and the barbed wired fence .........in a pile.......on our untouched property.......
for us to clean up............
that is not going to happen!
Large telephone poles
and electric poles lie everywhere as it they intend to keep the property for themselves.
It is a mess and all is ruined.
More dead debris, moved onto our land for us to take care of.
I of course get onto the phone...........to the "Right of Way Agent" who made these promises....to find that they forgot to tell us that they are no longer over our land but that someone else is. He knew how upset I was and had the new agent contact me. The man kept apologizing......sincerely........I know......
but this is a devastating mistake that they made.
He will be coming tomorrow..........bright and early to try to calm me down and to make this all right.........
but how can he???........
money??
how does that replace what was once here......sigh. and if so..............what value will he place on what is just considered " scrub land?"
I have only myself to blame..............not even my husband..........I am the one who always fights for the land protection.........I was the one who gave the " final okay" and signed the death certificate for my meadow.
It's like trusting a stranger to take your child for a walk in the park.
But my optimism is still in me..........I can make lemon pie from lemons
I am going to see this as a blank canvas............
if I can restore old furniture.........
and old worn out linens.........
I can certainly restore........damaged land.....
although........right now........I don't know how............
Through my sadness.........I see one tall tree........still standing as if to say
" I'm still here"......."still growing"
..now that the fertile top soil is gone and all that is left is caliche...........
how do I undo what is done?
This is not the "footprint" I want to leave
I do not mean to offend anyone who is reading this, and I am not out to rage war on the contractors, or anyone else.......
if anything.........it is to tell you..........be careful to rent anything you love for a handful of dollars..........
and some might say that this is not fertile land.......and ............
maybe I have not done anything productive to it and have just let it lie as it is..........
but I love this land that is like a
wild lady with the tousled and tangled hair.
Tomorrow, I will probably regret that I posted this............and may delete it..........
and then I will once again post about butterflies and flowers......
but for now.........I am upset.
17 comments:
How sad that the land was damaged, and all that debris is still there. I have faith that it can be restored, by planting native trees and bushes and by sprinkling wildflower seeds. Don't give up, I know you won't.
Even what some may consider "scrub" land has a value, both to your heart and to the environment. Our society tend to think production is the only value, but we should start re-thinking that. You likely already know this, but there may be a native plant group that could advise you, or the local extension agent may be a good starting place. I know you can mitigate the damage and I wish you well. Keep us posted as we keep you in our thoughts.
Carol Engler, Montana
Go get'em girl!!
Oh geeze, don't apologize for your anger. They truly took advantage of you. Take the papers you signed to a lawyer along with photos of before and after. Sue their butts off if you can. JMHO, it's what I would do.
Don't feel bad about posting this from your heart! Stuff like this burns my ****.
Once they are off the land, buy a large quantity of wild flower seed that will grow in your area and cover the ground. I bet new stuff will even come back up from seeds, etc. in the ground.
Those kinds of people are uncaring, and you give them an inch they will take a mile and think nothing of it.
I pray that they will DO something for the restoration of this property of yours.
Love, hugs & prayers ~ FlowerLady
The one tiny glimmer of hope is that the new agent is coming to visit. Can they put loads and loads of good topsoil there, take away their rubbish, plant trees? They do need to restore it as it was, and better, as they have removed what should have been left. I would be devastated if that was here. I, too, do things in good faith, but sadly we do not have a world where people keep their word. This post opens all our eyes to what people can do, even when not allowed. Keep your faith, let these words stay , we can read, and send messages of love and care across the oceans. The one tree, let it stand tall and be a signpost for the new flowers and shrubs that will join it there. Hugs and prayers for a resolution that is the best. XX
It's your property! Please don't apologize; I'm sitting here feeling anger myself at what they've done to your land. It's not right nor fair. Thank you for sharing this with us, and please know I'm going to pray for a good outcome.
xoxo
Kathleen, I am so sorry. It is always sad when people we expect to keep their word - - - don't. I'm praying that they make it right, truly, really right and do their best to restore to its former wild abandon. Please do let us know how it goes.
Kathleen, please allow us to be mad right along with you. Dangit! I was born near there as you know and I remember that prairie has a beauty all its own. I'm so sorry this happened. Do what you must. Restoration is often a slow process, but you seem to make beauty all around you. At the very least they should be responsible for clearing and cleaning up. I hope you can get them to do that. Please keep us up on your progress.
I think you have every right to be angry. I would sincerely suggest that you look for a lawyer to handle this for you on a contingency basis. He would get a percentage of the settlement, but it is almost impossible to get any satisfaction as a home owner on your own. I am going to email you with some information. Money is just the beginning, you can make them restore what was there.
Get some legal advice . At the very least they should have to replace the topsoil and remediate the damage. Give them hell, Gal!
You have every right to be upset. What a shame things like this happen. I agree with Nancy about the one standing tree. Let that be your new start. Wishing you the best!
Don't delete it. Whatever happened to being able to trust, it seems to be a thing of the past. Hold onto your beliefs.
Don't feel bad about posting your feelings about this matter. A few years ago a big power line was put across one of our pastures and then followed by a natural gas pipeline. Although grass has grown back over the ditch, the dirt has settled and now when we cut the grass for hay, there's a sunken place that makes a large "bump" when we go over it with the equipment. I had the same thought as Flower Lady: sow wildflower seeds and hopefully, time and Mother Nature will help heal the land.
My heart aches for you. I have gone through similar circumstances many years ago. After you talk to the new agent and get legal advice if necessary, just sit down with a cup of hot tea and release it all to a higher power.
My best hopes and wishes go to you.
You need to watch your property a little more carefully, and add some no trespassing signs. Also have a good lawyer on deck to review agreements before you sign.
Good luck to you!
Cindy
Oh Kathleen, I'm so sorry to hear this. I understand completely how you feel. I would feel as if they took advantage of the situation and violated their agreement. I would also feel angry and frustrated and overwhelmed by wanting to return the land to how it once was. I hope they can find some way to make it right with you. It seems that they are the ones who ought to be reseeding wild flowers and planting trees for you since they are the ones who damaged this area. Hugs to you, my friend.
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