Sunday, May 5, 2013

A Change of Scenery

The developers who created our house have started work on the sub-division across the road and below us. An excavator was delivered a few weeks ago and this past mid-week it began moving dirt. A lot of it. The boys figured it must have been lonely by itself as another excavator and a front loader bulldozer (as I was unceremoniously reminded by three year old Middlest. "Mom! It's not a front loader. It's. A. BULLDOZER!!!". Well, how stunned am I? It's too bad they have to wait so long to run the world. Imagine what a a great job we'd be doing with world problems if we were doing it when we knew everything at ages five and below?!?) arrived this evening in preparation for the coming week.


I was a little concerned when the first excavator started digging because we were assured when we bought our house that our view would not be further interrupted than it already is by the two homes just across the road from us. And it seems to be true. What was previously indicated to be a road, is a road, and the incline is steep enough that the house roof tops, unless the houses are built higher than four stories, should only mean seeing the ocean and crashing waves over rooftops versus over the trees.


Though I knew this time was coming, I will miss those trees. I am in a bit in mourning about it. Every evening since the work began, we have gone for a walk along the new road to 'oooh' and 'aaah' over the excavator and to check out the changes to the land. The first night showed us just how steep the incline is. I imagine they will check that incline a bit as they get the road finished in coming weeks. DH is looking forward to the road and cul-de-sac at the end for our boys to careen down on their bicycles. I am already in fear of gravel ground into scraped knees, elbows and hands.



This weekend was a glorious one for us (setting temperature records at 20 degrees today!) and DH and the bigger boys spent yesterday liberating a few three or four year old trees from the road/building site to our garden. Eldest was confused about that. He asked DH what he thought the Lorax would think of them moving the trees. When DH explained that the trees were in line for being bulldozed for either the road or a new house so were enroute to quick destruction anyways, Eldest happily conceded that the Lorax would probably approve of their actions. Eldest and Middlest really consider the Lorax's feelings when it comes to damaging any trees. It is heart warming.


Last evening after my nerves were strung out and raw from preparing for the supper routine and the demands whims (it is truly like working for three pint sized dictators with adult sized needs NOW, MOM!) of three overtired and over hungry boys, DH sent me out of the house for a walk. I decided to go down the new road and over the hill.


When the excavator stopped on Friday it left the most delicious mountain of fresh, gorgeous milk chocolate coloured dirt from centuries of rotting organic matter. The type of hill that kids can't resist climbing? Or their mother's? So, I followed my boys steps from the day before (Youngest and I were out collecting the last things we needed for another project that I was working on while the big boys worked outside), up the dirt mountain and enjoyed the view of the ocean from the top of the trees. I was pleased to see that there still seemed to be a lot of trees left from where the developers appear to be working and the ocean. I hope that buffer of trees remain.


After the heart pounding climb, I jumped in the soft dirt all the way down and walked over to the meadows and the cliffs. We have been in this house for almost 3.5 years and this was the first walk I have taken where I was able to enjoy the sea, cliffs and birds All. By. Myself. I was able to find a comfortable spot to sit and watch the gulls float around the cliffs and in and out of the cracks in the cliff faces where they live. I enjoyed the very light breeze that let me smell the salt tang of the air and the guano of the birds and then whip it away before it became over powering. I enjoyed the sunlight making diamonds sparkle on the water and the water being so clear and clean that, where there were not crashing foamy waves, I could see balls of kelp (sea weed) washing against the rocks.


Then I walked down to the river (one of our family's favourite after meal destinations) and climbed up on the cliff on the left side so that I could view the small cove and the crashing waves that ride into it from a completely different perspective than from down below.


It is amazing to me that all of this beauty is so, so close to us and our home yet it has taken me so, so long to go and find it. I feel more connected with the source of the booming we hear daily and especially nightly when I am working in my office or craft room in the basement and the house is quiet.

I think I am finally starting to settle in and the changes in front of our front window are threatening that contented feeling just a bit. So, every night that I can, we are going to walk down the new road to comment on the changes and to explore. To let the kids be kids in the dirt and trees and close to the heavy machinery and to assess and reconcile the changes that have been made to what I have come to regard as 'ours.'

Note: These pictures were taken this past week when it was still very cold but sunny. I did not bring my camera on my solo walk. Those sights are stored in my heart.

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