Wednesday 20 December 2017

Nature Hater.

“The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog.”

Mark Twain

My distant neighbours enjoying a peaceful moment in my forest garden.
The locals understand, unfortunately too many people are coming in with city ideas. 


My husband frequently used to say that the more people he met, the more he valued his dog's company.  I am also coming around to the same point of view.  I couldn't write this post on Sunday because I couldn't see for the feathers I was spitting. 

I live in a forest. We bought a piece of land in 1991, full of pine tress, olive trees, wild bulbs and sakiz bushes (Pistacia lentiscus). Apart from the courtyard and beds around the house terraces, it is totally uncultivated and wild. Each year the emergence of the stately asphodels - the everlasting flower said to grow in the Elysian Fields, red hot and cool pastel anemones, intricate and shy orchids and blowsy poppies is a joy to watch.  I went back to check the house a couple of weeks ago and a lot of bulbs had been dug up and left on the ground. I initially thought the wild boar had been super active but then my nearest neighbour, who, about 3 years ago, built a house near mine, on the other side of the lane, came up to encourage me to admire his work.  He had begun to "tidy" my garden because it looked like a forest.  I went over for a coffee and politely explained that yes it did look like a forest because it was a forest and had been for the 25 years I'd lived here and that was how we, and now I liked it.  He told me he couldn't understand why I wanted my garden to look like this and that it would be much better if a tractor came in and ploughed up the land, and that two pine trees were overshadowing two olive trees and that wasn't good and it upset him to look at them!!!! so could he at least take those two branches off.  I reluctantly said yes to the two branches but that he was not to do anything else.  He wife was also there and she also heard me say several times that I liked MY garden how it was and he wasn't to do any more 'tidying'.   

So when I went back on Sunday to see that all the sakiz bushes in front of my terrace had been cut down and more asphodel bulbs dug up, you can imagine my feelings.  Luckily I was so angry that I forgot the Turkish for at lot of the expletives I remembered and voiced on the way home.  
When my husband was alive the neighbour wouldn't have dared cross the gate. Is this what it is to be from now on? 

26 comments:

  1. That is appallingly rude and inconsiderate and selfish but sadly the way things are going. Happy to come and swear at him on your behalf!

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    1. Think we might have an early Spring swearing party.

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  2. Dreadful.....and despicable, to imagine that he can flout your wishes . Given your circumstances the least you could expect is respect.
    Do you have someone large and forceful as back up?

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    1. I'm overwhelmed with how many people have volunteered. It makes me feel much better

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  3. I am very sad to read this Annie ... I love your house and your garden. x

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  4. Typical unreconstructed man of Mediterranean extraction - the views of a woman don't count! I don't expect you can get a legal injunctio banning him from your property, can you? And if so, would he take any notice of it? Is there any legal redress available? I wouldn't have been spitting feathers - barbed wire is more like it! Hope you can get things sorted out - any chance of a ferocious beast to patrol the grounds and deter invaders?
    Greetinga and all good wishes for Christmas.
    Helva (friend of Perpetua) - not a blogger (yet) but a keen blog reader!!

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    1. Resorting to the law would probably be a waste of time and money. Thanks for commenting Helva

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  5. What outrageous behavior by your neighbor, deliberately going against your decision and on your property of all the nerve. Do you know anyone who could talk to him with you? Local government official?

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  6. Spitting feathers indeed...so sorry you've had to deal with this...and for so many different reasons. Axxx

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  7. I am lost for words Annie - pine trees, olive trees, and the lovely Asphodel flowers sounds perfectly bliss - whatever can you do about it? I wonder what he would think if you started digging up his garden?

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    1. Last winter most of my orchids were stolen by those involved in the illegal bulb trade so I'm kind of getting used to it

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  8. Annie, I'm so sorry. What an arrogant twat. Is there anything you can do?

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    1. Come and stride around the garden looking serious

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  9. Not much to be proud of here in the UK at the moment but the rather apt saying “An Englishman’s home is his castle” comes to mind. Shall I send Dave over - he turns 60 in a week or so and does a good grumpy man impression. Sending you & Esi all our love - Kath x

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  10. Wow, Annie, that's awful. I'd threaten him with the belediye? Not sure how they are in Bodrum but lots of people report garden stuff here to the belediye and they're quick to act - usually asking the perpetrator to return things to as they were. I know that's hard with mature forest but...
    It's annoying as hell but we always have a Turkish 'babysitter' with us when we need to discuss things of importance with anyone. Hope you get it sorted. Don't let this guy bully you! :)

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    1. There was no misunderstanding - just someone thinking he knew better

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  11. That's appalling behaviour and must be so distressing for you. I do hope you can find a way to make him stop his vandalism of your land.

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  12. I agree with all the above comments. I just do not get it....how can he do that. It was not a misunderstanding, the man is an arrogant oaf.

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  13. I'm so sorry Annie and I would have flipped as well. Saying that this is unfortunately classic behavior on the part of many in Turkey doesn't help, I know. And unfortunately, it doesn't even matter if you have the law on your side. As a suggestion, I'd get a male (preferably a lawyer) friend to help and to at least threaten him.

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    1. My lovely nephew has volunteered a few friends if necessary.

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