I have a neighbor, moved into the house next door about a year and a half ago. I have done my part to be friendly. He has a 1 acre plot, like me. I tried to help him out, dragged some trees for him that he cut down (poorly, but they were small), offered some advice, made it clear we were in this together, offered to let his driveway drain across my lawn. Just trying to do nice stuff for a young family. But this fella is starting to get on my nerves. He has lots of plans and starts lots of 'projects' but never finishes anything that I have seen yet. That's fine, it's his business, not mine. I loaned him my garden hose when their well pump quit and he ran my water for hours draining my well. I tried to explain to him how a well works. I try to be a good neighbor, I really do. He mowed his back weeds last week and sent a rock through my double pane shop window, I didn't say anything.
Tonight he catches me in the driveway and starts talking about 'the plan' to run a drainage ditch 200' back to the swamp from the driveway that he claims I proposed. I did no such thing and explained to him that the grade is wrong and it would be very expensive. I reminded him that he could drain directly onto my driveway and we could redirect it across my lawn and into the road drainage. He changed subjects and told me about his new plans to get a LOT of fill in his back yard, dig out a pond ("fed by swampwater?" I asked) filter the water he said, he's got it all figured out. Then he started talking about all the trees he needed to take down to make room for this (ridiculous) circular driveway he wants to put in. Now he had my interest. He was pointing at trees right next to his house. I remarked that that they were tricky trees and he would need a good man to take them down. He said "No I can't pay those guys, they want too much, I have a buddy coming over to drop the tough one and I will do the rest myself." Well the tough one is a 75' EWP 15' from the house, the others are mostly 60-70' hardwoods within 15 to 50' of the house. Nothing I would try because of the risk to the house. Yes, all likely easy drops, one would require laying the power line down before cutting. He was oblivious. He just said, "It's easy, there is only one way to cut a tree." I said, "there are many ways to cut a tree, you should be careful". He said "oh, this is easy" and I replied, "that is your house you should be careful, those trees can fool you and there are no second chances". I was trying to end the conversation and move on, but he persisted. He said "well I cut all those trees in the back", and i finally let go a little. I said "You know I have seen your stumps". he said "What, too high?" I said "no, it doesn't matter how high they are, but you can tell if a man knows how to cut a tree by his stump, and I have seen your stumps. Some training might help you out because you could get hurt." Well" he said "I am going to start cutting in the morning if you want to come over and show me some stuff." I felt the rope tightening. He has asked me for a little help in the past and the next thing you know, the task is all me. No thanks. I asked what he was going to do with the wood. No plans. I told him I would haul it off if it wasn't in 4-5 foot lengths. 8, 10, 12 foot lengths plus 6 inches, or leave the stems and I would buck it for him. No way am I cutting this guys trees, the stuff he cut last spring is still laying where it fell and most of the stems are still connected to the stump, he thinks that is how everyone does it. I told him the truth, I have to make a small lumber delivery in the morning, then I promised to show another neighbor how to cut, split, and stack his firewood. I would stop in between jobs and see how he was doing.
I just needed to vent here where I feel comfortable and I get it that not a lot of folks will understand, but this is a family here, of sorts, and I know some will feel my frustration with this guy. This fella, as hard as I try, is getting on my nerves. he has one acre and he bought his kid a dirt bike. For two hours every night we get to hear that bike doing circles around his house. He does the same in some kind of dune buggy thing. He is starting to drive me nuts.
Tomorrow will be an interesting day around there. Good thing you're busy elsewhere.
He sounds like complete moron. A Darwin Award candidate for sure.
The best neighbors are the ones you don't have. I don't talk to any of mine, and my right hand neighbors get on my nerves. They aren't bad people, just irritating people.
I don't like the sound of major grading OG. That can make water do funny things, and by funny, I mean expensive and/or maintenance intensive. Sounds like he wants to fit 100ac of work on his 1ac lot. Maybe he'll figure out he doesn't have the property he wants, and you'll get someone sane nextdoor.
Yea - that kind of guy would torque me off too. If it were me I would find some excuse as to why I was not able to stop in tomorrow. Everyone stops being stupid eventually....
I completely understand what your saying. We have a couple of good neighbors, and then some other neighbors. We have 5 acres, and the neighbors all have 5 to 7 acres. Some are good hard working folks that are very good neighbors, others don't work at anything, spend their time spaced out on prescription drugs, makes me wonder how they get by, only time they are friendly is when they need something. I have cut trees for every neighbor on our county road except one, I don't charge them anything. The one neighbor i haven't cut anything for was supposed to unlock her property gate 2 winters ago on a saturday at noon so i could cut a dead tree next to her house for her, free of charge. She finally called, at 5 pm that evening, said she just didn't get around to it that day so we will have to do it later. I swasted an entire saturday waiting on her,
Sounds like he should self destruct on his own soon enough. Sorry about your shop window though. I'd back off and leave him to his own devices.
Will the trees he's cutting hit your house?
Ugly stumps drive me nuts. Get out the video camera, pop some corn, grab a beverage and watch the show ;)
I will leave him largely to his own devices. His trees might reach my house, one he pointed out would be a danger and it is a 75' EWP that will clobber his house if not done right, or it could take out the power to both houses. Other than that one, not too much threat to my house. He was in a bind over the winter and my son loaned him his battery tester, it came back broken. Said he didn't know what happened, never worked. My son bought a new one.
He starts 'project's, makes a mess, then leaves it. He was going to build a shed right on the property line next to one of my driveways. I told him I didn't mind, but he had better check the property line and check with the town on the set back requirements because they might make him move it. 2 days later he is spreading out reclaimed 4' pallets. I asked what that was and he said it was the base for his shed. I asked about a sill plate and he looked at me with a quizzical expression. I pointed out the marshy instability of the ground and suggested he get a load of crushed stone to make a pad. Good cheap investment, I said. He said it was too much work, needed a machine. I showed him my 12 x 20 where i had spread leveled and packed 4 yards of material with wheel barrow, shovel, and rake and offered him my tools. Nope. I offered to let him come in my driveway to drop his stone right in the spot, I would clear a path. Nope. 2 days later he asks to borrow my son's dump trailer. No sorry, that is a business trailer and you don't have a vehicle that can pull it anyway.. He gets a half yard delivered to the end of his driveway, 40' from where it needs to be and he doesn't want to move it by hand. I told him it's an hour's work. Nope. So the pallets, stone, and associated mess just sit there for 3 months now. He is on to another bigger project. Some of the trees he butchered cut last spring still lay where they fell, connected to the stump. I offered to drag and pile them like I had for some others, he declined. "Nope, gonna build a tree house for the kids with those". His yard is a mess, he has 2 construction trailers and he couldn't even park them level. I don't mind that so much, it's his place, but we are getting to a point where I might start minding soon. If I called the town to complain and they came and took a look, he would have more than a few 'notices of violation' to deal with that would put him in a real bind. I don't want to do that, I'd rather work it out. But he is not too sharp on taking hints.
I will just leave him to his own, which is mostly what I have been doing since last year, but I stay friendly, so far. He does scare me a little they way he does things. Seems like there is always ONE neighbor.. They guy behind us that I disliked and avoided for 30 years finally moved. Nice young couple bought the place for a weekend home. Now I got this guy right next door to replace him.
It's just frustrating, I needed to vent. Now I am moving on and worrying about my own stuff. I got no time for that.
The thought of that guy building a treehouse scares me. :D My landlord is like that to a lesser degree. They decided to reside the house which it is in desperate need of, half last year and finish this year. He stripped the siding off the front and one end last summer and got the front recovered, it looks very nice but no further progress although the exposed wall is covered with Tyvek. The back yard is a mess, junk building material, a broken green house and an expensive riding mower sitting out in the weather.
Quote from: sawguy21 on June 22, 2019, 12:14:21 PM
the exposed wall is covered with Tyvek. The back yard is a mess, junk building material, a broken green house and an expensive riding mower sitting out in the weather.
You have just described most of Surrey B.C. :D :D :D
I think we've all had a neighbour like that. And some of us
are that guy. :o
I like all my neighbors moat of all are the ones a mile southwest of me thy all have a head stone I just dont hear a word from them at all :snowball:
As I type this (6:30PM, Saturday evening) he is out there right now. I am told he has been sawing the 4 hours at least. I was off teaching a neighbor to split wood all afternoon and was out of earshot. I hear his saw screaming away. He has no wood that needs a 3 minute cut through time, unless he switched to CSMing his trees down. The saw is screaming non-stop. I am dying to walk over and say "My Gosh Man! Sharpen yo flipping chain!" I hear no load on that engine at all, just screaming. Maybe the chain is one backwards? With the amount of time I have heard that saw at speed, his place should be open prairie the next time I look at it all his trees should be stacked in 6 inch log lengths. ;D
Lord, help me, I couldn't stop myself. I had to go out and see what he is cutting that takes so much time in the cut. He is limbing a pine right now mostly 2 inch branches. His cut time through a 2" branch is 20 seconds on average. on a 4 inch branch he runs a full minute and change, flat out. My wife tells me he started cutting at 11:00 am, as far as I can see he has 2 trees down. 1 5" dbh softwood (some kind of swap tree) and a 10" pine. There might be a 3rd on the other side of the house. All this time he has been limbing. now approaching 7 hours.
In a half hour we will join some neighbors for a fire and conversation. If we can still hear him, we can just turn up the music. Right now I just feel bad for that poor saw, a nice sized Stihl that doesn't deserve that.
I don't mind the noise of course, but this is painful to listen to.
Thanks OG. Stories like that make me feel like a pro :^D
Keep your eyes open. A new "broken" saw may be hitting the market soon ;^)
Well, I can understand your point, but I don't think of it in terms of who is better I tried to show him some stuff and hint at a better way to do things (without getting hurt), but every time I try, he interrupts me and starts taking about how he 'knows this" and "it is easy, I got a buddy who..." After a couple of ties, I gave up. Had he played his hand differently, kept his mouth shut and his ears open, he might have learned something and had me working with him and his now 9 hours of sawing that could have been done in 2 from what I saw of the work he actually accomplished today. Guys like that will always wind up hurt. I don't want to see that, and if it happens, i will likely have to deal with it if I am home until Rescue shows up.
He had that saw screaming until about 9pm. We had to turn up the music over at the campfire. ;D :D
I just like not being the dumbest person in the room, even if the room in this case is extended :^)
I have to really like someone to do their work for them, and I'm not interested in trying to teach someone who isn't willing to learn. I'd consider your neighbor free entertainment, at least until he started regrading his lot, and causing water issues on my side. We'd have problems then. Everyone's free to be stupid on their own time, but don't inflict it on me.
Yeah, well that is it right there. He hasn't hurt my place yet, but his place is a pig sty which doesn't help much. If I wanted to sell my hose, this would be a problem. There more 'projects' he starts, the more mess he makes. i am waiting for him to finish ONE thing he starts. If they stay in that house for any length of time, it will be a candidate for a dozer job when they leave.
Put up an 8' board fence. That way you won't see the mess and It won't bother you what he's doing.
They have an old saying... Good fences make great neighbors :D :D. I am dealing with something very similar as well. Johny Cash has a song "I don't like it but I guess things happen that way" Great song and true.
Years ago I had a new neighbor down the road next to my land, One day I could hear a chainsaw cutting wood. trees coming down.
I went for a walk.
I get there and he walks right over to me and gets in my face. how he does not want people on his land.
OK, I said, come with me. I show him the land pin. I said this is your land with no trees on it. And this is my land with all the trees on it.
He turns white in the face.
Now I get in his face, 1" away, I tell him to cut, split and stack the wood over here and pile the brush over there.
And be quick about it, Don't make come back to see you. you won't like it. ;D
Two days later he was all done.
I like to nip things in the bud from the start. He moves away a year later. now I have a guy works 3 shift sleeps all day. I have a neighbor friend across the road from him, He cuts firewood for his family in the day time. The new guy comes out and tells my friend to stop, he can't sleep with the saw running.
I show up, [just happen that way] ;)
I hear the bull from him. :D :D :D :D good one. I tell him to put a female product in his ears.
With the trucks and customers coming and going, me sawing, him cutting wood you better get a day job.
All good now.
Just to close this off (hopefully), I drove past yesterday and had to peek. he has 4 trees down and limbed, none are bigger than 8" on the stump. All softwoods. All the limbs lay were they fell, and he has at least one bucked into 2' lengths. They also lay where he cut them. he cut from 11am until 9pm with only 2 half hour breaks. He's got stamina, I will give him that. Monday morning everything was still laying where is was cut Saturday.
That is an amazing story. It's hard to imagine using a chain that dull. Running the chain backwards would be an improvement.
Are you SURE there was a chain on the bar? :D
:D :D :D :D :D
That's better than the joke about the old farmer that bought his first chainsaw, took it back to the dealer a week later because it sawed so slow. The dealer started the saw and the old farmer yells "what's that noise?!?!?". (Maybe that jokes so old some of y'all have forgotten it.)
Neighbors can be great or not so great.
Of the neighbors next to the tree farm we have is "not so great". I had a meeting with him and he literally informed me that he got to decide what I did with the 30 western feet of my property (about 1/2 acre total). He felt that he had the right to approve what I did in this area because it was their buffer.
I informed him that he was wrong, and am now busily planting trees in this rectangular area. Hope he likes trees.
Quote from: bigtrees on June 25, 2019, 09:37:26 AM
Neighbors can be great or not so great.
Of the neighbors next to the tree farm we have is "not so great". I had a meeting with him and he literally informed me that he got to decide what I did with the 30 western feet of my property (about 1/2 acre total). He felt that he had the right to approve what I did in this area because it was their buffer.
For the life of me I cannot understand what drives logic like this. Based on that logic, YOU should have the right to decide what he does with the Eastern 30 feet of HIS property because that is YOUR buffer, correct?
You do what ever you want with your property within zoning restrictions. Maybe that would be a good place to set up the sawmill shed? ;D
That guy is a pinhead. He is lucky you planted trees, the perfect buffer anyway you look at it. While you are at it, maybe throw in a row of cactus, rose bushes, or buck thorn (which I am considering).
It might not be a bad idea to make a copy of your local zoning restrictions to use for reference if you ever have another 'meeting' with him.
Quote from: Southside on June 24, 2019, 05:39:14 PM
Are you SURE there was a chain on the bar? :D
Well, no, not really, but I am guessing there was. I can't say whether is was on facing the correct direction though.
Quote from: btulloh on June 24, 2019, 05:51:59 PM
:D :D :D :D :D
That's better than the joke about the old farmer that bought his first chainsaw, took it back to the dealer a week later because it sawed so slow. The dealer started the saw and the old farmer yells "what's that noise?!?!?". (Maybe that jokes so old some of y'all have forgotten it.)
Not only do I know this joke, but that is exactly what I was thinking about as I was eating my lunch and listening to 'the show'.
I tell the joke a little different, the farmer brought it back because he could only cut 20 trees a day with it..... ;D
Yeah - telling it requires a bit more embellishment. It had some politically incorrect elements to it when I first heard it. That kind of thing that was ok then, but can get you in trouble today with the PC police, or maybe even the real police. :D
At least we seem to be enjoying your neighbor's expertise.
I have a big beautiful fence now because of a neighbor issue. We love the fence.
Same neighbor has a tree. Big yellow poplar that drops its mess mostly on my side from any fall breeze. In the summer it shades our pool and deck for about two hours. Ive been wishing that tree dead for ten years. Ive never ever complained about it.
I get up this morning and woe! Tree service is next door taking it down! Turns out they were having issues with their share of shade and mess. I'll not let this guy ever know, I LOVE IT! LOTS OF SUN IN PLACES I NEED IT! :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20190626_183940.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1561595132)
Sometimes you get lucky Jeff! My neighbor across the road used to plow my driveway if the snow was really deep, or he saw my tuck was still at home during working hours, he assumed I was sick (always correct). He was a great guy, I miss him a lot, gone too soon.
Quote from: rubberfish on June 22, 2019, 02:20:37 PM
Quote from: sawguy21 on June 22, 2019, 12:14:21 PM
the exposed wall is covered with Tyvek. The back yard is a mess, junk building material, a broken green house and an expensive riding mower sitting out in the weather.
You have just described most of Surrey B.C. :D :D :D
I think we've all had a neighbour like that. And some of us are that guy. :o
:D We lived in Surrey, I hear ya.
Quote from: Jeff on June 26, 2019, 08:25:45 PMI get up this morning and woe! Tree service is next door taking it down!
For a second I thought this was going to turn into one of those "they were at the wrong address" stories. :D
Born and raised in Detroit. Moved to the 'burbs, finally to paradise. 20 acres in a very rural area of Michigan. I've been fortunate to not have the sorry stories many of you have experienced. Where we now live I can truly say is outstanding. Of the few 'neighbors' we have there have been but two issues. Fence neighbor to the north had a derelict son that trespassed. Was fast becoming an issue. The neighbor passed and it got sold to someone (so far) seems much better. The other 'issue's neighbor hit golf balls into the trees north of my barn. He lives across the road. Finding golf balls all over. Even in the driveway. We had the talk and that has not happened anymore. Except for those, all the others are truly treasures. Here's how it works in this area: A guy is doing a project. Maybe drilling a new well, maybe a re-roof job on a two story. WITHOUT INVITATION!! one, sometimes more, neighbors will pull up in a tractor or their truck and start 'doing'.
Yeah. Paradise can be described as peace and tranquility.
As a place with critters from deer, coyotes and turkeys by the dozen.
Paradise is also living with kind hearted people that, in more than a couple places, turned into dear Friends.
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on June 24, 2019, 04:38:24 PM
Just to close this off (hopefully), I drove past yesterday and had to peek. he has 4 trees down and limbed, none are bigger than 8" on the stump. All softwoods. All the limbs lay were they fell, and he has at least one bucked into 2' lengths. They also lay where he cut them. he cut from 11am until 9pm with only 2 half hour breaks. He's got stamina, I will give him that. Monday morning everything was still laying where is was cut Saturday.
6 days later and everything is still laying where it fell.
You mean it's not like deer meat? Don't need to dry age the wood? :D
And this is why we bought the neighbors place when it came up for sale... ;)
We just got a new neighbor RIGHT behind my polebarn and the other end of my property. Best friend of the fence guy. :-\
HOWEVER, the new neighbor stopped by this spring and asked if we had a preference to what side of the fence faced us he was putting up. HECK NO! Your choice! 8) Whatever is good for you is good for me! 8) So he put it up. its a full 4ft on one end from the property line and almost 6 feet to the other. His property drops off to mine from the previous owner who filled it in so he was avoiding that and trees.
So now! I have a privacy fence behind my pole barn and didn't have to no nuthin!!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/barnfence1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1561758139)
I dunno Jeff, it seems like you stepped in something lately. Send some of that karma my way, would ya?
Mrcaptainbob it sounds like you have good neighbors, helping each other on projects. It sure isn't like that here. If I start a chainsaw or any machine that could be used to work with around here this neighborhood is a ghost town ! I loaded, hauled, and stacked 14 big pickup loads of wood here awhile back over about a weeks time that I had stacked in the woods across from the house. This place was deserted until I got it all hauled.
We have had mostly good neighbors over the years where we have lived but a few bad ones from time to time. Currently, we have 5 families around us all with 2+ Acres and surrounded by 1000's of acres of forest and a 12,000 acre lake behind so nice privacy if you want or as social as you want. We all garden, fish, hunt so we are always bartering back n forth. Socially we are similar, politically we are similar so it is the best overall group we have lived around. You could ask any of them for anything and the answer would be yes and do you need help with it. We have been here 13 years as the newest people and a couple grew up on this land before there was a lake here. We think about getting out of Illinois from time to time even though we both have lived in the state our whole lives but one of the reasons we stay is our neighbors. We are very blessed to have them all.
After I lost Ann of 35 years together. I thought of selling and downsizing to a smaller house, smaller land, But with the good people on here told me to slow down and think for a while like a year or so.
I did, The best thing I ever did, Thanks, guys. Part of it all was the neighbors I have, there the best.
Putting all that I have into a trust now, The Drouins will have this land for a long time.
It's good to be reminded that others are blessed with great neighbors. I have several of those who outshine the one that drives me a little crazy. I should have known something was up when he spent last Sunday driving all around his 1 acre lot pulling a 4x6 trailer behind his ATV picking up sticks and the little logs he bucked for 3 hours. It looked pretty good but he left one stalk that he had limbed. Maybe it was too big for him, it was 8" at the butt and about 25' long.
Sure enough, he had a party today, didn't invite any of the neighbors (which was good, we would have had to make an excuse) but it did irk me a bit considering how many tools and time he has borrowed from me with a hard luck story. No, I really just wanted a day of peace for the wife and I, we have lots of stuff we needed to get done and were working all day since around 5:30.
So tonight he starts setting off fireworks, which are legal here. Common sense is also legal here. He has an acre, we are all surrounded by woods, his fireworks and mis-fires are bouncing off the trees. I saw one bounce off my shed. So I stood out in the dark supervising their antics because I thought there should be at least one adult present to call the fire department when the woods went up. They never saw me in the dark. Everything seemed to fizzle out. The Haines index is up at 4 right now. Not the best time to be doing this with bad aim. There was a break in 'the program' and I noticed a lot of flashlight beams swinging around. The women asked the men if they 'were done' and I heard some mumbled replies, then men talking. A few minutes later the program resumed with less speed. Pretty sure something happened but may never find out. Some of those shots were going off at alarmingly low angles and shooting through the trees into the brush piles above the swamp. I'll go out in another 1/2 hour and check on things. Tomorrow in the daylight I'll see what the damage is, if any. I hate finding fireworks carcasses on my roof, That really pithes me off.
I just needed to vent here to some sympathetic ears. I am not going to talk to other neighbors about this, it would be bad-mouthing the guy. I won't do that. I can't talk to my wife about it because it just gets her worked up. My place is not something out of Better Homes and Gardens, but his place is a dump and the pile just gets bigger. It just seems like he is ignorant that there is anyone around him. If he had 5 acres or more, that would be one thing, but on a single acre, it's a bit much since he makes no effort to keep his collection neat, it's just piles and it stays where he drops it. I may have to put up a fence, which is a major expense and it will not conceal the mess, it will just be a band aid.
I met a man and his wife a couple weeks ago that bought a place a quarter of a mile from us. Ice storm last winter had knocked over 2 white oaks at the edge of one of their fields, both were big trees, they said i could have them both if i wanted them. I finished them up yesterday, got 2 and a half cords of firewood out of them, took down another one close that the top had broke out of it, and then took out a big hazard tree leaning over his gate that was dead and ready to come down in the next storm. Very nice honest down to earth hard working folks, tickled to death they are neighbors and new friends.
My neighbor shoots meth and screams at me to get out of his house. One of these days one of us is gonna wind up injured over it.
Mike we have some of them here too. It really did me some good to see good folks move in here.
Sometimes you get lucky...............Sometimes, you don't. A tale of two neighbors.
The last of my bad neighbors moved away 5 or more years ago now........ Does that make me the bad neighbor??? :D :D
I have one house across from me a 100 yards or so down the street on the third new neighbor. The rest, we all been together 30+ years. So I went and told the guy right across from me about the house going up for sale. Well, I guess, [he said] I'll go mark the line so the new guy will know where it is. :D :D :D
Checking back, the saga continues. He did clean up all the branches and chunks the weekend before the 4th so they could have a party (wherein they shot off their fireworks horizontally through the woods and onto my shop roof, I also believe I heard someone got hurt because the show stopped for about 10 minutes and there were a lot of hushed voices telling kids to go sit down.) We did not get invited, thankfully. He still has that 1 25' by 5" diameter stem laying across his front lawn. It can't weigh 50#.
As I type this, he is out there mowing the rocks (lawn) on a husky lawn tractor, wearing a tank top, basketball shorts, safety goggles, and a hard hat on backwards (I have no idea). It's quite the picture. He has the deck so low that he is throwing rocks everywhere and I have lost count of how many times he hit something solid and stopped the engine dead, at least 10 now. This explains how I got the rock through my shop window 2 months ago, I think.
I gotta leave the house. Not watching is hard enough to do, but the only way I can't hear it is to leave. :D
Made my senior in high school son laugh out loud when I read this to him, he can handle a mower... He and his brother go in and mow greens and tee boxes as their summer jobs. Going in at 5:30 or 6:00 in the morning keeps them out of trouble. So glad to have great neighbors, and they are all 1/2 mile away..
"tank top, basketball shorts, safety goggles, and a hard hat on backwards" This makes a hilarious picture :^D
My left hand neighbor sets his mower to "scalp" also, but we don't have rocks for the most part. For some reason, he mows a good bit of my side yard. It bothers me a bit seeing the grass that low, but less for me to do, and I hate grass. You'd think that people who like grass would understand that longer grass is healthier, and holds up better to drought, therefore looks better :shrugs:
For some of us folks, the shorter grass makes for easier dog doo clean up. ;D
You've really got a mix of people like that everywhere - apartment dwellers, urban home owners, rural home owners. In relation to the latter two categories in particular, the first time someone requires a suburban home plot, or a rural acre or two with a house and shed, the suppressed urge to do projects can unleash itself. You also now have increased ability to store stuff. You start going to home supply and hardware stores and buying thousands of dollars worth of stuff, whether needed or not. In short order, even if you have a fifth of an acre and a house and shed and two trees and 250 square yards of lawn, you acquire a chainsaw, a lawn tractor, an ATV or two, a snow blower for your 30' long flat paved driveway, a rototiller for your postage stamp garden plot, a trailer, and every power tool known to man.
I'm not exaggerating here. Not so far from me in various directions are little patches of exurb, where you might have 50 or a hundred houses each on a quarter to half an acre, most all with sheds/garages, and depending on the weather the shed or garage doors are open often enough, and in the course of driving around you observe folks going about their activities. So you can see what people have got.
In keeping with all that there is also often an initial urge to do projects, just because you can. This is the phase where some unfortunate shade trees can get cut down, because once you buy that chainsaw, and since you buy your firewood cut and split, you need something to demonstrate your sawing process on. There is usually little consultation with the neighbours. The first few years, especially with folks who move for the first time onto a rural plot (not the boonies but simply out in the country), you may also see the chicken coop experiment, possibly a donkey and a horse, a giant garden, the urge to dig a pond, drainage projects, paving experiments, the need to build a new shed, and often enough all-hours small engine and automotive engine and bodywork repair activity.
Most of the time people settle down to a normal routine and way less projects after a first flush of enthusiasm. Once it sinks in how much essential work you have got in order to maintain your existing property and buildings you tend to be less keen on adding to it. Sounds like this young fellow isn't quite at that stage yet.
There is certainly no shortage of ATV owners in Nova Scotia. Some of them live pretty close to me. With few exceptions they tend not to possess any land where they can actually drive the things, which also means that they are purely recreational. Despite the protestations of the local ATV lobby that the bad apples are only a very small minority and everyone else is responsible, my frequent observations of ATVs driving on public roads (where they are not allowed to), on posted private roads, down streambeds, across farmers' fields, tearing up trails etc doesn't make me agree with them. So no, I am not fond of recreational ATVs. It doesn't help that some of the local kids like driving on fields not their own after dark, when most folks presumably would like a little bit of peace and quiet.
With respect to the young fellow and his chainsaw intentions, we were all inexperienced sawyers once. Hopefully most of us were somewhat cognizant of our lack of knowledge, and willing to accept advice. I remember that I was sufficiently in awe of the tool - and I maintain that respect to this day - that I drank up information as to how to do things properly. It takes a fair bit of confidence, however, to admit that you're not a power tool handyman and that you don't know how to shoot a firearm and that you don't have the first (EDITED BY ADMIN) clue how to fell a tree. I myself perpetrated some pretty awful first carpentry and bricklaying projects before I admitted that I should get some education. Were it not for the fact that this guy may be dropping trees off his property I'd leave him to his devices.
I am pretty lucky right now. The closest neighbours are a hundred yards away in any direction, and I get along with all of them. Mind you most of my perimeter is farm fields and the owners live a kilometre or more away, so that makes for good neighbours too.
Bluenose:
You show a welcome amount of compassion and wisdom in your reply. I see you are Canadian.
beav-
Your post has been modified. Comments regarding dealing with neighbors and the use of guns are inappropriate and have no place on the Forum, no matter how intended. doctorb
Quote from: beav on August 04, 2019, 01:37:54 PM
Bluenose:
You show a welcome amount of compassion and wisdom in your reply. I see you are Canadian.
EDIT: My reply is no longer relevant.
btulloh-
Thank you for your reply.
The post which you quoted has been modified to reflect the values of the Forum.
Excellent. I guess I should modify mine now. Thanks doctorb
Doctorb: thank you for your quick action on my post. It was not in good spirit and was just stupid. I apologize to all that may have seen it.
The remaining part i still believe however
Wow, I didn't mean to get everyone worked up. I apologize if I did. i started this post as a mild form of venting, but also some amusement. I treat all my neighbors the same, especially at first. If they are receptive to my help when offered and i can work with them, I do, when needed. If they seem to have it under control, don't need help, or can't accept helpful suggestions, I give them space to do as they wish and leave them alone. One neighbor in particular I have become quite close with and watch his house and take in his mail and packages. I have my mill on his property (in fact, he loaned me part of the cost of the mill in return for lumber), take my firewood from his land, manage his woodlot, and he thinks he is getting the best part of the deal.
Case in point, I have 3 new neighbors this year. all of these couples I have visited and introduced myself. All of them had questions and sought advice about local connections (carpenters, tree guys, well guys, etc.). Two of them were grateful for the advice and connections I offered. I have gone a helped them with some tasks, loaned proper tools, and even taught new techniques. Both of these couples have been very thankful for my help, one offered to pay me, which I declined. I don't charge to help a neighbor. I may need his help some day if I get in trouble. But, the neighbor that inspired this thread is 'different'. He has asked my advice, and when offered he says he has a better idea or 'Knows a guy' that can figure it out for sure. He has asked to borrow tools and returned them broken claiming they never worked when he got them (anybody that knows me also knows that my tools are kept in working order), he has blown rocks through my shop window with his mower, he runs 2 off-road go carts around in circles on his .97 acres for hours on end. He doesn't know how to run or sharpen his chainsaw and when I suggest a better way, he tells me 'he's got this'.
I am not going to force myself on this guy, and I sure as heck am not going to do his work for him. I spent today having a very miserable day trying to change a starter in my truck. You guys have been there, can't find the right long socket, can't see, can't get the socket on the second bolt and get enough purchase to break it loose. Terminals snap off. Then you put the new one in and it doesn't work. I went nuts trying troubleshoot it, I finally had to let my son take a look at it for a second opinion (which is not easy for me to do). His new point of view and us talking it through finally got us to an answer, but the whole while I am hearing these screaming go carts fly around in circles within 30 feet of my shop. It was a bit maddening to deal with that and 3 grandsons running around.
BTW Bluenose, this guy moved in with a semi-trailer AND a construction office trailer filled with 'stuff', then as he finished moving he had piles of other 'stuff' packed around them, all on my property line. He's got the 3 ATV's, Dirt bike, kayaks, Boat trailers, utility trailers, scaffolding, a pair of jet skis, the go-carts, and so much other stuff with no garage or shed to put them in. They sit in the weather. He just added a pop-up camper last week.
Yes, I am a tad frustrated, and for me, that is saying something, because I am a staunch believer in letting people do what they want on their own property, but this is spilling over on a daily basis. Some days are like today and quite annoying, most are just comedic. If it gets any worse, I will try to say something polite, but I may explode. ;D :D
P.S. I get starting projects just because they can, but this guy has not finished a single simple project yet, and he has started a dozen. That should give anyone a clue. He does the demo, then starts another idea off on something else.
Hang in there old greenhorn, the good thing is they usually don't stay in one spot too long.
Quote from: Pine Ridge on August 04, 2019, 10:00:56 PM
Hang in there old greenhorn, the good thing is they usually don't stay in one spot too long.
Yeah, about that. I note that they are not listed on the deed of record. Apparently a family member bought this house for them to live in or lease or something. It sold for way under what it was worth, now it is worth less than what it sold for.
I don't know how the rules are in your town or state, but around here you need to put the posts and rails on the inside of the fence, not towards the neighbors.
He could be in violation but unless you complain to the "fence viewer/town officials" he could be ok.
Jim Rogers
Quote from: Jim_Rogers on August 05, 2019, 04:29:06 PMI don't know how the rules are in your town or state, but around here you need to put the posts and rails on the inside of the fence, not towards the neighbors.
Wow - they regulate everything there don't they?
That is so the livestock doesn't pop the rails running into it. ;D
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on August 04, 2019, 10:35:12 PM
Quote from: Pine Ridge on August 04, 2019, 10:00:56 PM
Hang in there old greenhorn, the good thing is they usually don't stay in one spot too long.
Yeah, about that. I note that they are not listed on the deed of record. Apparently a family member bought this house for them to live in or lease or something. It sold for way under what it was worth, now it is worth less than what it sold for.
His family probably bought it to get him away from them!! :D
Quote from: Southside on August 05, 2019, 09:34:33 PMQuote from: Jim_Rogers on Yesterday at 04:29:06 PM I don't know how the rules are in your town or state, but around here you need to put the posts and rails on the inside of the fence, not towards the neighbors. Wow - they regulate everything there don't they?
That's been the rule every place I've lived in my life: If you are going to put up a fence, the "good side" faces out.
i guess I'm kinda lucky. i have a couple of neighbors, 1 an elderly couple that are hard it nearly every day, which in turn allows my land to be watched while the wife and i are at work. the other is about as mechanically inclined as a fish out of water. luckily, he has a friend who is a welder and mech, and I'm gone for work 2wks at a time, i don't get them "can you come help me calls", but when I'm hm, i do offer to help and walk over and see if he needs a hand. i just happened to hm for 4 days and wanted a cig, so i go outside to smoke, and i see a black smoke plume coming from his utility shed. i jump in the tck race over, grab water hose at his garden wash station and take off. ya'll remember the cartoon where the dog chases after the chicken, reaches the end of his rope and get yanked back? well, that happened to me, but i also broke the pipe off for the hose. I'm used to dragging around 100+ feet of hose, and he only had 25'. ended up calling the fire dept, then him and asked where the water turn off is and explained what i did. after the fire dept shows up, he gets there, i apologies for the water pipe, and while they are messing the fire and insurance guy, i go to the house, get the stuff to fix it and get it done. he offered to pay me for my time and consumables. i was shocked, esp since it was my fault.
i was hm another time, off for my 4 days and a tck drove up to his house, i had never seen the tck before, so i drover over, parked cross ways in the drive, put something behind my back and kept my hand on it till i found out what was going on. it happened to be the ex to my neighbor's wife. i asked the boy who the guy was, called to get confirmation, and went on my way.
the dad told my neighbor, he felt his son was in a safe area, with a neighbor that pulls up and starts an inquisition as to who, what, when, where and why.
when I'm gone to work, they watch my property and when I'm hm, i watch theirs.
now for the bad neighbor, which, he/family themselves aren't bad, just don't know that at 2am and the dog still barking, that they should do something to quieten the dog down. for months i let it go, and then confront the guy, and up till now, no issues, but then he tells me to get off his land and not to tell him what to do with his dog. iv got 6 dogs and 8 pigs, and I'm able to 99% of the time, quieten them down within a min or so them barking at the pigs, or yotes, or whatever. so i oblige the man, get off his property, park on public property and call the sheriff dept. they show up, dog still going crazy with the barking. the deputy instructs him to quieten the dog down. not sure how, but it stayed quiet the rest of the night. this goes back and forth for several months, call the cops, and finally, there is a for sale sign. not sure whats up, but folks move out to the country to get away from the noise, not have more of it, especially 1 of them rat dogs with the ear piercing yelps for a bark.