#orchard

I was randomly searching for things on google maps - as one does at 10 pm - which turned into looking up our orchard and what do you know, a new dot appeared next to it. The neighbors I complained about back here, made a page to rent their cabin. And because life is full of ironies, that thing has my name.

The only splash of color at the orchard. It’s just so damn cold, nothing else is growing yet.

A few shy signs of spring I cling to while we still get negative temperatures during the night.

I bought a bigger wood chipper last summer (the first one we had was too small for what we needed and didn’t last long) and it’s loud. I loved it when I realized just how loud it is. I look forward to dragging that thing right in the corner of the orchard closest to the neighbors, putting my noise cancelling earmuffs on and taking my time and slooowly chipping ever single twig and branch that will result from pruning this spring.

All because of our new neighbors. They’ve been there for about a year actually, but I avoided talking about them.

Our orchard is situated somewhere outside a small village. A little serene place, until someone decided to build a cabin up a hill maybe 300 meters from us. There are a couple of other small cabins around, so I didn’t think much of it. My dad was the only pessimistic one, saying that our quite days will be over now and I’d roll my eyes every time, but he ended up being right. The cabin is actually more of a proper house - big, brick walls, pool, all that. And they ended up building it to rent for parties. Initially we were told it was a family cabin - which is why we let them cut through our orchard with their power line to save some money - but lo and behold, every weekend their son isn’t throwing parties there himself, they’re renting it for the same reason. And when I say parties I mean music blasting so loud that even though we’re 300 meters from them, if we’re more than a few meters apart in the garden, we can’t understand each other speak. And it’s every single weekend (apart from winter, with very few exceptions). As luck would have it, I’m only able to go to the orchard on weekends as well. I don’t even care that I hate the music they play (manele, if there’re any romanians here) or that it’s every weekend, I’d get over that if it was only in the evenings. I’d give up my quiet bonfire nights and compromise, but they often start the music before noon, sometimes as early as 10 am and go late into the night. I don’t understand how they’re not getting sick of it or need a break. The villagers aren’t bothered by them, our place is between them, so the village is farther away. I hate it from the bottom of my heart and it frustrates me endlessly that I lost the place I used to relax at. I live in the middle of downtown in one of the biggest cities in the country. This was my main place to recharge and get some peace. Not to mention my main gardening space.

I’m not a confrontational person, I avoid it at all costs, but at some point last summer I lost it and yelled at them (between songs) to turn the music down. Didn’t do much other than get some mocking shouts back, got swore at and the music turned even louder. I called the guy’s dad - who built the place for him, but didn’t get anywhere with him either - they’re not there to make sure we tell the truth/live too far away/can’t make the people that rent it turn it down/already told his son and he said it’s not loud/ it’s a party, they can’t not have music and many more similar excuses. He’s also some ex police chief so there’s not much point in involving authorities either. My parents also called him a few times. Now they just don’t answer our numbers anymore.

I’ve never in my life wished someone ill before, but I’ve wished those people every horrible thing at some point last year, probably while sweating over weeding in the garden.

So that’s that. I’ve been avoiding going to the orchard for a while now, only been once this year and I dread the gardening season. It was so annoying, it sometimes made us so frustrated we’d end up arguing with each other and even talked about selling the place. We won’t obviously. It’s been in the family for many generations, so we won’t give up on it that easily, but it doesn’t change the fact that is sucks so much right now. And by how much money they invested in that place it looks like they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

A blossoming fruit tree at a residential home orchard. These beautiful flowers will start budding fruit soon. Happy first day of spring! Project Name: “Provence in Ojai.” Landscape Design by Paul Hendershot Design, Inc. paulhendershotdesign.com

Paul Hendershot Design, Inc

cottagechloe:

Little bee hive area