Down 'Memory' lane.....

13 comments

I love to walk down this lane to the woods. Unfortunately Chloe can’t make it as far as the woods now but we still walk up the lane a little way until she decides she’s had enough and turns round to go home.

The walk this morning reminded me of the place I used to live. It had some lovely walks and I would take the dogs out early before I went to work and I used to see two cuckoos each year, sitting and calling in the same large tree. There was also a kestrel that used to sit on the telephone wire, a badgers sett (but I only saw a badger once); foxes were common too. A lovely untamed sort of place. Unfortunately the local council decided it was suitable for redevelopment and eventually it was cordoned off and I could no longer walk through there. Large warehouses were built, the badger sett ‘relocated’, the cuckoos disappeared, the telephone poles and wires were removed and lorries thundered by daily to the depots. I decided to move! Maybe, as things settled, the wildlife returned. I don’t know as I haven’t been back. I hope so.

At the same time, as I drove to work, I saw a huge housing estate being built. Jacque asking for gardening poems reminded me of a poem I wrote then, when I felt very angy and upset about the changes being made all around me. I would like to share it with you.

If you go down to the woods today
You’re sure of a big surprise
For the trees have gone
And houses have grown
In roads called Oakdene and Silver Birch Way
And Bluebell Dell
And Primrose Hill
But nothing is green for ten acres or more
Except for the paint on the mock Georgian doors
And a sign that says ‘Woodland Way’.

I think now I was very naive to expect things to stay the same just for me! I did the housing estate an injustice too – it is one of the few I have seen that is full of trees, wide planted verges and green areas. I have recently been researching my family tree and discovered that some of my ancestors were farmers – in London!! What changes they must have seen!

10 Dec, 2009
15 likes

Comments

Gilli

It is so sad to see the beautiful countryside being paved over for development. Hopefully, in these more "enlightened" times (ha ha), developers are paying more attention to the environment and trying to make more green areas and having less impact on the surrounding wildlife.
I'm researching my family history too. I have ancestors that did the same thing...farmers in Batley in the West Riding.....later to become areas of huge, dirty mills. Even in the last 100 years just think of the changes....cars, aeroplanes, space flight, computers, antibiotics.....the mind boggles.

10 Dec, 2009

Drc726

I moved to kent from London in 1978 and saw a lot of lovely country side turned in to housing. The Uk is small and parts are very over crowded so I suppose its inevitable! Dont know what the answer is as people need housing.

10 Dec, 2009

Tulsalady26

It's sad isn't it Gee all this change and not much of it for the better.That lane in your blog looks lovely. we are lucky to still have lanes near us like that plus a nature reserve across the road.

10 Dec, 2009

Sanbaz

they have plans near our village for another housing estate grrr, taking the green fields again, makes me so angry, especially when there are so many empty homes which could be used, and lots for sale,,

10 Dec, 2009

Bonkersbon

Agree...this is just so sad.Wonder where it will all end. Love the unspoiled lane ,which looks so inviting.Very apt poem Gee.

10 Dec, 2009

Ian_digs_v2

Love the poem, hate the housing estates that are popping up all over our beautiful countryside. They even built an estate on the site of a demolished coal mine just up the road from us! How safe is that going to be? Don't, personally, fancy waking up with a huge hole where the kitchen used to be!

10 Dec, 2009

Spritzhenry

I do sympathise, Gee - you know that's why we moved away from Kent. Sooo much development on what used to be ancient woodland and bluebell woods. :-(((

I'm glad you still have a leafy lane to walk along. :-))

10 Dec, 2009

Gee19

Lots of lovely areas around the villages still, thank goodness, even though dear old Chloe can no longer explore them all.

10 Dec, 2009

Pansypotter

Love your poem Gee, sad about the housing estate but its happening everywhere isnt it, The walk reminds me of the Bridle Path where we used to walk Polly, teeming with wildlife, its a shame Chloe is no longer alble to walk that far these days but she is doing very well considering her age.

10 Dec, 2009

Clarice

Loved your poem but sad to think wild life as to come second, likewise i think there are lots of houses that are already up could be renovated and done up first .

11 Dec, 2009