other side of the fence

Yesterday I had an interesting interaction with our neighbors to the west. There was actually no real interaction but a funny interaction went on in my mind. In order to give you a better picture I'm going to describe this action. You see, the four-plex building that I presently live in faces the east street and directly behind this building is the empty lot that used to have a house on it. This is the space that I am attempting to turn into a garden space, but am presently stuck because I need to find a tiller. Last night as I was out digging away the crabgrass in a certain section beside a fence so I could plant cucumbers, I noticed the neighbors to the direct west in their backyard. I know there are people there and a couple of dogs but I cannot see anything because there is a giant privacy fence. (I could tell you how I feel about privacy fences but perhaps that could wait until a later post.)

As I was down on my hands and knees digging out the grass and putting in some bricks to mark off my space to grow food, I realize that my neighbor is out watering something because there is definitely water trickling down the wooden fence. As I think back, this weekend I did notice people traveling through this empty lot with fresh sod in wheel barrels. After I peered through the slit in the fence I also realized there was pretty green grass surrounding a large cement slab. This memory leads me to realize he is watering his new green grass that offers a nice sponge bed for the dogs that hang out back there.

I just think that it was quite interesting the contrasts on the opposite sides of the fence. Me, trying to grow food and working to get my rain barrel put up so I can trap free water from the sky while my neighbors hide behind their fence, watering their bright green grass. I really need to hurry up and get my kitchen put together so I can get to baking, knock on their door, and ask them to take down the privacy fence. Ha! Well maybe just ask if I can join the sweet patio parties I'm hoping they have? I'll bring the veggies!