This is sort of how my family learned about free curb stuff. We had ‘inherited’ two Barcaloungers from my grandfather – no one else wanted them after the house cleanout, and since Dad was colorblind he didn’t care that the '70s-era shades matched nothing else in the house. Unlike my desk, however, the chairs were not in great condition structurally, which resulted in Dad throwing both chairs out the front door on a Saturday morning and purchasing a recliner from the local furniture store that afternoon, despite the owner being, in Dad’s words, ‘a goddamn crook’.
Anyway, back to the Barcaloungers. Dad moved both to the curb, where someone from the town (we didn’t have a scheduled bulk pickup service) would eventually haul them away. That night, I was awakened by a car with an exhaust system that surely hadn’t passed legal inspection idling in front of our house, with the headlights pointed to illuminate the chairs. By morning, both chairs had been removed.
Back in our old neighborhood, we had people who I suspect were professional pickers - they’d cruise by very early in the morning on bulk pickup days and take stuff. I would see them occasionally when I left for work.
We’ve never lived anywhere with a HOA, dragging stuff to the curb has always been the accepted method of disposing of large items.
There used to be an empty lot kitty-corner from us. The lot had never been cleared and was teeming with small critters and birds. Two days ago, the owner had the lot cleared and all the undergrowth removed. Today he learned that the lot wouldn’t perk for septic and he couldn’t put a home there. Now nothing will happen to that lot covered by nothing but bare dirt. Dust is going to blow all over, weeds will grow but the trees will always be gone.
I know, I know, its not my property but it still pisses me off. Why couldn’t he have done the perk test before tearing everything up?
There isn’t an HOA here and the county doesn’t care what we do out here, so nobody will make him do anything.
However, I just happen to have a big ol’ bag of red clover seed that we aren’t going to use on our white clover patch. (Ordered white, got red, called for return and replacement, got replacement and was told to keep red seed.) I also have an envelope full of milkweed seeds. There is absolutely nothing stopping me from wandering over and spreading seeds. The neighbors’ will not see a thing while being happy that someone is trying to do something to hold the dust down.
Let’s not forget the threatened Honey Bee! There is a reason I have pollinator friendly plant seeds at hand
I had to shut the windows on that side of the house because windowsills were getting dusty so I had to wipe them and I’m too lazy to want to do them again. This pretty much blocked the breeze through the entire house and we had to turn the fans on which spread the missed dust all over the place. People can be so thoughtless.
Nope. Not even going to consider it. They are perfectly legal plants and the same government that doesn’t care about blight and dust won’t care about a couple of flowers. Unless its pot, but even then it’s got to be a lot of pot because that stuff is legal too.
I would like to understand how and why you think planting clover could be an EPA violation, though. I have the time to slog through the documentation and cites I’m sure you have at hand so being them on, please.
Not managing the dust may be a violation. Here in Washington it would be regulated by the local air authority or the state Department of Ecology, depending on county.
I think you misunderstand how things are done here. This is a very red state and we live in an unincorporated area. Even if the county wanted to get involved in the dust issue, they would attempt to contact the land owner and if they could find him they would tell him to do something about it. That is the extent of it and it would take a lot of work and stress on my part to get that much out of them. Yes, I am speaking from experience.
My solution will be much easier, faster and prettier.
Sorry for not being more clear. The property owner is in violation, not your plan. What you are planning to do could be an effective remediation, however, it should not be your responsibility. If you want to do it, go ahead. I doubt anyone would stop you.
Just because your state is a is very red likely doesn’t matter. The EPA doesn’t mess around. There is an easy way to report violations.
I’m sorry for getting huffy. My plan does have some "wrongness’ to it, I shouldn’t be planting on someone else’s land so got overly defensive.
My point about it being hard to get someone to pay attention to what happens out in the sticks still stands though. By the time I managed to get someone out to look, the land will be covered with ugly weeds that will have abated the dust enough that I’ll look like the boy who cried wolf. It’s going to rain in the next few days, I’ll scatter the seeds then.
How about Jane planting anything she wants on the lot, then getting the neighbors to help build a playground there, then calling up food trucks and ice cream vendors to swing by?
All opposed?
[ c r i c k e t s ]
No votes, motion is passed. Updates shall be submitted to the November Mini-Rants Thread.
At which time proposals for running 30-amp circuits to the upcoming bandstand will be considered.
You guys are just being silly now. That would cost money and the county certainly wouldn’t want to waste their money on us when they can do it in town where the majority of the tax-payers/voters are.
Not quite the end of October yet and everything is done! The new roof was finished today. It’s so pretty. I had the ceiling repaired Saturday (and I found someone who was vaccinated to do it). And the new outside faucet was put in early last week. Now I can get back to my staying up late and sleeping until noon schedule.
objective 
