Quick Etiquette Question
I happened to look out the window this evening to see one of our neighbors pick a handful of lavender from one of our bushes. This is a neighbor we haven't officially met, other than waving from the car.
Obviously, we have lavender to spare, and I'm working on trimming it back. But she wasn't picking from the edges, but right in the center. More precisely, it's not the loss of the lavender itself that bothers me, but picking without asking seems a little rude. I'm not getting myself worked up about it, but am I over-reacting? Is this a comming practice that I wasn't aware of?
posted by JCM @ 8:29 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Oh..... totally go Hatfield and McCoy over this. Buy a shotgun(get it at walmart)..... You can start by loading it with Rock Salt.... But definitely have the Double Aught Buckshot ready for when it escalates. Have you thought about having Bullet proof windows installed?
My opinion? overreacting. It would have been a good way to have met the neighbor, maybe she/he will come back to get more and you will have an opportunity to Exact revenge / meet them.
Some good natured teasing would be my approach. From what I've seen, Most people meet/interact with their neighbors through Yard issues.
Another thing you could do is take some of your trimmings over to them. "I saw you come over and get some lavender the other day, I was curious if you were interested in some more?" it won't cost you much and may win a friend. You also could score some basil or Squash or some other thing they have in abundance.
I'm also thinking the good lavender was in the middle.
If the shotgun thing happens let us know, I'm psyched for the Pics of you 2 on the porch in rocking chairs, overalls, Straw in your teeth. "They don't come round here much, no more." *Squeak Squeak goes the rocking chair*
Learn to live with it. (In other words, pick your battles.) I agree that it is rude and I hope you never do anything like that. Better that the neighbor picks the flowers than having them run over expensive ones with their tractor. (Hopefullly there aren't any tractors in the big city.)
If you didn't witness it, would you have noticed the loss? If not, it's so not worth being upset about, imo. Plants grow back quickly. And middle vs edge? Are you the kind of guy who gets upset if someone tastes your slice of birthday cake and takes the bite from the pointy end? :D
I like Erico's idea - bring over trimmings (or plantings with intact roots!) and make a new friend.
My reaction wasn't "Hey, that's our good lavender!" It was more like, "Hey, we don't even know you yet!" But you all are right, there is an easy way to fix that.
Zucchini will grow in the middle of the road if you let it. People who grow it are always trying to give it away. Consider your friendly acceptance of the gift to make you even with the giver.
Beware of accepting zucchini from strangers. They will think you are a sucker and send it to you daily.
OK - So maybe my reaction is due to too many years in the land of Yankee..but you DO NOT PICK CRAP OUT OF OTHER PEOPLES YARDS. You just don't. Now, some people have posted some very mature and reasonable solutions that are likely to win you friends. Here in NNE, friends are overrated and you don't get to know your neighbor's names until you have lived somewhere for at least 5 years. The Yankee will not seek direct revenge...the Yankee would wait another 5 years to grace the offender with an introduction.
That being said, nothing grows here worth picking in our 3 month growing season.
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