The view out our front door has always been refreshing and quite soothing. It was a wooded area with many trees and shrubs insulating us against the noises of modern urban life. The woods have been home to deer, turkeys, frogs, and countless species of birds. It is like living in the middle of a wild-life refuge. It is not unusual for us to look out our window on any given day and spot several deer. We often have the surprise and pleasure of seeing wild turkeys grace our bird feeding area.
However, in the last few weeks, the "progress" of modern life has literally changed the landscape!
We live off a very busy road that carries thousands of cars and trucks per day. It is a two lane street that has long since outlived its usefulness as traffic is bumper-to-bumper during every rush hour. As a result, the state of Missouri has decided to re-route the road and, at the same time, widen the thoroughfare. The new route the road will be taking brings it straight through our little slice of nature.
A few weeks ago, massive road building equipment entered the property and promptly began plowing through the wooded area. Trees, which have stood for decades, came tumbling down with little effort from the powerful machinery. Land which had been untouched by human hand for years, was plowed under and turned over. Great scars in the earth opened up and where there was once the lush green of the woods there is now the dried brown of the newly exposed earth. The landscape has been forever changed.
It is sad to see these few remaining vestiges of nature within an urban setting disappearing. One of the things that drew us to our home was the fact that it had such a peaceful feeling to it. Now, before we know it, a four lane highway, complete with bustling noisy traffic, will be racing not more than 200 yards from our front door. Twelve foot high sound suppression walls will be erected to hide the noise where once stood graceful, majestic trees of an undetermined age. Horns and the sounds of metal grinding against metal as vehicles collide will replace the morning songs of the countless songbirds that once called this area home.
The photos above clearly illustrate what is happening to our neighborhood. The top picture is a photo of what the view out our front door once was. The bottom picture is as it appears now. What a difference!
For most, the change that is coming will be a welcome change. Travel times using the busy highway will be greatly diminished. The road will be far safer than the current one. These are all positive developments. But for us, the residents who once enjoyed nature in a very unique way just outside our front door, there is a sadness at the passing what was once an oasis of nature amidst the urban sprawl. That's progress!
