Before going to bed last night I heard a brief blurb on the news that there was talk of a new casino/hotel complex being built in Urbandale. "Where in the heck would they put that?" I wondered. "Urbandale is just about full up with development already."
This morning, reading KCCI online I discovered where - the 80-acre farm where my children and I spent nine very happy years in the 70's. I rented the area of about three acres which included the house, garage, barn, chicken house (where I raised my first hogs), an orchard and lots of play area for the kids.
Several years ago the Longview indoor golf 'bubble' was erected just west of where our house was. You can see the grove of trees which were our west property line to the right of this picture. It didn't bother me when that was built because our house and the trees were still there.
Now the owners of Longview want to retire. The men who have the agreement option to buy the 80+ acres have filed a request for rezoning for a hotel, casino and entertainment complex.
Obviously that means Our House (which is what I called our acreage) where my children celebrated so many birthdays, would no longer be there.
Nor would the trees - including the old maple at the end of the lane where Doug built his tree house.
The clothesline in the back yard may already be gone as well as this old tile I rolled there and filled with dirt for a flower planter - but I very clearly remember the kids playing here. And Doug, when he was a teenager, climbing on the roof over the basement steps to get onto the roof over the breezeway and then slip into the upstairs stairway window which he had earlier used to sneak out of the house.
But of all that will be lost if their casino plans go through, what will bother me the most, will be that my Three Pines will no longer exist. The Three Pines of my mystery story; the trees I commissioned a charcoal of; the objects of so very many pictures taken in all the seasons.
There was always a mystical majesty about these three trees. It was as though they were the keepers of the history of that land. Just as I hold the memories of that time in our lives, I believe the trees have held memories of us. No casino is ever going to do that.
That would be sad to see that all go the way of another casino.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't people just leave things alone?
If we continue to plow under our history, we will no longer have a history to remember.
I love that old house and the fireplace, etc. If I could move it and save it, I would. Color me sad.
Preston
Preston - I know. I would buy it too if it wasn't going to go for a gazillion $$$. Even with all the development around it, we could still drive past and see the house and yard pretty much as they were when we lived there. I will hate it when it is gone. It does make one wish to buy at least a bit of land somewhere and keep it as it is.
ReplyDeleteYou never know...they might sell the house or give it away for $1 if someone would move it.
ReplyDeletePreston
You never know...they might sell the house or give it away for $1 if someone would move it.
ReplyDeletePreston