An Upside of the Pandemic and the backyard remodeling resulting from it.

Jules Heartly || February 17th 2021

I was outside doing the usual backyard maintenance chores, and the noise distracted me from them.

First, a lot of leaves started coming down, and no, it wasn’t an autumn day. Then small branches fell, followed by the big branches, and at the end, all of it, the tree and its trunk were down to nothing. I reacted with my environmentalist heart. Why would my neighbor cut down the tree?  

Then I thought with my “privacy” mind. I feel “naked”! Now, without the tree in front, the unobstructed view took place. I could see all the details of my neighbor’s backyard, and of course, he could not only see mine, but he would see me! And how I was dressed that day and every day forward, and what I did or didn’t do when I stepped out to do my backyard things 😉

I approached the landscaper who had cut down the tree and asked him. “ Why did you cut it?” and he replied. “I don’t know, they asked me to! It seems they want to remodel their backyard, and the tree was on the way”.” “Remodel the backyard is what I need to do”, I thought, “to return to the privacy I had in mine until that day”.

Well, that was the thought! But soon things changed… 

The following day a couple of friends came for happy hour in my backyard and they noticed right away the “open door”.  “You must put a high fence up there. I guess the times for private gatherings are over for the moment.” A whole discussion about the type of fences and backyard designs I could implement followed. My concerns grew. And we called it a night.

I checked a few of the options suggested, but somehow I didn’t seem to be totally sold on the idea. And two days later,… I realized why.

I had come out to refill the bird feeder I keep in my backyard, a wild bird feeder placed close to where the “privacy” tree used to be. I felt sad for the birds that used to sit in the tree while waiting for the food, and for the ones that used to spend the night there…. Suddenly I heard a cheerful “hello” and I turned around to find the friendly faces of my neighbors! 

We casually made introductions and quickly talked about anything, and everything like old acquainted neighbors would do. I even learned about their plans to remodel their backyard, and they even joked about putting a door so I may join them in their barbeques without having to go around the block to get in. 

A few days later, I woke up already attuned to nature, and as per my morning routine, I went out to my backyard. I drew my attention to the call of a Blue Jay, one of several that come to my birdfeeder most of the year.  As I got closer to it, I noticed once again the friendly presence of one of my neighbors. We chatted about how they also had struggles with keeping the squirrels away from the bird feeders.  and who doesn’t? (but that is the subject of another blog).

As time passed, I desisted of the fence idea and enjoyed the few moments I could now share with my new neighbors. I even missed them, as sometimes days would pass by and I wouldn’t see them. 

As New Yorkers, we tend to live our lives without ever really knowing our neighbors. And this was a good example of it. During the Pandemic, a lot of people were either out of work, furloughed or working from home, which created an unexpected upside: We’ve seen our neighbors, we are getting to know our neighbors better.  To learn more about each other and to be more compassionate, and in a lot of cases to find affinities, which lead to more activities together and a better sense of community. 

When one of my neighbors who besides being a wonderful caring person, is a well-known chef and television personality (https://youtu.be/ScWduQKTx2A) went back to work, and his partner traveled to care for his parents, the backyard visits ceased and I wished the tree was back there again so I wouldn’t notice the silent empty backyard. 

I fantasize about having a fun snowballs fight since there is still plenty in our backyards, but I may have to wait for that one. In the meantime, I glance to their backdoor just in case either of them would come out and I get a chance to throw at least one nicely shaped snowball. 

I guess, after all, the saying that when one door closes, another opens it is true. The tree removal opened the door to a new world of collaboration, friendship, and welcoming neighbors.  

And you, have you embraced new neighbors thanks to the Pandemic? Share your story via the comments section below.

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