A few houses down, there’s this neighbour who’s basically declared his yard a no-maintenance zone, and it’s got the whole block groaning. Every winter, we’re all out shoveling to keep the sidewalks clear, but his place? A snow-drift disaster that forces people to shuffle into the street. Come summer, his lawn’s a chaotic sprawl of overgrown grass and invasive weeds that look ready to invade the rest of the neighborhood. Like, come on—how hard is it to just run a mower over your lawn once a week-ish? It’s not like we’re begging for a botanical masterpiece, just some basic effort.

From where I’m at, I don’t have to deal with his mess directly, but you can’t miss it strolling by—it’s like a black hole sucking the charm out of the street. It’s not just about curb appeal; those weeds don’t respect property lines, creeping into other yards, and the unshoveled snow makes life harder for kids or anyone passing through. Keeping your yard decent shows you’re in it with the rest of us, not thumbing your nose at the neighborhood. A quick mow, a bit of edging, or a few minutes with a shovel isn’t a huge ask—it’s like saying, “Hey, I care about this place too.”

I don’t know what’s up with the guy—maybe he’s got bigger fish to fry—but letting your yard turn into the block’s eyesore feels like a choice. Nobody’s expecting him to sculpt topiaries or build a snow fort; just do the minimum so we’re not all dealing with the fallout. We’re all pitching in to keep the street looking like a community, not a free-for-all. A little sweat with a mower or a weed-puller goes a long way to keeping things neighborly.

   An antidote :) –