Struggling Sunflowers

~ Becky Ross Michael

At least seven new apartment buildings with large parking garages are in various stages of being built around my neighborhood. Last year, this was a beautiful field of sunflowers. These are the brave holdouts. Amid all this construction, only one small “park” area was designed. Most of the other areas are being covered by pavement and buildings. Almost everything has changed in the eight years since I moved to this area of Texas. And now a Universal theme park has been approved for just up the road a few miles! Would you be surprised if I told you the mayor is a Realtor?

70 thoughts on “Struggling Sunflowers”

  3. Very sorry to hear this, Becky. Overdevelopment is a plague, and too many elected officials (like your realtor mayor) make this happen or allow this to happen. My town has experienced this, too — with most of the new apartment units priced only for the affluent. 😦

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    1. That’s for sure, Tracy. I walked by those poor sunflowers several times, thinking about the whole mess and finally had to get that photo. Now I wish that I’d taken a picture of the beautiful field full of them in past years!

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  7. This is so, so common. Even the most cursory look at the people involved in the proposed fast rail between Houston and Dallas makes your mayor look like a piker. One of our biggest problems down here is the amount of building ‘on spec’ that’s being done. The buildings go up, and then sit empty. I suppose tax write-offs are involved somehow. My very favorite wildflower spot disappeared a couple of years ago. It was so rich in flowers — even orchids — and its gonzo.

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    1. You’re so right, Audrey. Everything is out of kilter. Most of the new homes and apartments around here have the word “luxury” attached to them, while many people can’t afford the price tags. Many of the local businesses can’t find enough workers because they don’t pay enough for their employees to live nearby. It’s crazy.

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  10. So sad! The field must have given you so much pleasure in the past. Those few sunflowers look as if they are pleading for help somehow. The comments about the loss of wildflower places too…I think the first time this kind of thing happened to me I was about six and it was a real shock to find out that the field opposite our house where the fair came every year was being taken for a builder’s merchant. Just like that and seemingly without any objection. Every time I pass that ugly place with it’s asbestos roof I feel despair. It’s not good to feel powerless is it? They will probably reference the sunflowers in the naming of the new development. Just as the address of that despicable building I’m talking about is ‘Fairfield’. So sorry, Becky…

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    1. Hi Maria, Yes, it was always a high point of my walks. And there was another field of sunflowers not far from it where the same thing has happened. Your childhood memory of what used to be is an interesting one and just shows how much green spaces matter to some of us!

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  12. So many places in Texas have this situation going on. Here in Austin they are proposing being able to put three living units on single-family lots. A hearing was held yesterday, and 1300 people showed up to speak. Mostly against. The contractors are so in favor cause that means they can throw up three $700,000 units instead of one. Having a real estate person for a mayor is a conflict of interest and needs a recall. Sorry for your pain.

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    1. Exactly! Many people spoke out against the theme park moving in here, but they got shot down. I certainly agree about the conflict of interest for the mayor, but he recently was re-elected:( I also have family living closer to Austin (Canyon Lake), and it’s almost impossible to find decent yet affordable housing!

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  16. Sadly, no. Where I live, the mayors and council members are necessarily realtors, but the NEVER vote down a developer’s proposal. (The one exception being a seven story mixed used development in an area that is mostly creek and completely a flood plain. But I’m sure even that will eventually get approved!)

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  20. I am sad to say I understand what you are going though because of my own suburban experiences here in Australia. Little common sense is used, council regulations are overlooked, diggers and trucks run back and forth on roads never designed for their weight, reversing vehicles beep-beep-beeping. The face of my city is now more concrete than tropical gardens and highrise housing predominates. Interesting how city councillors can buy electric cars and holiday overseas. Lovely nature always finds a way, rise up sunflowers! 😊 G.

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  21. Sadly, no, I wouldn’t be surprised! That’s really terrible. I feel for you, all your neighbors, and the sunflowers, other flora and fauna that will no longer have a home. Hopefully, that space can be made spectacularly beautiful when all is said and done.

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  22. profound & beautiful. btw, tx much for visiting my site. I love anything to do with books & would be thrilled if you’d write a guest blog post for my site, which is for anyone who enjoys writing, or books, and all the arts. If you think it might be fun or helpful to have my followers (who total about 10k across my various social media) meet you, here’s the link for general guidelines: https://wp.me/p6OZAy-1eQ – best, da-AL

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