There’s no denying that at a personal level, the past two weeks have been bloody awful. J and I chose to live where we do for the beauty and semi-solitude of the location – discovering the bio-diversity and our delightful neighbours has been a real bonus. However, the last few months have seemed like Armageddon with great machines hacking away at our corner of paradise.
First it was Kara Göl or Black Lake, a seasonal area of shallow water just below our house that has been home to some very rare species of damselflies and dragonflies as well as a huge variety of more common fauna. There has been an attempt to drain this last vestige of a once mighty flood plain – I say ‘attempt’ because it looks as though it might have failed to achieve the purpose – I live in hope! In the process the machine ripped down mature trees and long established areas of undergrowth that were home to so much; what is left looks like the Somme on a bad hair day! The fact that the Somme lived to fight another day (and World War) gives me hope that Black Lake might do the same.
Then came a real body blow; having played a part in the villagers’ fight to stop Kocadere Valley from being turned into a quarry and cement works, we now have the nightmare of an army of great machines and trucks ripping the forest and mountainside to pieces 200 metres from our house! The ‘authorities’ are widening the death trap that constitutes the main road from Dalyan to Ortaca in a bid to weed out more of the stupid, macho prats who endeavour to kill themselves and others with their excessive speed!
J is far more pragmatic than me; pointing out how quickly stuff grows and the fact that we have been promised a ‘nature park’ to replace the real nature park that is now becoming a quarry! I take these things far more personally, having never got passed the infantile feeling that ‘I’m being picked on’ and consequently get ‘down in the dumps’ very quickly over such affronts. I know there’s no point, that it doesn’t make anything better or different, but pasting on a rather unconvincing smile doesn’t make the feeling go away either. Pathetic, really!
Today, J dragged me out for a walk to the ‘kale’ (castle) at the other end of the small tepe or hill where we live. The kale is what remains of a Neolithic fort that nobody else seems bothered about, so it is a perfect place to survey our ‘kingdom’ and take stock of life in general and the beauty of our surroundings (as long as I don’t look ‘over there’). The walk is not far and the track is littered with nature’s gemstones – flowers are everywhere!
Those who know me will remember my love of orchids and today ‘Toprakana’, Mother Earth, offered up a gift to lift my depressive state of mind. There, not 50 metres from our house were several dozen of the beautiful and very delicate Ophrys fusca the Sombre Bee Orchid. Thank you, Earth Goddess! Thank you!
Instead of pictures of destruction, here are pictures of life!
- Ophrys fusca – Sombre Bee Orchid
Alan Fenn, Okçular Köyü
We went through the same thing in 1995 when a mine was planned 100 meters behind our village. We all fought the developers and won and since that day, as a village we have always been very close knit. It was a horrible year to live through, we had gendarmes and guns and 6 young villagers in gaol for 6 weeks. – but we got through it. Keep smiling.
We haven’t got any bee orchids yet, you must be a few weeks in front of us.
Annie recently posted..Angela Culme-Seymour
Thanks Annie, we went through a big fight seven years ago for Kocadere and won that. This time around no one seems much bothered – the promise of a ‘nature park’ has them bamboozled! There are some great stories from the previous fight that can wait for another day – and Okcular is a great community.
Alan recently posted..Really Getting My Goat
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Oh, you have my full sympathy! I would be terribly depressed too in this situation. It must be galling to see this happen without a murmur after your successful campaign against the cement factory. I often hear people say ‘you must embrace change’. As if change were always good. When something is beautiful and untouched, why should we be glad to see it destroyed? But as your partner points out and the orchids show, there is hope. Local people here once set fire to a nature reserve, hoping to destroy the rare plants which made it such a special place. The flames had the opposite effect and increased biodiversity through regeneration. Taught them a lesson!
I love the image of you standing at the Neolithic fort to admire the landscape – the other way.
Bon courage.
Hi Christine and thanks for the support. Daft to get so down about these things – and you and J are right, given time it will be taken back by nature. It may be different but that’s OK!
Alan recently posted..Amasya – Beautiful, Historic, Captivating
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Alan — I am so sorry to hear about that construction and understand your blues. Your flower photos are beautiful though and putting me in a good mood. Thank you.
Trisha Thomas recently posted..Red and Black
Thanks Trisha, glad the photos cheered you up – they certainly help me
Alan recently posted..‘Coincidentally . . ‘
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Testing, testing, 1,2,3 Just trying to see if I add a comment or two!
Jack Scott recently posted..The China Syndrome
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sorry about the faffing about you’re having Jack – Akismet is flagging you up as spam and it’s beyond me at the moment. I’ll keep working at it and try and resolve it for you.
Alan recently posted..Birth Of The Blues!
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Pictures of Life! Love it Alan! Thanks for sharing!
Terry recently posted..Waking up in Ankara – why do so many expats move to Turkey?
I’m glad you love it! Every bit helps
Alan recently posted..Birth Of The Blues!
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Lovely flower pics! Often there is beauty among the destruction. Though there’s always plenty of construction projects going on here in Istanbul as well. Hang in there!
Joy recently posted..Peaking in My Kitchen Pantry in Istanbul
Thanks Joy! First off, welcome to Archers. This lot really got to me; the invasion and destruction of the forest and our peace and quiet! Blitzkrieg effect!
The wounds will heal in time.
Alan recently posted..Once Upon A Time . .
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