"Michelle C" wrote in message
...
I decided to post this in a new thread because I didn't want it to get
lost
in the old one.

This will be my last post on the subject, and I just wanted to thank
everyone for responding.

I have limited experience with neighbors, as I lived at my parents home
until I was in my mid-20s, and at my new home ever since. My parents had
teh
same neighbors throughout those 20+ years, and they were all very
easy-going. They would never object to vines infringing on their property.
(They were also avid gardeners).

Likewise, my neighbors at my new home have been the same people until
these
new neighbors moved in four years ago. The previous neighbors - and the
ones
who border the other sides of my property were also very easy-going and
would not object to such a thing. (In fact, one of them has vines growing
on
*my* chain link fence that we share, and I gladly trim them when
required.)

Anyway, I guess it is my limited experience with neighbors that led me to
believe that these new neighbors would not object to the vines, and made
me
consider them to be unreasonable in their stance.

I believe most people agreed with me that the neighbors are over-reacting,
but the other side has been well-represented too. Enough people wrote in
to
defend my neighbors' point of view that I have to reconsider their
'crankness' as being a bit more 'normal' than I originally thought. Thanks
to those who presented the opposing view, as it was a learning experience
for me.

I will trim the vines for the neighbors, and if they have any more
objections, I will take them down. But at that point I will reconsider my
friendliness with them, and keep them at arms-length. It is still my
opinion
that friends should be a bit more accomodating. If they prefer to be
neighbors instead of friends, so be it.

Thanks again for all your responses. I have learned a lot from all of
you.

Michelle

PS - You've got to admit that this topic sparked a lot of participation
and
some interesting debate! ;-)


A decent plan. If they demand more and more of this or that, let it go. That
makes it about power, not vines.