prairie point

Last week some friends came by with canoes and  and we fished for awhile on the lake. While we were there I noticed a young woman and a child sitting on the shore. They waved and I waved back.

From the water the shoreline all looks the same to me and I can’t remember where my property boundaries are. But it looked to me as if she was close enough to be on my property. I don’t frequent that corner very much but I decided to go have a look.

What I remembered was that there was a deer trail that lead down to the water at about that spot. What I discovered was the path was now  wider and just inland there was now a clearing about 20 feet in diameter. Small understory had been cut at ground level and low tree limbs had been lopped off. The debris was piled to the side of the clearing. Just to be sure I located the iron rod that I believe to be the corner of the property. The clearing and part of the path leading to it were well inside of the survey marker.

I did not follow the path but I’m pretty sure I know where it goes.  The neighboring property as well as surrounding land including mine  were once owned by the same person.   He sold off pieces of it and deeded a small part next to me to his grand-daughter.  I have never met her but she is probably the woman who was waving at me.   She doesn’t live there but she and her husband recently built a small cabin and started visiting on weekends.

It is not that I object so much to a neighbor being on my property but I really don’t like to have that clearing.  This is on the side of a hill and erosion can be a problem when the understory is removed.  The ground is rough and stony  and it is hard to fence and most landowners don’t.

Now I will have to look for them and have a talk but in the meantime I have placed a prominent  sign on a tree next to the clearing.   I am sure they just don’t know the boundary.  They may not even have a survey.