You may or may not be aware of this simple fact; I have a passion for pink flamingos. They make me happy with their fluttery pink feathers, 
their curious black eyes, and their yellow and black beaks ready to pounce on a worm. They would prefer to eat shrimp, but in these fair woods, there seems to be a scarcity of shrimp wandering about.
Now, I don’t live in a neighborhood with a home-owners association. I’m sure that does not surprise most of my readers. Most flamingo farmers tend to avoid home-owners associations. We are more flighty by nature and can’t abide by the rules, especially when it comes to the height of our grass or the color of our pets.
I have friends who raise chickens. They are very happy to have a regular supply of eggs and they find their pets quite entertaining. However, I learned that if one of the chicks turns out to be male it is not kept. I won’t even consider what happens to the poor little chap of a chicken.
I thought the rooster was not wanted because then the eggs would be fertilized and that causes concern for eating the eggs. I thought that, perhaps, the hen would not lay as many eggs if it had fertilized one. I don’t really know all that I thought because I have never had chickens and I don’t think much about what I don’t know. Call me silly if you wish!
No matter what assumptions I have made, I learned that the poor little chap of a chicken would have to leave the yard because the home-owner’s association forbids roosters from residing in the residences. Shocking! Well, not really because roosters can be quite loud.
I wonder if anyone would take offense to my flamboyance of fifty feathery pink flamingos.
I sure hope not. I would think they would also be disturbed by my gnomes. They might even expect me to get rid of them. Wouldn’t that be tragic?
I have been thinking about my right to raise anything I wish to raise in my non-home-owners association residence. I like that I have a choice. If the humans in my home are bothered by my friends, they have a right to complain. They have a right to set parameters on my placement of my pets. They have a right to scowl and complain.
Fortunately they all seem to be quite fond of my peculiar pets. They have even taken to giving the pets adventures of their own and excluding me from the enjoyment… No worries, I am glad everyone has something to smile about.
I have a right to enjoy my flamingo flamboyance. If there are people in my neighborhood who do not like my flamingos, I think they can just walk by and ignore them. I don’t need everyone to agree with me that flamingos and gnomes are perfect companions.
However, like my helpful friends or not….
the UPS driver still has to bring me my packages
So does the Fed Ex driver
the mail carrier still needs to deliver my mail
the pharmacist still has to fill my prescription
the banker still has to cash my check
the grocer still sells me food
the oil truck still delivers oil
the electric company still checks the meter
Oh, I could go on and on.
My flamingos do not need a marriage license. They really don’t worry about getting married. I don’t judge them if they accidentally produce more little pink flamingos. In fact, I think that would be a cause for celebration!
My flamingos and I are all of the same opinion. People may like us or not, but we still expect them to do their job. If the Fed Ex man does not like my flamingos I am sure there is someone who will drive down my driveway for him. However, we happen to be quite fond of our Fed Ex man, so we hope he continues to visit!
Fly with whatever wings you have my dear friends, fly free of any burden of judgement.
Peace!
I love gardening and magical beings. My profile is a garden ready to be created,
Maneé Trautz 
Your yard, your rules – Go Pink!
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We refused to look at houses where there were HOAs. We’d lived in one before and then we lived on a military base. If we want to raise flamingos to walk the clothesline like a tightrope while we wash our car in the drive, we feel that owning land should entitle us to that to that pleasure.
And of course people should do the jobs for which they’ve been hired. I can think of so many jobs where I had to deal with people who didn’t fit my expectations for humanity, most of whom were my bosses, but that’s what the money’s for, isn’t it?
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Oh, I want to watch them walk the clothesline. I don’t care if my car is dirty or not. Flamingos walking the clothesline is much more exciting! Thank you for giving me a reason to smile.
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One thing that makes me happy about our neighborhood–no HOA! Been there, done that, paid the monthly fees and there never seemed to be anything to show for it except for a crappy entrance sign.
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