Economical demise, or progress?

My girls went to spend a week almost with my mom. First let me say this, I have lived in the Charlotte area of NC since 2001. My drive has always been the same. I take the same roads, go the same way. I am sure I could drive it with my eyes closed. I take the country way. 2 lane roads, farms and roadside markets are abundant on my drive. When bug came along in 2005, we still make frequent trips to my moms house. Then when Bee came along in 2007, we still were there a lot until I got a full time job. So for the last 3 years trips to my mom have been scarce.

Nevertheless, on the way there this time (last time we were there it was about 4 months ago) things are different.  Construction every where. The roads are expanding. Expanding country roads? In the 3 hours it takes to her to her house, there is probably 3 grocery stores in the 150 mile drive.  Maybe 2 Walmart stores total in the middle of no where. On this drive, millions of trees have been cut down. I am not even exaggerating the number, in fact, I am sure it is probably more than that. I thought that was part of North Carolina's charm. The fact that most things are surrounded by country and not busy high ways. I have never actually seen the need for any lane expansions in this area.  I am sure it does not get congested. That's the reason I take this way.  I enjoy looking at ancient trees and having the kids guess how old the tree is.  There was one tree that was chopped down which look like it had a ton of tree rings. Tons of them. I wanted to stop and count them all.

You know, I could hop on the big highway, drive 70 mph most of the way there but there's no beauty in that. I am the type of person that does not need to be in the hustle and bustle of a city or city life.  I don't always NEED to be doing something. I am fine taking the scenic route, taking my time to get to where I am going. On the drive there, it not only was completely different.... But so many homes were for sale. I mean, a ton of homes for sale. I was hoping the rural communities maybe weren't feeling the torture of this recession.  There is one house in particular that I have always loved to drive slowly by and imagine what takes place there. It's a  big white plantation home, one that most likely has been in the same family for years. It's gigantic. Has a lot of land and is well kept. The house itself looks still to be made of wood that's in immaculate condition. It's for sale. As long and as many times as I have driven by that house,  there isn't 1 time where I would've imagined it for sale. In my neighborhood there are also house that I have been for sale for almost 2 years now. It's crazy. 

Are we building in places that don't need it just for the sake of creating jobs?  Is the economy really that bad where houses are going for sale when they shouldn't, and no one is buying them causing foreclosures? Or is it really just the death of farming communities in this state anyway? I have a bachelors degree in history and it just seems like all of this has caused to lose part of North Carolina's history. My girls even noticed it.

To get to mom's house we literally go over a river, and through the woods. So, we'd sing the song, but I am not sure how much "woods" will be left after it is all bought and sold. Most of the area potteries have been closes as well. I am done venting. It's just sad that things have come to this.