Backyard View

This is my view from where I’m sitting in my back yard on this late June day. The air is humid, but there is a nice breeze. Showers hang off to the west. I thought it might be interesting to do a quick post that details my view.

Starting on the left, the yellow black-eyed susans are nestled in a planting bed that we created somewhere around 15+ years ago. We did not have much extra cash for things that lay outside of our “essential” category, so we made do by transplanting. The black-eyed susans were transplanted from the field that lay behind our house and while they have not blossomed  into any type of large stand within the bed, they have held true to their nature. They dot the field, but in no way have they ever dominated. Same holds true in our homemade landscape bed. 

Besides the flowers, we also transplanted the tree beneath which I now sit. It is a special tree to me for several reasons. The main one is that I felt a promise and reassurance was divinely given to me several years ago. When we first transplanted the tree, it was a little wisp of a tree that was rather imbalanced due to the fact that it had been growing along the edge of a stand of large spruce trees that line the edge of our property. For the first few years its branches greatly predominated on one side of its stem. Picture a person standing with hands and arms high in the air then drooping the top half of the body to one side. This would be how our little 4’ tree appeared for the first few years of its newly transplanted life. The years came and went and during one particularly difficult time of my life, when things had gotten rather “crooked” (aka—-not going the way I thought they should and I was feeling the tendrils of despair gripping me), I was walking in somewhat of a daze past this tree out to the compost bin. I felt my gaze drawn to the once crooked tree and was reminded of a verse of  scripture I had written down months earlier that had, at the time, impressed me as a promise. It came from Isaiah, and had to do with “making the crooked places straight”. Needless to say, I was struck by how the tree had indeed straightened out significantly. I wondered that I hadn’t noticed it before. Since then, it has grown into a solidly straight and beautiful tree that provides some nice summer shade as well as a place for the birds to rest and feed. And, those things that had brought me to my knees with concern have indeed straightened out and become a source of joy and hope. The tree reminds me of this continually. 

You’ll see our little herb garden in the center, though I admit, a few of  the plants are not necessarily considered herbs. The blue bird house came from my dad. Bluebirds love the open field setting that lies to the south and west of our home. Sadly, I’ve seen very few bluebirds in our yard (or even in the nearby fields) this year. They did make an appearance about 10 days ago. I could tell they were interested in the house. In past years they’ve had to fight over “rights” to the house with the sparrows. Some years they won out, but not this year. The sparrows have raised one (brood?) and when, about 10 days ago, I saw the blue birds had come by to check things out, I decided that it was a good time for the sparrows to move on since their young had already fledged. I cleaned out the house when the sparrows weren’t around, but caved when, after a few days of the sparrows vocal disapproval (I left the door open), I felt guilty and closed it up. Within the hour they were hard at word rebuilding the nest and preparing for brood #2. Things have quieted down significantly since then. Ah...

Beyond the garden, you can see my trusty clothesline. Drying clothes on the line was one money saving activity that I used consistently during our lean years. I still use it often, though for some things that tend to harden (like towels and nicer clothing items) I resort to the dryer.

Past the clothesline are Bill’s (and a friend’s) beehives. Honey harvest will hopefully arrive within the next month, at which time, I will write more about the process and some of the products that the honey goes toward. (Hint...a tasty drink)

There are open fields past the hives that I love for their beauty and serenity. Teddy and I have been taking frequent walks along a mown path. The walks are quick but fill our lungs and minds with fresh air and inspiration!