Tag: backyard

Tree Party

When the zephyr appears,

We flutter and sway,

A waltz in the wind,

An impassioned ballet.

If the squalls should arrive,

We’ll shake, and we’ll sing,

Let loose of the branch,

Square dance in a ring.

The birds will take part,

Building homes for the new,

Whistling with joy,

Loving chirps, or a coo.

It’s a party, my friend,

Nature offers with glee,

Come join, all are welcome,

Better yet… it is free!

The image is another recycled photo; our Ginkgo. That tree is huge, and it just keeps growing, and growing…

Anyway, I was working on it last night and this afternoon, and was tickled when I saw the Word of the Day Challenge: Zephyr. How fitting!

Not to bring up the elephant in the room, but my walking came to a halt—just for this week. In case anyone is curious. It’s been pretty hot, like in the high 90’s, so I took a little break. We put up a little pool in the backyard, to soak our feet in, and watching the birds play inspired the poem.

That’s about all for now. Peace & Love!
—Janet

Bird in the Tree

Sunshiny Day

A quick gratitude stop this evening

I decided that earbuds are no longer an option on my walks. For one thing, the last time I put them on I stopped to talk with my neighbor (from 6 feet away, no doubt) and when I pulled the dang cord out of my ear—the little rubber earpiece stayed stuck inside of my ear. That was scary.

So… today I went without them. Not only was I free and clear to stop and chat again, but there were birds everywhere and their singing was music to my ears. The streets may have been deserted, but they were definitely alive—full of chirping, whistling, gliding and a hopping. The wonderful, happy creatures had no idea what’s going on right now; not a worry, nor a care.

I knew right then that this long awaited sunshine… and the sweet birds of spring… were what I was grateful for today.

Little darling, the smile’s returning to their faces.
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been here…
Here comes the sun…
Here comes the sun…
And I say… it’s all right.

—George Harrison

I took the featured image a couple of days ago when I was sitting out in the yard. It was hard to get a clear shot, but I love the way the little bird hides behind tiny little leaves and the bokeh light from the sun’s rays.

Black and White Blossoms

Fluidity

Before I dig into any New Lifestyle, New Me updates, I thought I’d share some thoughts I’ve had on this COVID-19 dilemma, social distancing, and how it’s helping me come up with some new ideas.

Staying away from crowds, as I’ve mentioned, hasn’t been difficult. Dealing with the recent rains, on the other hand, was pretty tough! Especially when I finally had my step counter on, and had nowhere to go—but around, in circles—inside our (not so large) house.

Now… however, the sky is blue and I’ve never been so happy to get outside, breath in some fresh air, and feel the warm sun hit my face. All I can think of is that Cinderella song… Don’t know what you got (Til it’s gone).

I don’t know how to phrase it exactly, a wake-up call maybe? Like stop your complaining about silly little things because things could always be worse… much, much worse, in fact. It seems like we’re being called to reevaluate priorities, and revisit our gratitude lists. Well, it feels that way to me.

That being said, I thought I’d add something new to the mix. For every day that I’m here at home—under the social distancing rule—besides working on my Lifestyle Changes, I’m going to add a new gratitude post.

I don’t think there could be a better time for expressing a little thankfulness.

Thanks for reading and I hope you’ll stay tuned!

The featured photograph was taken in my backyard. I’ve been taking my camera out there a lot. I sit in a chair in the sun and look around, waiting for things to catch my eye (many more to come). They are actually blooms on my son’s ornamental cabbage that has bolted. I love the way everything grows and flows so freely, nature is so fluid.

Wood-Abstract Art

Hieroglyphs

Kicking a field goal?

A hip-hop dancer with a boombox?

A cat stuck in a tree and a bird coming to the rescue?

Loquat Tree

Another Day in Paradise

If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.

Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

One of the things that I love the most about the Garden Art series is the fact that it’s limited to my backyard. Well, with the exception of my neighbor’s Flowering Pear that is.

There are so many cool things in our yard, but the truth is… I don’t go out there as often as I should. Been there, done that maybe? What I’m trying to say is that I—like many others—tend to take what I have for granted.

Things lose their appeal after a while.

To go a step further, I’m no real fan of our Loquat Tree. The fruit gets brown and a great deal of them end up on the ground. You can see squirrel bites in them, too. It needs to be topped, so it’s too tall and the branches rub against the cables that stretch across the sky.

I know, I know… I sound like a cranky old grumbler. That’s my point. This Garden Art series is forcing me to forget what I think or feel about the things that have been around me for what seems like forever… and to look at them in a whole new way.

That’s what makes this piece special to me. That little star of the show is just two inches in size. I see growth, regeneration and renewal in this shot. It wasn’t easy to see, I had to look for it.

I see tropical flair, beautiful colors, and glistening light… things I don’t normally notice. The backyard looks brand new!

I feel very blessed today. The sky is blue, the sun is shining, and it’s another beautiful day here in paradise!

Thank you for reading!

Enjoy your day… and may everything seem brand new!