Paradise

Saint Gene has taken to calling our home "Paradise" when he's cutting up with my mother. And you know something, in many ways he's right! We own our home - it's fully paid for. We own our cars - they are fully paid for. We have tomatoes planted in large pots lining our front door walkway. Not the ideal spot from a design standpoint, but the only full sun location in our yard. Our lot is slightly over an acre and is shaded by big, beautiful old growth trees. Our property line on one side is a wonderful creek with a joyful little cascade that sings to us (and was temporary home to a beautiful pair of wood ducks recently). We planted some bright red "Double Knockout Roses" in the front flower bed (next to the tomato plants), our first attempt at having roses - gotta make use of that one little sunny location! We have blue birds living somewhere nearby. We see them perched on the cable wire coming into our home. We have good neighbors and our street is quiet and peaceful.

It's amazing to me how much I enjoy being outside when the weather is as wonderful as it has been recently. Ok, so it's rained a little too much. But that very same rain is one reason my yard is looking so much better this year. And it is sure better than the drought we've been having the last 2-3 years! I spent almost all day Sunday just sitting around on my deck, on my driveway, on my front stoop, even in my carport when the late afternoon shower came. Sitting around - watching Gene work. The man has turned into a yard-working fool!! I don't think a single shrub in our yard is more than half of it's former height. But the yard is looking so neat and trimmed and usable. The nice weather has allowed my mother to sit outside where she can see him and feel like she's participating in a small way in the activity.



Joy Journal: The sound of my husband and my mother laughing as they sit outside enjoying the sunshine.