Backyard

When we moved in 35 years ago, our side yard was an open sunlit expanse of grass where you could play croquet. At some point we plowed it up and planted one of those big boxes of wild flowers and had fabulous displays of wildflowers for years.  We planted an English walnut which eventually shaded out all but a very few hardy coneflowers and the bluebells in spring. "Suddenly it seems" we have a shady breezy extremely pleasant arbor of trees, a giant maple towering over the walnut, an apple tree sweeping over the pond, and tiger lilies blooming nearby. It is wonderful. I know it isn't sudden, it just seems suddenly pleasant to have such an inviting spot to sit in the yard and read in the dappled sunlight. An English walnut tree grows branches highly suited to grandsons and tree houses. It also makes a lot of trash, but Larry and Henry built a little firepit and we can burn a few of those little branches when the boys are here.  If yard crashers saw this yard, they would scream in dismay, it is bumpy, scarred by a crazy digging dog and emergency plumbing work, there is a constant battle against encroaching poison ivy and that honeysuckle that is trying to take over the Midwest.. but, let me get another glass of lemonade ready and take my book outside to read.