Vantage point

I have a favorite spot in the yard to sit and it’s actually something my husband created. Here, on the patio off the breakfast nook, is a lovely little space where he put our umbrella and set up a couple of chairs. I came home from work one day in May to see the big umbrella as I was coming up the drive.

It made me smile, because it looked like a party.

And I love parties.

When we moved here, my husband cleared the crabgrass that had covered the patio. He also severely trimmed the hedges you see here. I was afraid they’d never look good again.

Then last month, he took the old bird feeder off an existing post that you can see the umbrella is attached to. It had been drilled really well into the ground at the center of the bushes around the edge of the patio.

He then attached the umbrella with little plastic ties that are really strong.

The chairs were left here by my youngest son.

I know the plastic ties look a little bit hillbilly but I don’t really care. This is my vantage point from my favorite seat when I look towards the dogwood tree on the left. I can sit out here after work and immediately feel better just looking at all the green. The grass was cut today and the heady scent of it floods my senses. I’m immediately taken back to a day in my childhood. My father is mowing the grass. My mother is sitting on the front stoop shelling lima beans. And I’m sitting there too, in my pedal pushers.

Oddly, none of my siblings are in the picture. Although I loved them fiercely, they’re not in this memory.

What I see when I turn around. That’s the breakfast nook wall to the left. And I’ve just freshened the water in the birdbath. Nothing but the best here.

I’m having a glass of blueberry iced tea as I sit here in my comfortable seat listening to and watching the birds flitting about..

On the fence we have a birdhouse which was claimed about 6 weeks ago by a family of chickadees.  They were defending their real estate this afternoon when a brown creeper showed up and tried to start some trouble.

George even noticed the commotion. He ran over to the fence and scattered the combatants. Then he came and laid down by my side.

Those birds are fast, I tell you. They were flitting and twittering all over the yard. Here’s where they all were when I snapped this photo:

There were more but I didn’t want to crowd the scene. The elusive blue bird showed up as well, and the brown creeper and one of the chickadees were all over the place, chasing each other.

Eventually, the chickadee won out and the brown creeper stayed away.

This is just a closer view of the plastic ties. I think it’s rather ingenious of him, frankly.

And this is just a view out the bottom half of my front screen door. I’m just throwing it in here because I like it. And I can do what I want.

My husband is always saying that I’m doing whatever I want.

As it should be, is what I say.

 

Until tomorrow, my friends . . .

PS ~ I’m getting a little hankering for a summer giveaway. I can feel the urge coming.