Anyway, I've been working on the biggest goal of them all for a couple months now. I really, really want to tell you guys about it, but I can't yet...mainly because I don't have a photo, and I feel like this one neeeeeds a photo.
For now I can show you one of the things I've been working on in the back yard. This was supposed to be the "Year of the Front Yard" since I haven't crept out much from my behind-the-scenes comfort, but rest assured; the front has been receiving some much needed brushing as well.
And so, what we have here is the "Retaining Wall Re-stack".....which was not on my list for spring projects, but it was bugging me to no end, even after my attempts at letting things go and being okay with flaws, so I finally said eff it, it's getting re-done.
Here you can see that the stones were becoming a bit gnarled. I suppose it's half due to years of seasonal shifting and half to whoever built the thing. So I figured I'd demolish Scraggle Fest and just re-stack it all. Keyword here is just.
Of course, it is turning out to be a bigger task than I set out for, but I suppose I should be used to that by now. Nothing a few Ibuprofens and a few sips of an adult bevy can't fix. And a couple days of resting afterwards. Followed by a few hours of "hmm....is that my back or my kidneys that feel like hell....". Oh, and I can't forget about all the rocks that are killing the grass as they sit there waiting for my next day off. I'll finish it eventually. I just want everything to be in straight lines. I think it will look and feel so much better.
Anyway, during my rock wall project I was fortunate enough to see that our crab apple tree was in bloom. I think it held tightly to its blossoms for a good two weeks or so, which outlasted last spring's by quite a long time.
It was kind of funny; on the first day those showy pink flowers came out, I was so happy to have the day off to admire their beauty. I even made a promise to myself not to meet up with anybody for coffee or go run errands to Madison, just so I could enjoy my tree all day long. I kind of laughed when I pictured myself telling a friend "Oh....yeah...I can't meet for coffee today. My crab apple tree is in bloom." I realized how silly it might sound from the their perspective. But I also knew that anybody who truly knows me would understand. The tree is so pretty and I'd really hate to miss it.
As the lunch hour crept in, I found myself at my mailbox hoping for a new magazine. I opened the door and saw that Real Simple magazine had arrived. I was hoping for House Beautiful, but that's okay. I went inside and sat down with my mushroom and red onion pizza and flipped the pages looking for a quick read.
To my surprise, there was an article with a photo of a crab apple tree titled "The Giving Tree." It was about a woman who has a crab apple tree in her yard, and she talks about how fond she has grown of her tree over the years. It was really cool because she hit on many of the same thoughts I had just a few hours prior, and I kept thinking about how awesome it was to come across this article when I did. I couldn't help but to let it brighten my day.
The crab apple tree in our back yard makes me want to live in this house forever, which is a commitment I've had a hard time allowing myself to make, as much as I've wanted to and as easy as it seems it would be. Reading that article made me feel a little closer to embracing the thought that living here forever would be cool. It's so much easier to feel a sense of contentment when I imagine myself growing with everything we do to make this house our home when I take away the idea that one day we might leave it for something else. It's also easier now that I've decided to take every Monday off for the sole purpose of becoming more connected to our home and where we live. I can only imagine that it will bring me more joy...in 11 minutes will be my third Monday. I should hit the sheets so I'm not too groggy to enjoy it.
