Backyard Paradise

As I step into my backyard, I am transported into another world. I have learned that the transition between nature and civilization is the difference between calmness and calamity. My backyard is the conduit of this peaceful change. As I enter it, I am no longer in the highly planned world of a housing development. It is as if I entered a world that is all my own, a world where I get the feeling of peace and tranquility. I stand in a yard full of luscious environment that puts my mind at ease.

Looking to the right of my patio, you would not know that another house lies so close. Trees of different heights rise to create an illusion of standing at the edge of a forest. There is a willow tree that stands out from the rest. The leaves have a shiny green upper surface with a duller green lower surface and extend to a pointed tip. To the touch, they feel finely toothed, like the ruffles of a feather. At the moment, there is sun filtering in through the leaves to create glimmering patches of sunlight on the grass. The tree is as wide as it is tall. Not standing so tall, are the lemon and blood orange trees. These trees have come to life, with their citrus goodness and their simplicity. Next to the trees are a bed of flowers composed of calendulas. They are gently moving back and forth in a swaying motion. This flower is a beautiful work of art as evidenced in this close-up. The intricate design of each petal is beautifully painted together by nature's hand. With the greens, yellows, and oranges, these colors perfectly blend with the winds to give me peace.

As your eyes move east through the forest setting, you can see a lighthouse-shaped bird feeder sitting on a four foot post. It includes handmade cedar shingles, arched entryways and crackly blue paint that give it an antique look. It is truly exquisite. About twenty feet to the left, there is a three foot tall, concrete, moss-covered dolphin fountain. It seems so lonely just sitting here, getting engulfed with cold, green mossy mold, and leaves from surrounding trees. Being so covered with moss and mold, its ability to function has not been diminished. These existential items of nature are there to add more life to the backyard, but they cannot mask the true beauty of nature, because in the end, nature will endure.

In front of my patio, the gravel footpath leads south towards my boat dock. And in front of the boat dock is my Lido sail boat rocking in my lake, bobbing roughly with the waves. I can hear the water slapping and sloshing against the sides. Seeing the other end of the lake is impossible without squinting your eyes. The beauty of the horizon seemingly meeting the water at a point I will never find. At this moment in time, the water looks like a sea of diamonds rich within the scenery. If I squint my eyes enough I can also see two kids playing in the water on the side of the lake opposite from mine. On the near side of the lake, are more willow trees, ferns and azaleas. The trees provide some needed afternoon shade for the lake and its inhabitants, the multicolored goldfish and coy. Sitting on my boat, I rock back and forth as the waves beat against the hull. At this moment, just enough of a breeze rushes over me, that it forces me to smell the water. With a hint of salt, it tells me the beach is only a few miles away. The harshness of this aquatic