Below our deck, there is an area around the apple tree that is shady and cool, and home to many different types of birds. This year alone, my hanging baskets were host to two families of sparrows and one family of Stellar's Jays. It was fascinating to watch the rituals between the male and female birds as they divided the tasks of preparing for the babies and then caring for them once they emerged from their shells.
My aunt brought me a beautiful white armillary sphere from one of her trips to Copenhagen, and it nestles comfortably among the hostas and clematis. There is a birdbath among the ivy and mint that is always filled with water, and I often take fuschia blossoms that have fallen to the ground and float them on the birdbath's water. We often reach in and grab fresh mint for our iced teas and for our summer sauces.
Stepping stones lead to the gate that opens onto the front yard. Fairy lights are strung from the deck to the apple tree in summer, lending light to evening conversations on the deck and at the bistro table below the deck. It's a comfortable retreat from the stresses of the day, and the birds are always there with us, singing not because they have to, but because they have a song.
No comments:
Post a Comment