Backyard Inspiration

Not long after spring had officially sprung (though not actually officially, since the first day of spring always comes quite a bit after it feels it should...), we spent the day outside.

March is glorious for entire days spent outside.
Glorious.
(Spring is the time of year that I start to use the word 'glorious' a lot. Usage of this word goes downhill quite a bit once we start spending a lot of time with 100+ degree weather.)

Dirty feet, dusty hair, toasty skin, thirsty lips...March is bursting at the seams with these things. I love it. LOVE it.

Is there a reason I was born in March?

Well, anyway, we had spent lots of time outside and I started to feel superbly inspired. Considering I'm already operating as a full-time this and that 24/7 with very little room for much creativity these days, when I feel inspired, I usually just start taking pictures. No oil painting, tune composing, novel writing or poetry penning (that last word is a stretch I think) for me...
Yet.
(And no fancy camera equipment yet either. Which is fine, considering it would take me a year or two to learn how to use it all...)
So, here is what was leaving me feeling joyful on this particular day...and nearly every day since...

Beautiful kiddies playing in mud puddles. There was one really good one they all gathered around to scoop muddy water out of.

sharing...

gathering...

pouring...

Then the peaches caught my eye.
Oh how I love my little peaches. They are so delicate and so strong.
They're like sweet little babies.

That I will someday eat. (and maybe share)
There are so many this year! Last year there were five.

Through the branches of The Peach, I noticed The Plum.
Blossom-filled and gorgeous. The Plum makes me think of a wedding.
Anticipation, joy, and beauty.
About this time, we started wondering if every blossom on this tree would turn to fruit and we decided there was no way that would happen. Look at all of them!
(Guess what? We were wrong. Oh, the plums we shall have!)

Lovely Lady Pomegranate (or Queen Anne as I like to call her) was in her beautiful red leaf stage. I just think it is gorgeous, set against the grayish-brown of her branches and the green grass underneath.
Since then, those leaves have turned greenest-green and little red blossom bulbs are everywhere!
I love looking at the kids through the branches of our trees. It somehow makes them feel like part of nature. And makes me happy.
(I am not sure if I qualify more as a hippie or as a nerd.)

Mr. Tangelo over in the corner takes lessons in blossoming from his mentor, the neighboring Grapefruit. Ah, the blossoms. They were just starting here. A few on theirs, a couple on ours.
Now, it is full-blown orange blossom season here. And oh my does it smell glorious! (there it is)


I love watching them play together. I love when they swing and interact with each other without me and I can just listen.
They definitely inspire me.

I especially love watching them swing and play under this gorgeous tree we have that has decided to reach out its branches this year to nearly encompass the swing set.

And our roof.
(For this reason, we unfortunately will have to do some trimming!)

But, for now, it provides this gorgeous view off the balcony.

And this one.
Something about having such a lush tree makes our backyard feel so cozy and protected.
This is one of the reasons that I call this tree "Mom-Mom." She feels like a nurturer, a protector.
(This name actually comes from our Grizzly Man days when we used to watch Timothy Treadwell interact with Bears from a distance, giving them all sorts of endearing names. One of my favorites was Mom-Mom. It was all just so adorable. It was also a little annoying at times. Just like my ranting about my trees, yes?)

But I can't stop there.
Because here is one of the sights that inspires me most, on a daily basis.
You can see our tree (Mom-Mom) stretching in from the left side of the picture, like she is trying to hug that prickly ol' pine tree in our neighbors' yard. And, just a few feet away from Prickly, in the bottom right corner, is a sweet little palm tree.
I don't know why but this picture of all these trees who are so different, planted in such close proximity to each other, makes me giddy.
Our own little Melting Pot.

Toys strewn across the soft grass...one of those things that remind me that someday I won't have such messes to cherish. :)
And, in the distance, a lonely fence around an empty garden space.
Reminds me that someday I will have all too much time to garden.

I peeked through at Scout, who was eating grass contentedly. Grass that he would probably throw up later on my carpet.
But, alas, our sweet Scout inspires me nonetheless. He is a special guy.
"Scout's a good cat."
(James' favorite phrase)

A cute girl.

A happy guy.

(Ben apparently didn't want his picture taken this day.)

I just love this time of year. Did you know?
I am completely beside myself wondering how any on this earth fail to see our Heavenly Father's hand in all of this. It is just beautiful. And it is all for us.

Every last bit.