|
|
A Ho-Hum Yard |
| It is rather difficult to appreciate a ho-hum yard, don't you agree?
And yet so few properties that one passes on his/her morning commute or even on the way home in the evening, for that matter, cause one to quickly swivel the head around for a second glance. A few lawns can elicit a little smile if its not too early in the morning to smile and one's mouth is not fully engaged with a coffee mug. A freshly mowed and nicely edged front lawn certainly has eye appeal and does warrant a nod of approval and perhaps even a thoughtful "hmmm." Now it is true that I do live out in the country but my house is on a front road (as opposed to a back road) and the road is well traveled .. too well traveled for my taste .. but that is irrelevant to the story. In the spirit of providing visual interest to passing motorists, I occasionally decorate my yard, and then change the content and structure of the materials periodically as nature permits and provides. A couple of months ago, I told you about the exquisite display of lightening bugs rising from the freshly mowed grass just at dusk .That was truly creative and quite lovely. Three or so weeks ago, very soon after I mowed the lawn, nature again provided the materials for a totally different decorative touch ( a rather heavy-handed touch, let me quickly add). A sudden hailstorm with huge hailstones brought down at least one quarter of the trees' leaves .. and there are many trees.. which completely obscured every blade of grass. The result was that the front lawn looked very much like one very large, gently sloping flat tree. Quite unusual, I thought, and left it undisturbed for several days for passersby to admire. It is time for a change now .. something new and different. Nature again came up with unique design materials, and overnight provided multiple clusters .. multiple size clusters .. multiple size clusters of multiple size plants. Yes, you're right! Gigantic, pure white mushrooms! Gone are the leaves of a few weeks ago and its not quite dark enough for the fireflies but those multiple clusters of multiple size gleaming white 'shrooms certainly make a statement. From every window I can see clumps of large white "flowers" in my otherwise perfectly green yard. No, no. no! ..not perfectly green yard! Nephew Shane laid a circle of rich brown shredded mulch around each of the trees in the front yard when he was here earlier this month. That mulch is the "dressing' for the lawn and the 'shrooms are the blossoms. Quite a display, I tell you! Did I mention the torrential daily rain? Love to everyone, Aunt Maureen |
