Our back yard is probably considered small by most, yet in our subdivision it is the biggest yard on the block. It is fairly typical in appearance and rarely catches the eye of passers-by. However, closer evaluations will reveal that our back yard is the most magical place in the world, if you are careful enough to look in the right places. Follow me on a mental journey through our amazing back yard.
First we'll stop in the corner over here where the neighbors' fences meet. This is our compost pile. At first it appears to be nothing more than an unattractive pile of yard debris that has been thrown in the corner, but it is far more than that. If you look closely, you can see this amazing world of activity here in this pile. Over there is a grass spider just waiting to pounce on the little beetle that is crawling nearby. And if you look under here, you'll find a community of red worms that have been adopted by our family and saved from certain death at the hands of some hungry fisherman. The birds that fly overhead also enjoy this spot because the pile attracts many insects and beetles that are just perfect for a midday snack. This spot alone is worth hours of entertainment to the curious children that roam this yard in search of new adventures.
We'll continue around the back of the house to see what we may be able to find. The deck here is filled with wonders to spark your imagination and charm your mind. If you come closer you can see the home that has been built into our deck just above the back door. Look up. Do you hear the chirping from that angry mother bird? She does not care too much for visitors around here. Inside her nest she is busily protecting her little eggs, so we are not welcome here. Let us move along.
Over in the center of the yard there lives a willow tree. Right now that tree is fairly small, but perhaps one day she will spread her branches far and wide to shade the little ones while they play. If you lean in close to her leaves, you might be lucky enough to find a lady bug or two. You'll also find that at the base of the tree rests a very happy old cat. His black and white fur gleams in the sunlight and his purr echoes through the land. His days are filled with lazily relaxing at the base of the tree just for the fun of irritating the birds that fly through these parts. He isn't the least bit interested in chasing those birds, but his presence is enough to cause a great deal of anxiety amongst our feathered friends.
This is the biggest part of our yard. This is where all the magic really takes place. This area has, on occasion, been magically transformed into pirate ships, castles, or volcanoes, all at the whims of the inhabitants. With just a touch of imagination this yard changes into something that is only visible by the eyes of creativity. Ball games are won and lost here. Balloon wars are fought. Seas are sailed and lands are explored. This yard has more history than even the greatest countries.
I hope you have enjoyed your journey through our magical land. Feel free to join us here anytime. We will be busy exploring and learning and imagining ourselves into new worlds. If you have your own back yard, visit it often and transform your space into the wonderful land of magic, just like you have seen here. It takes only a bit of imagination to find your own special world in your own back yard.
