The Back Porch: My Place of Solace

I have mentioned several times in my blog about having coffee on the screened-in back porch in the morning or about having dinner out there in the evenings. It is my place of solace and peace...unless the neighbors are out. The neighbor on one side likes to blast bluegrass music and the neighbor on the other side has a noisy kid. But in the mornings, when no one is outside yet, it is heavenly. I sip my hot coffee, look out over the garden, think about this and that...usually my mind wonders to the garden, though. Feeling good about what has been accomplished so far, but noticing what still needs to be done. Taking note of what is looking good, as well as what isn’t looking good. But generally, I am just enjoying the view.

I see many creatures in the garden each morning. Several types of birds (including hummingbirds and woodpeckers), the neighbor’s cats, butterflies, bees, dragonflies, and more. Margaret Roach’s June 23rd podcast was about how the yard can be a “living landscape,” and mine certainly is just that. From the worms in the soil, to the birds and bats in the trees (just spotted a bat the other night), these creatures find THEIR solace in our gardens.

My own cats also find peace here. They love spending the mornings on the porch with me. Looks like Molly has spotted one of the neighbor’s cats here...

Here she has her eye on some birds...

This is Molly and Izzy’s favorite place to be, as well as mine.

It has taken me nine years to get to the point where I feel fairly satisfied with the garden. It is such a great feeling to be able to sit here and enjoy the results of all of those years of hard work. A gardener’s work is never done, though. There is weeding and more projects always on the horizon. But we all need time to sit back, relax, and feel good about the little slice of heaven, the tiny place of peace, we have created. After all, this is why we garden.