My Happiness Zone

I am a country girl. I loved my neighborhood when I lived in Crossett, but I wanted to be back in a place where it was just a short walk to the cow pasture or the woods. I am also a gardener. My old yard was years in the making, and when I left it, it was still not finished. My pride and joy was a huge two level water garden complete with Japanese Koi who were my babies. I had some withdrawals when I left that huge unfinished project.

When I moved, I began by transplanting my Mama Maggie's roses and my Granny Jett s irises. Once again, I had my project. I am moving a little more slowly building this garden. The yard is still speaking in the language that only people who love to help nature compose her song can understand. What needs to go where has yet to be decided, but a few things are falling into place.

The clematis vines on either side of the steps that I like to call the twins even though one is larger than the other are starting to bloom white stars that look like they fell from the heavens. The phlox by my mom's house is coming to the end of its bloom and is dropping purple petals into the shade of the maple tree. The crepe myrtle that was the first thing I bought has finally come into its glory. It stretches tall over the top of the house, and the thing I lamented because I thought it would never happen has begun; its branches are now bending into graceful arches of pink clusters. It's purple and red baby brothers have not caught up with it's growth, but I have faith that they will soon. I love these small glimpses of what could be, but one area perplexes me.

Next to my house is a huge maple tree that instead of being trimmed and tamed was let run riot as it grew. Next to it are a semi-circle of smaller maples and mulberries. The branches of these trees form a place where I can be surrounded by a tiny forest. Where I can sit in shade and see out, but others can't see in; my spot of solitude in a busy world. I have wondered what to plant there. Should I build raised flower beds or not? Would anything grow in all that shade? I don't know. And, for months I have pondered what to put there.

As I walked through the yard tonight with Stormy, my trusted canine companion, I looked at the sky over the trees that grow on the edges of what used to be the cow pasture and found beauty there in the simplicity of trees and grass and sky. It didn't need anything else to be perfect. The sky was painted the perfect shades of pink, blue, and purple. The giant oaks were a dark almost black green against the pastel sky, and the grass was a paler wispy base to my piece of heaven. I thought about what my Papa Jack must have seen when he first considered buying this land, and I think it must have looked close the the same. Perfect. Peaceful. A place where a person can make a good life.

I think I'm going to stop worrying about what goes under those trees.