concrete back porch sits in the back of my home near the woods and the garden. The area
is very isolated and peaceful. There are no sounds of human life, cars or anything to
alter nature. After awakening in the mornings, I remove the everlasting sleep from my
tired eyes and walk to the small warming porch. I enjoy this time alone to gather my
thoughts and feelings for the day.
The old iron furniture squeaks and wobbles when it is sat upon. The umbrella waves
with the wind, as if waving to say good morning. The grill adds smells of a pleasant
mix of last night's barbeque and old charcoal. Freshly brewed coffee and the sharp smell
of summer also mix in the air. Sitting on the morning dew damp chairs and listening to
the wind as it brushes with softness. Bright white light startles me for a moment as I start
to awaken for a new day. The squirrels start to come out slowly as if they are playing
hide and seek. The trees are large and close together as they slap in the wind. Crisp air
has a smell of summer flowers and lilac. The white tin metal building stands on the edge
of the woods. The squirrels climb over the building as if children playing in the yard. A
few clashes of sticks and acorns across the tin roof sound as waves against the ocean. I
look further to the side and see a fresh vegetable garden growing. The beautiful deep
green color of the garden has specks of yellow, red and orange breaking through. The
garden has a wide variety of vegetables growing, the tomato plants stand tall as if they
are they the leader in the group. The cucumber and potato plants crawl across the
ground as if they are sneaking up on the other plants. The birds fly over to the feeder
near the garden for morning breakfast and sing in melody with one another. The blue
jays play with each other as almost in a small fight to see which one can get to the feeder
first. A few other birds come to the feeder and then jump away as if one of the other
birds scare them. The squirrel's notice the birds at the feeder and sneak as close to them
as possible before they fly away to a hiding place. The animals at play bring a sense of
peace to the backyard and allow me to realize the simplicity of life.
After some time passes, the clouds start to move quicker and change in color to a dark
dusty gray. I hear the rumble of thunder in the distance. The air starts to smell of summer
and all its delight. The wind moves the tree branches in a more even direction as the tree
branches crack and whistle. The squirrels move swiftly to take cover from the hot
summer shower. As I sit under my umbrella, I heard the ticking of drops upon my porch
and the small streams of water as a river in the mountains. The garden perks up as to take
in every single drop of water for there thirsty branches. The tomato plants are standing
even taller and the other vegetables seem to be spreading out even wider. After the rain
has slowed, the garden looks a deeper, richer green and the grass has a sparkling glow.
The clouds start to slow as if like a turtle moving in the grass. The baby blue sky is
showing a small hint of white bright light. As I look to the sky, I see the sun trying to
peak through from behind the clouds. The trees seem to be slowing down from the wind
and sense of calm comes over the woods. All the green plants in the woods, seem to have
enjoyed that small drink of water and have fresh new vibrant looks. A smell of freshness
from the summer rain makes me ready to start my day with a new sense of joy.
The backyard has come alive before my eyes. The beauty of this yard has so many
different depths to it and my senses are overfilled with excitement. Also, a feeling of
peace and tranquility come from observing my backyard. The sounds, sights, and smell
are most amazing. As I take one last moment to reflect on the beauty, I realize that the
secrets of this earth you may never know unless you take the time to stop and look.