When we moved into the house we’re renting this year I was shocked at how HUGE the back yard is! Our back yard growing up was a great size, perfect for keeping up with the grass and having a garden, but it was by no means massive. This back yard that we have now is probably 2-3 times that size! I’m sure you can imagine that our dogs are in heaven out there.
Here in Arkansas we have the most insane number of trees, and it is so very green most of the time. I grew up in West Texas where cotton fields were abundant, but trees weren’t so much a thing. I love those dusty plains covered with cotton and could never understand what people meant when they would come and say there weren’t any trees. I mean, we had 3 in our yard – 3 whole trees right there!
In my back yard now we have countless trees (really, I don’t know how many we have…20?) plus a small bamboo forest in one corner. BAMBOO!
Honestly it’s been a little difficult for me to get used to the trees, which I know will sound odd to most people, but they block out the sun (a good thing in these hot hot summers) which means that grass isn’t super abundant back there. I’ve always had grass in our back yards, and to have one that has beds of leaves instead has been interesting, but I’ve really come to love it.
Looking out our back windows reveals this amazing little wilderness that has taught me so much about being happy exactly where I’m at. Sure, there’s no grass. But there are gorgeous trees so close together that we can have a hammock and a swing for Weston. We can walk around and discover something new all the time (like the bamboo!), and we can look up and see the gorgeous contrast between the beautiful blue skies and the green leaves. We can see the sun flare through the leaves, which feels like Heaven is shining down on us. It makes me happy to think that Weston will have memories of huge trees and a feeling of adventure from the beginning, and it makes me happy to feel those exact things right now.
Have I mentioned how much our dogs love it too? Room to sprint and weave through trees with innumerable sticks to chew on and chase…what’s not to love, you know? Plus I had to mention the pups because they’re just so stinking adorable. Bunker (below) is always down for a photo, but Keira’s kind of shy and wouldn’t let me get a close-up of her 😉
Welcome to our wilderness!
So pretty, Heather!
Thanks Tieghan!
Looks lovely! We have a fairly big backyard too…not as big as your but bigger than the one I grew up with. We don’t have a lot of grass either but ours isn’t from lack of sun but more like lack of rain. Ugh. We are in a really big drought over here in Central Texas and it aint pretty. So when it does rain it such a double edged sword. We need the rain but then we have so many bald spots in the backyard that we end up getting mud which then means every time Bella goes out she has to have her feet cleaned to come back in. (Not a picnic for me or her).
Oh, trust me, I’m familiar with the mud scenario. My dogs always seem to find the only muddy part of the yard to play and do their business in!