MY BACKYARD, MY HAPPY PLACE

​This backyard had gone through a lot of transformations; it has always been a work in progress; but now I’m liking what I see. 

It has become my happy place that it always beckons me when I’m indoors. 

This picture on the storage shed sets the tone of the day; a reminder that it is a pleasure to be alive; to smile, to laugh, to eat, to love, to dream.  It truly reflects our sentiment every time. 

It is really a wonderful life! 

The garden is a breakfast nook

A place to share coffee with a friend 

An entertainment area or a garden party

Being in the garden gives me a fabulous vibe; when the weather is fine, I love to sit under the mango tree and read, browse through Pinterest, compose my blog or crochet the time away. 

Jim loves to sit under the umbrella to watch videos or just listen to Spotify on his iPad or just be. 

Aside from plants, I like to put unique items I already have. I know this is not a garden decor for everyone; but I just thought it will give it a playful edge. 

This grouping of jars under the prolific calamansi tree is the first view of the garden as we approach. I thought I’d put them just so. 

The “pang bayo” or “ pang dikdik) looking like a baseball bat, a giant pestle was just sitting somewhere to rot, so I painted it yellow and it brightens the corner, don’t you think? 

The orange ball is a water tank floater in its previous life. And that old garden light, not working anymore brought from our previous home made up that corner. 

A pot of alocasia is flanked by two big shells that came from Jim’s ancestral home.  

The white basket on the ivy/covered wall came from a neighbor who discarded it. It had violet stains on it; it  contained mangoustine, so I painted it white. 

The hanging yellow fish used to hold a big smoked salmon gifted by a friend one Christmas party years ago. It had a natural finish but I felt it would call attention better if it’s yellow. 

Across the garden sat my old green bowling ball; visitors often mistake it for a watermelon. 

I’m sure in every home, there is that happy place where we can relax and be ourselves. If there is none, I’d say create one: be it in the front lawn, the backyard or even the balcony; anywhere that can be turned into a happy place to enjoy anytime. 

As the song popularized in the 90’s goes: 

“don’t worry, be happy”.