In the Spring, one of my favorite things to do is stroll around my yard. I stroll in the early morning and I stroll at dusk. I stroll with the baby in tow and I stroll by myself. I stroll in quiet peace and I stroll while on the phone, catching up with family and friends. No matter how I stroll, the simple act of wandering my yard brings me a lot of joy and contentment.
I call it the “perimeter walk” as in, “Hey Matt, I’m going to do a perimeter walk for a few minutes.” The purpose of the stroll is to check in on the variety of garden plantings I’ve worked on during our 4 1/2 years in this house. I literally check in with each corner of the yard, taking stock of what plants are emerging and what areas of the garden need work.
My Nana told me recently that when her husband (my Grandpa Harrison) was sick with cancer, he did the same thing. She said he jokingly called it “walking the estate.” It was funny to them since they owned a modest house on a relatively small parcel of land. It makes me smile, too. Matt and I named our son after him, and learning this small tidbit about his life makes me feel even closer to a man I wasn’t lucky enough to meet.
On my most recent stroll, I snapped a few shots.
Weeping Cherry Tree (Named Wonky!)
Peonies (10 Days Ago)
Peonies (5 Days Ago)
Peonies (Today!)
Hyacinth
Grape Hyacinth
Lungwort
Azalea Bush
Tulips
Daffodils
Magnolia Tree (Last Week)
Magnolia Tree (Today!)
Irises
Pink Heather
White Lilac
So that’s what’s popping up in my yard of late.
I don’t meditate per se, but I think my perimeter walk… ahem… I think walking the estate is my own version of meditation. It does everything for me what I imagine mediation does for those who meditate: it helps to center me and brings me great joy.
Anyone else take part in a perimeter walk? Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.