I love summer. I love the lazy days of spending time with my family, friends, and enjoying the beauty of the plants and creatures that come out to play in the warm months. Sunday afternoon was the start of these days coming. My husband and I went to church (yes, the service where I laughed a lot) and enjoyed a nice meal together. (I have to admit, it was a better date than the night before.)
Afterward, we decided that we would do a little work in the yard. I had a few plants that I wanted to plant and some weeding that needed to be done. I also wanted to take a picture of my son's plants that we have inherited since he went to college. Adam has always had an interest in carnivorous plants and we have babysat his plants since he went off to the mountains to go to school. These plants only thrive in zone 8 or 9, so when we moved to Texas and he stayed in Blacksburg, we kept them with us. They have been very fun to have around and I was kind of dreading the day that we would have to return them to him. I had already planned how I would transplant a few of them and keep some for myself. However, since he know lives in the DC area, it looks like I will get to keep them a few more years anyway. They are great conversation starters when people see them and I love talking about my son, the plants, and how he has been studying them since he was a little bitty guy. This year, the plants have gone a little wild. They are flowering and feeling real happy, I guess knowing that they don't have to move back to the east coast. So, I took some pictures for my son, so he could see how happy they are.
After taking photos of the flesh eating plants, my daughter and I decided that we would enjoy a little time in the sun. When we bought this house, we knew that we would spend a good deal of time outside, and we do. We spend lots and lots of hours out by the pool...talking, reading, napping, and just being together.
Now, I have to back up a little bit and tell you that when my husband and I were looking at this house three years ago, I knew that I loved it. But the final decision came when I was standing in the backyard and a gecko walked along the brick ledge of the back porch. Keep in mind, that my nickname is "Lizard". Not only is it my nickname, but I like lizards. I think they are cool and funny so when I saw the gecko walking toward me, I told my husband, "I think this is our house." So, contrary to some of the Texans in the area who dislike these little reptiles, I enjoy them, talk to them and even name the ones when I can tell they are living in the same area of the garden for a length of time.
Rebecca and I put on our swim suits, got our drinks and books, and prepared to spend some quality time in the sun. As we got ready to position our lounge chairs in just the right angle for ideal sun, I realized that we had a guest. So, I spoke to our little gecko friend and asked if I could have my chair. He looked at me and refused. So, I drug my chair across the deck while he rode to the new spot in the sun. And I sat down, with the gecko, to bask in the sun. Maybe I am a lizard?
We spent the entire afternoon, lounging and talking, soaking up the warm Texas sun. This home is such a blessing to us. We love to relax amidst all the green and the flowers and butterflies and birds and geckos that share our habitat. And we are excited for the days to come doing exactly the same thing. What a wonderful way to spend the day. I am so glad that summer is coming. We had the first taste of it yesterday.
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