Backyard Paradise

As I step into my backyard, I am transported into another world. I have learned that the transition between nature and civilization is the difference between calmness and calamity. My backyard is the conduit of this peaceful change. As I enter it, I am no longer in the highly planned world of a housing development. It is as if I entered a world that is all my own, a world where I get the feeling of peace and tranquility. I stand in a yard full of luscious environment that puts my mind at ease.

Looking to the right of my patio, you would not know that another house lies so close. Trees of different heights rise to create an illusion of standing at the edge of a forest. There is a willow tree that stands out from the rest. The leaves have a shiny green upper surface with a duller green lower surface and extend to a pointed tip.

Sevilla has orange trees everywhere.

English: A willow tree by the water next to The Va...

English: A Flooded Willow Tree This tree has been ...

To the touch, they feel finely toothed, like the ruffles of a feather. At the moment, there is sun filtering in through the leaves to create glimmering patches of sunlight on the grass. The tree is as wide as it is tall. Not standing so tall, are the lemon and blood orange trees. These trees have come to life, with their citrus goodness and their simplicity. Next to the trees are a bed of flowers composed of calendulas. They are gently moving back and forth in a swaying motion. This flower is a beautiful work of art as evidenced in this close-up. The intricate design of each petal is beautifully painted together by nature's hand. With the greens, yellows, and oranges, these colors perfectly blend with the winds to give me peace.

As your eyes move east through the forest setting,