Our wild and precious lives...

Mary Oliver ends her poem, "The Summer Day," by asking, "What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" One of the ways I answer that question is by paying attention (and that's partly how she answers that question, in her own poem.) So I've been paying attention to the changing back yard. Every day a new plant is blooming, blossoming, or fading away. It's remarkable.



Right now the peonies are bursting forth, and the poppies just bloomed this morning. A few columbines are holding on to their beauty.



And the Canadian Lilac still offers up it's sweet fragrance and the Monarch butterflies love it. Juliana and I have been spending lots of time in the backyard, eating, talking, relaxing, and just enjoying our little rainbarrel filled paradise. It's incredible to think that just 2 months ago it was all brown and looking dead.