My Own Backyard

"The attitude you bring to the day is what the day will bring to you. Great attitude...great day."  good reminder, author unknown 

I've celebrated some beautiful places in my recent posts....but I'm also re-seeing what's right here in my own backyard.  As weather permitted over the last few days I've puttered in my gardens in Portland...and I'm re-appreciating my own beautiful place.

The ferns in the woods are turning a golden yellow....they seem to glow in the afternoon light.

The coloring and shadows in the trees change at different times of day depending on the sun.

My new little corner garden is still a work in progress....but I just added more ferns and a few other shade loving plants split from my Lexington gardens.  It will be fun to see how things do next year. My sister Nancy is sending me a few more interesting woodland plants to tuck in....I'm so excited!

Just behind the rock wall is a patch of Partridge Berry...one of my new favorites woodland plants. If you didn't know it was there you might not even see it....it's so teeny tiny. 

I unintentionally pulled up this little mushroom when I was weeding.....but I tucked it back in because I know it's benefitting the soil. The underside is like a piece of art.

These mushrooms could be mistaken for stones or acorns.

Our condo association is called Parsons Pond....and the pond is just steps away.  There's a gazebo and a lovely path around the perimeter...not quite as spectacular as Mackworth Island....but it's right here in my own backyard so that's worth celebrating.  

My take home treasure was acorns caps still attached to the branches. Paul told me that he read in the Boston Globe that conditions have been right for huge numbers of acorns this year.  That's certainly true in our yard....I wonder what those "conditions" are...

I was quite taken with the cap that was golden yellow on the inside.  

Have you walked you own backyard lately?  I highly recommend it!

P.S.  I spent some time with Margie...and our mutual friend Marian today. Gathering with interesting women is always a good thing...especially when it involves a blueberry scone. 

And I have to celebrate the two colorful finished puzzles on Margie's coffee table.  She's still on a roll!