Everyday Contentment 4

"If you want one thing too much it's likely to be a disappointment.The healthy way is to learn to like the everyday things, like soft beds and buttermilk..."-- Augustus McCrae-"Lonesome Dove"

"...For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."
Philippians 4:11

As I sit here wondering what thing to post for being content this week, I can hear the breeze blowing thru my swedish aspens in the backyard. And I sigh with contentment. I'm not just writing that with artistic licence. I really did and got a small smile while I was at it too. You see, up until about 4 or 5 years ago there was not one tree on our property. Lots of bushes, but no trees. And with my backyard facing south, that meant that the backyard would be baking from about 10 a.m. - 8 or 9 p.m. at night in the summer. Coming from a European Dad who loves trees, this was passed down in my genes I think, so living without a tree was hard, real hard. Our last house had a row of trees and a beautiful weeping birch out front that must have been 2 stories tall with branches that touched the ground.

Trees to me, speak of so much to be content with and thankful for. To go with the soothing sound of the breeze in their leaves, they give us shade. My trees give my backyard privacy, which is wonderful seeing I only have a 3 foot fence. They house birds who sing so nice in the morning. They give the backyard color. In spring my tree's leaves come out bronzey brown, then turn a nice spring green then a deep green for summer. Then in fall with the frost they turn yellow, deep gold, red and orangey. And with the fall, when they drop those wonderful leaves I've kids, my own and other's, who help me to rake them up into a huge pile and jump in them and throw them and charge thru them. And then rake them and start all over again. And believe me with about 15 of these trees we get biiiiig piles. (Before we had the trees, I would go across the street to the school yard with a bucket to get leaves for the kids to jump in from the big tree there). Not with our trees, but trees in general, they make firewood to give heat, aroma and pleasure, winter & summer. And of course, the wood provided by trees, is a part of so many of the things in my home thatsthat' s a whole other blog. I would be committing a grave error if I didn't mention the beautiful pine that decorates and perfumes my home at Christmas time.

But thinking back on my swedish aspens, they also speak to me of my hubby's love for me. 'Cause one year for Mother's Day he dug all those bushes out and replaced them with my longed for trees. It was a lot of work on his part and lots of shekels out of his wallet, even though he liked them bushes better. But the sound of the breeze through the leaves is a nice reminder to me that he loves me. Yes, I'm pretty content with those trees!

These are swedish columnar aspens. Not specifically in my yard but I thought I'd show you. These line my east fence line side by side, about 15 of them. We put them in as "bare root" sticks. And these puppies grow about 3 feet a year up to about 12 - 15 ft or so.