when i was a kid, never did i say..."when i grow up, i wanna live on a compound."  i've changed my tune.  i am currently building a compound to meet my every need...

 

1) the pool.  i've busted out two kids...this means sacrifice.  if i have to sacrifice vacations for a few years (and i will bc i'm not about to haul two kids under 5 on vacation...for those of you that would, we're all very proud and i'm sure it will be very peaceful and tantrum free...good luck with that).  anyway, the pool is our vacation...every day...every night...every weekend...i can't say it enough and i can't imagine it getting old.  maybe my appreciation for the pool is bc i grew up with a "crick" (some call it a creek)...yah, we dammed it up and made it a neighborhood swimming hole...probably should stop the story there, as this tangent could become it's own story.

 

2) the outdoor nanny toys.  we've got the sandbox and the recent addition of a swing set.  Aiden sat on the swing last weekend for 1 hour straight...no joke.  Jon & i looked at each other in that moment and said "wow - worth every penny."  there's somethan to be said for the young'ns being occupied and happy outdoors without our constant attention.

 

3) fruit!  blueberry bushes for my grill'n beers.  strawberries for my umbrella daiquiris.  raspberries for my floating mojitos.  and, blackberries just to add variety (and so that i get to look for new drinks that include blackberries).  oh, and we've got some grapes too...i wish i could say they're for wine making, but that involves too much work, so we'll just eat um.

 

4) veggies.  i've got 3 kinds of tomatoes, hot peppers, sweet peppers, carrots, broccoli, squash, cucumbers, snap peas and beans.  we'll see what lives.  if i can 'harvest' (love that i just used the word harvest to describe my somethan that's in my back yard) 1/2 of it...i.e. it lives...it'll be a success!

 

5) herbs.  i've got some rosemary, basil, scallions, oregano, parsley, and mint (again, a requirement for my mojitos).  giddy up!

 

what's the only thing missing from the compound?  cheese.  i don't think i can bring myself to the level of ever having a goat, so i'm gonna have to keep going to the store for that very important staple. 

 

needless to say, i'm happy and truly enjoying the simple pleasures.  there's somethan calming about watering your crops in the morning.  i like the peace of sitting in the dirt and making my tomato hills, while selecting the o-so-perfect rocks to surround them and keep the dirt warm.  i like to walk the compound, with wine glass in hand, and bask in the conversations of "did you see the new leaf on that plant?...that one is already flowering!"  my point in all this...the simple pleasures...i'm appreciating them, enjoying them, embracing them, and thankful for them.  oh, and if you wanna come play at the compound...the rules haven't changed...the door is open to all, just bring booze if you want us to enjoy your company.  cheers to the summer!