This is my post for #freewriters 2574 prompt stroll around the grounds hosted by @mariannewest
Stroll around the grounds sounds like a good title for how my life has changed. I used to be on the river about every day just as the sun was waking up. I hated cold days on the river, my hands stayed numb so I am not missing it today or maybe until March, then I will miss it again.
Now I sit in my chair watching it get lighter outside and drinking coffee. Before winter hit I would be outside by 8:30, now that it is cold, I sit in the house for most of the day and if I do go outside it is to stroll around the grounds.
I walk out the front door and down the steps.
The first thing I see is one of the mango trees, it is next to our south gate.
To my left are some of my orchids that are hanging in a Catlyn guava tree and 4 o'clock flowers under them.
Further down the left side are my bottle tree and old pitcher tree, neither is a real tree.
If I look straight ahead, this is my view. It is were we have our garden and other plants, like pineapples, and odd plants that I like.
Some of these plants will be for us to eat, but most are for Rudy.
This is a Floss Silk tree, its flower is pink and like an orchid flower, and the "fluff" inside the seed pod used to be used for making floatation devices, they use something different to make them now.
Looking to the northwest is my husband's shed our boats and my desert roses. We also own all of the woods that you see.
Looking west is the Jack and the Beanstalk tree, that is what I call it. The vine that grows up it is a strange vine. If you put it on the ground or in a hanging basket, it stays small, but if you let it grow up a tree, the leaves become huge.
Now I am looking to the southwest
We do not have much of a backyard, we would if we cleared the woods but we like the woods there and we have a big enough front yard so we do not need a big backyard. We also have another mango here.
Looking east in the front yard, we have Drawf Cavendish bananas
Looking northeast in the front yard are areca palms, green stripe bamboo, and the red tree was from a sea bean found on the beach, I think it is called an Indian almond.
It only turns red when it gets cold.
Straight north is the Green Stripe bamboo.
Inside the south gate are what we call Horse bananas and outside the gate are Ladyfingers. They have another name but that is what the old timers always called them. Horse bananas are short and fat, Ladyfingers are short and slim, and they also taste better.
When you go out the south gate and look left, you will see where Little Pisser is buried. I tried my best with him and it still saddens me that he did not make it.
Next in line is the avocado tree, My brother started it from a seed and in ten years I have gotten one avocado from it. My husband wants to chop it down, but I can't do it.
Now you come to my pecan tree, my mother-in-law gave it to me. We do not get many pecans because the squirrels beat us to them.
Now the pecan tree has Pruning Beetles, they eat the limbs off like they were sawed.
My small strawberry patch, I have more in big pots, I started this patch last year.
This is looking north of the pecan tree.
And then you go around the corner from the south gate
A plant got left next to another Floss silk tree and I let it grow there.
I am standing in the front driveway looking back west toward the front yard.
Around another corner and out of our driveway.
And then back looking at the north gate.
going back towards the house
We own the woods on both sides and as far as you can see back, this is looking south.
And back to the south gate
to the bottom of my front steps,
and back inside the warm house.
I hope you enjoyed our stroll around the grounds.
photos are mine
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