Living carpet…

I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.

Walt Whitman

To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug. Helen Keller

As I was walking around the wetland loop near my home not long ago, the distinctive aroma of freshly mown grass touched off countless summer feelings and memories.  When planning and improving my yard landscaping, my husband and I added and adapted many features. Originally, it was bare stone and a postage size rectangle of grass. Now, the rocks are more limited, but there are also flower and vegetable areas. Adding a recirculating stream feature and planting trees as well as extending the grass some has  given the yard a refreshing cool feel in summer.

Yes, I know that endless amounts of a mono culture of grass are not environmentally ideal, yet a small plot of grass feels therapeutic to me. There’s something about the bright green blades coating the ground like a natural carpet; it just calls out to one to slip off shoes and walk barefoot for the sheer joy of it. Like my cat or dog, I occasionally just stretch out on the grass under a shade tree on a hot summer day and relish the feeling of resting on green, growing earth. Blue sky peeking beneath the thick canopy of leaves above. Add in the smell of fresh grown grass and the moment just shouts out summer relaxation!

So, this summer, take a moment to be childlike again and walk barefoot across a soft lawn or rest below a tree on a cloud of green grass. Let worries and cares dissipate for just a bit while you savor the simplicity of the moment!