So I am finding some peace and happiness very close to home. Usually this time of year is crazy-busy for us, and time in the yard and garden is frenzied and geared toward "getting it done." This year, I am looking critically at where plants are, how they grow, whether or not there is a better place for them, whether "less is more" in some spaces.

To accomplish this:
Yard art has been moved around to show it off and make more interesting views from the patio.
I have been aggressively marking extra plants and giving them away. Friends and neighbors have been the recipients of a couple hundred extra perennials to grace their yards.
Planters and pots have been planted in color themes and deployed to enhance the patio and garden beds. (I usually just plant whatever catches my eye in the greenhouse.)
The patio has been thoroughly cleaned & rearranged to make it more relaxing and all the "hidey holes" cleared of excess stuff.

At the end of each day, I grab a beverage and sometimes a book, and relax on the patio to admire the gardens.

Rediscovering my joy in gardening has been an adventure, and has eased my feelings of loneliness as we continue to distance. As a side benefit, while I work outdoors, my husband has found long-delayed tasks and projects nearby to occupy him, our whole home is improving, and we relax together between tasks, admiring each other's work. Yesterday, as we rested between chores, we figured out how we can safely entertain up to four friends or family members on the patio this summer, which lifted my spirits immensely!

What "little adventures" can you find close to home?
Sue