a look outside

When the shelter in place began back in March, one of my first posts was titled “walking away from the stress.” In it, I explained that I was walking more than ever. Soon after that post, as the gyms and fitness centers were required to close, my dear friend and former neighbor, Lisa, was furloughed from her side-hustle as a morning fitness instructor at the YMCA. She is a full-time PR whiz and mom of four the rest of the day.

Lisa and I already walked two to three mornings a week before this all began but since she now had her mornings free, we took to walking seven days a week.

I drive to her house and we either walk inside the neighborhood of Equestrian Manor, or we venture out the back gate and head west to walk the golf course at Orangetree Country Club.

Other mornings we exit out the front gate and go east to see some horses at a barn where Lisa swears she saw a foal while driving by on Cactus Rd. We’ve yet to see the baby from the backside of the barn. But, I believe her when she says it’s there somewhere. 😉

We’ve gone as far as the nearly 5-mile roundtrip from her house to Sprouts Market at Tatum and Cactus. That was when the mornings were still cool, now it is too hot for that kind of extended adventure.

These first several photos are of the things we see and admire as we walk. Including the photo below. That is a gorgeous bobcat on the wall. He was huge!

The rest of the photos are from around my house. It’s amazing what you see when you’re forced to stay home and slow down. Oh, and I’ve saved the best for last, a discovery I made just yesterday!

My five fig trees have leafed out like never before. I’m thrilled to be back in business and able to put them to good use as the base for Harmony Boards.

These next two photos were taken on the same night, as you can see in the timestamp at the top. The first was taken in my backyard, facing east.

Only three minutes later, I took a photo of the sunset in the front yard, facing west.

Early in April, I was, for the first time ever, able to capture of decent photo of a full moon. Thank you clouds!

Yesterday afternoon, as I was washing dishes at the sink, I saw a hummingbird flying back and forth to a faux tree, just outside the window. (the photo below looks blurry, that is a result of the thick security screens I have on all the windows of the house)

I went out to investigate and found a nest!

I am over the moon excited. I am constantly searching the trees around the house because I have so many hummingbirds but the nests are so tiny and impossible to find, until now!

I’ll keep you posted!!!