Door

If you visit our house, please do not attempt to use our front door. Thanks to the consequences of our gardening efforts, our front door is no longer accessible. We did not intend to make this door private, but sometimes nature just takes charge.

For the past 21 years, my husband and I have been striving to create a prairie that extends from the front of our house almost to the road. Growing little blue stem prairie grass from seed turned out to be a daunting challenge. To give the grass every chance to thrive and not get trampled on, we created a path from the far end of our driveway around the periphery of the blue stem up to the front door. The path is ordinary grass and clover and is marked by three driftwood arches.

To shelter our prairie grass and flowers, we planted little pines and Cleveland pear trees between the road and the prairie to make a wind block. The westerly winds that blow in over the open fields across from us are mighty.

Years passed and the little trees became big trees, their branches and boughs extending over one entire side of our path. Of course, we could get out the pruning shears and severely cut back the trees, or we could create a new path by mowing down the little blue stem. But neither of us have the heart to do this. We worked hard to help these plants thrive and we are happy they like living with us.

Fortunately, we have a side door right next to the end of our driveway. It’s our main door now and visitors can come in and upstairs to our home. Once inside, the front door leads to the deck and a lovely view of the prairie which is currently in full bloom. And the path under the arches remains …..all the way to a dead end. We wonder what nature has in store for us next.

 

 

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