Back in the yard....

"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." Kahlil Gibran

"What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well." Antonine de Saint- Exupery.

I have always dreamed of having a swimming pool. Well, first a nice cozy yard, and then a swimming pool, well and a few fruit trees, and sweet jasmine, some musky gardenias, suculents, and strawberries...okay I dream of gardening. My great grandparents were prize gardeners, my grandmother had an orchard and enormous berry crop in her yard. My mother taught me the practical side of gardening and how to survive off your own crops. I have always felt one with the earth. I find beauty in each season and love that God has created these vastly different landscapes for us to enjoy. There is something so good for the soul in getting "dirty".
We have had grass and basic landscaping for the last 3 months now. What a difference that has made in living here. You walk in through our front gate and feel like you have stepped into your own secret garden. There are birds and bees and flowers blooming here. Not only does it smell heavenly from the jasmine and gardenias but you can smell organic soil- the decomposing and wetness of freshly watered earth. There is life here - and it makes me smile.
There is also the sounds of laughter and friends visiting. It has made our home one that is inviting and relaxing for friends. We can entertain and let the kids have their own roaming space. We have room outdoors for us and our dear friends to enjoy. This has been one of the many blessings from Heavenly Father while living here. I am so glad Quin found this villa. I am praying we are able to stay here next year.
Here in Abu Dhabi you are able to lease a villa /apartment for a year at a time. Foreigners are allowed to own if they want to buy a place; however, we are renting while we live here. Anyhow - our landlord is selling our villa. Depending on who buys - could be another investor who wants to rent it or maybe a family who wants to live here as soon as our lease is up - determines whether or not we will be living in Golf Gardens next year. I hope we can sign again. The upside is there are more and more villas becoming available to rent. I just love this one. I also like knowing where we will be calling "Home" for the next few years.