Backyard Bugs

For the first time in our lives Tommie and I have our own backyard. It's not really "ours" since we're renting, but it's the first time we can pretend.

(Before and After)

Before the southern heat spell started, we spent some time sprucing up little bits of our very piney plot of land in Durham. Even just a little raking and sweeping makes such a difference. Of course, I have bigger plans up my sleeve involving lights and lanterns for the future.

The super-sized bugs around here don't care much for our backyard cleanup. Tommie refused to touch the leaf piles after he saw a couple baby snakes and I pointed out the giant millipedes. We have quite the ecosystem around us...with fireflies, mice, snakes, millipedes, caterpillars, roaches, jumping spiders, and lizards roaming around.

As a kid I loved bugs and I still get oddly excited when I find critters...my parents are lucky they raised me in the Northeast where bugs are "normal" size. I do have a feeling my tolerance for creepy crawlies will come in handy living in a place like this.