The Tropical Paradise in the shade

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Now that the weather is warming up here in The Tropical Paradise, I am moving into the shade. It's June 3rd, at just about 2 pm, and it's comfortable enough in the shade, but brutal in the sun. As you can see, the olive tree provides shade for the south side of the yard, and in a couple of hours the shadow of the house will take care of the rest. When I bought this house, I intentionally selected a backyard that would get afternoon shade.

I work out of my house (I'm a web designer) so it has to be my sanctuary, and it is. I have some nice easy-to-clean outdoor furniture that I got at Target, a yoga mat and some light weights. I find myself sitting at my computer for hours at a time, so it's good for me to go out there and stretch, especially my lower back. The green squirt bottle, by the way, is a technique that I used to teach my dachshund not to bark so much, and now I just have to show it to her to remind her. I didn't really use it all that much, anyway. I learned this from a cat friend. The serenity of my Tropical Paradise would be ruined by a yapping wiener dog, and they can learn, with patience, love, and a squirt bottle.

The step-stool is for two things. One, I use it to strengthen my ankles and knees, by stepping up and down, and I also put stuff on it. I'm a pretty fit middle-aged guy and I would like to keep it that way! The rope hanging down has some nice flexible handles on it, so I can stretch my back. I originally had chrome metal handles, but that was a mistake!

What makes all of this setup work so well is the artificial turf. You couldn't do this on real grass, it would be too much of a hassle. And if this were all paving or concrete, it would be an ugly, awful place to be. As it is, it's very pleasant! Excuse me, I think I want to go out now.

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