Tropical backyard view

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I've lived in Arizona and in California for most of my life and I have always wondered why people treat their backyards as dumps. I can hardly remember ever seeing a backyard view that wasn't just a collection of forgotten junk and piles of dirt and weeds. That is, if I could see the backyard at all, as most places I visited had heavy curtains or blinds closed, or else the windows were so dirty that you really couldn't see out of them if you wanted to. But every once in a while I would see what could be done with some care, some planning, and some beautiful California or Arizona weather.

My backyard is my favorite view. Now that the weather is getting too hot to sit outside much, it's important to me to keep an eye on things through the windows. If you would like to do this, here is what I recommend:

• Have your backyard on the east side of your house. That way, you can keep the blinds closed to keep out direct sunlight in the early morning, and in late morning and afternoon, you can open them up. Of course, if your backyard is in the west or the south, you can't do that.

• Clean your windows. Inside and out. I went to Home Depot and got one of those squeegee/cleaner combination things, learned out to use it, and I go out a few times a year to clean the outside of my windows and sliding glass door. No, you can't keep outside windows spotless, but you can keep them from becoming practically opaque from dirt and dust. All you need to clean them with is water with a little bit of ammonia added. Clean, squeegee, and wipe with a dishtowel. Takes just a few minutes. On the inside I use Windex and a paper towel.

• Take a photo every once in a while. This is a good trick to help you see stuff that you normally miss. I take photos all the time for this blog and I always say, *dang, I didn't see that!*

If you are fortunate enough to live somewhere that can provide a view like this, I recommend that you do it. If you are storing a bunch of junk in your backyard, well, that's what the trash is for.


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