Where the Air is Cool and the Light is Warm

Out in the backyard, tall trees tower over my small patch of lichen-covered land, providing sweet relief from the summer's heat which manages to find its way into the house, but not out.

Here, the air is cool despite the late afternoon sun's best efforts. I sit on the plush earth with Lola, scanning the foliage and the varied shapes and sizes of limbs and leaves. This jagged fellow with no name appears to caution others to "Stay back!". I followed its contours, its mosaic of veins, its sharp curves and spiky tips that were quite soft to the touch. Eventally, I hope to know each plant by name.