Backyard Beauty in Castro Valley
As I write this column, I do so from a desk in my backyard cabana. The word “cabana” is used liberally. An intrinsic meaning is that it is a small tent or hut for use as a dressing room beside a body of water. There is no water in my backyard, however. With that, my small cabana is more like a hut. It is where I tend to spend a fair amount of time when the weather permits. With the birth of Spring, this is where I like to sit and relax. I can read and write from here. I can also look outside at my garden. It provides peace for me.
As I write, I reflect upon a friend from my past. She is now deceased and never visited my home. She lived in San Francisco in the Twin Peaks area of the city. She knew of the good weather in the East Bay – less fog, and more moderate than in San Francisco. One evening she asked me to talk with her about Castro Valley and what my home was like. I provided descriptions to her. She was particularly interested in my backyard. I described it to her. It was small in depth with a lawn and covered patio. She made a recommendation to me. Being that the weather is moderate, I should consider making my backyard into more of a living area. I took her suggestion to heart and did exactly that. The lawn was removed and replaced with a brick patio and the “cabana” was built upon it. Plants and vegetables were added around the perimeter. It is where I eat my meals, read, write, and enjoy wine at night. I also entertain people here. Because of my friend’s recommendation, it is where I will largely live from now until late Fall. During this time, my TV gets lonely.
With this as background, one of our greatest assets in Castro Valley is our weather. It is as good as it gets anywhere in the country. Because of my friend, I learned to not only enjoy the good weather we have, I learned to leverage it to make my life better throughout the year. My house is what I need in terms of essentials with a kitchen, bathroom, etc. For most of the year, however, I live in my backyard. The flowers beautify my day. The planted vegetables and fruit trees provide healthy food for my mind and body.
My backyard also provides a place for quietude and reflection. Memories of my life here in Castro Valley perform for me. In the morning, the birds sing the same song they did decades ago. The planted flowers bloom to place living art before my eyes. Coffee in the morning stimulates me as I read the diurnal news. Wine at night relaxes me as I look upon the art that resides there because of the recommendation made by a friend years ago.
As I write this column, I know that Castro Valley is not Shangri-La. We are a simple and modest town. Nondescript is a fair term to describe our town. Yet, somehow, we may be more sophisticated than perceived. In years past, I have at times described our town as “subtlety sophisticated.” We are not a town of self-promotion, for there is no need to do so. We are what we are. And - we are a good place to live and to grow our lives. That is what I am doing as I write this column from my backyard cabana and look out upon my garden. To feel fortunate and to have gratitude provides not only contentment – it provides wealth to my mind and heart. It is with appreciation that I live and write from here in Castro Valley.