Happy Hour

That magical place where joy and beauty meet

In every town and city these days, pubs and restaurants seem to offer a happy hour. Cheaper alcoholic drinks and appetizers are offered to entice more business during the quieter hours between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. or later in the evening. As the weather warms up, patios overflow with patrons enjoying the special treats, amid the hum of conversations and laughter.

My happy hour is different though.

For me, it’s time spent in my tiny garden, the one I planted last year after digging out the grass. Mid-afternoon, when the sun hasn’t rounded the corner too far, and the neighbourhood is peaceful, I sit in a wicker chair in the corner and watch the plants grow. It might sound boring, but there’s plenty going on and I never tire of the view.

Every day is different, you see. I can measure the passage of time by the new buds that burst into blossom overnight, and the changing height of flowering vines as they reach upward toward the sun. I listen to the buzz of bees savouring the flavours of chive and sage flowers, and the chirp of hummingbirds at the feeder as tree swallows call and dart overhead.

The strawberry plants are blooming now and I can see the newly set fruit in the centres of the white blossoms. Within a few weeks, there will be berries to pick. What more could I ask for?

Once the sun shifts and the heat finds me, it will be time to head inside to the cooler shadows, but during this golden hour in my garden, I am happy. And so are the multitudes of tiny creatures thriving there.

Photo: J Wise

Where is your happy place? And how often do you spend time there (even in your mind)? Share your thoughts in the comments and let’s brighten each other’s day.