Our Chrysalis

We bought a hammock.
A really big one.
It's called "family size".
It's a really pretty green (evergreen... it's a theme!)

Having acquired this hammock, much thinking and planning and measuring had to be done before we could successfully string it up for use.

Much arguing and name-calling and foul language had to be uttered before we could successfully string it up for use.

But string it up we did!

And it's quite marvelous.

A bit of a challenge to navigate at first, mind you: 

Yet, in succession, each of the four of us tried it. Without fail, each of the four of us had the same instinctive move once we clambered into it.

We cocooned.

We wrapped ourselves up tightly in the effervescent greenness of it. We pulled the pretty mesh all the way around our bodies and disappeared within it. We were embraced by it. We could see the towering trees and vast sky above, but felt hidden and cozy and safe.

Because it was "family size", we tried putting more than one family member in it at a time.

Success!

(Although maybe next time we can wrestle the device out of the boy's hands. Not much peace in obsessively checking your instagram and facebook feeds... )

But once we figured out how to get in and how to relax, we got this...
the view from the hammock.

And after a few minutes ensconced, we emerged from our personal chrysalis, refreshed.

With a renewed appreciation for the beauty in our own backyard.