My home-office is arranged so that all I have to do is glance up, and I can see out the window into my back yard. I love my back yard; in fact, it’s the reason I bought this house. There’s a lovely close grouping of six tall trees, and the first time I ever walked back there, the trees looked like they were having a secret conference – and I wanted to be invited.

I didn’t even mind the poison ivy, the weeds, and the jungle-like overgrowth. For me, a “back yard” has always been a symbol of space and freedom, no matter how small it may be. In the front yard, you have to please your neighbors and think about “curb appeal.” In your back yard, you can be yourself. It’s nice to have a space like that.

Even if you don’t have a physical back yard, if you live in an apartment or condo, it’s important to have one in your mind – a space that belongs to you and you alone, where you get to decide who enters, with a nice fence to protect it and as many pink flamingos as you want.