Summer Deck

After some major work this past weekend out deck is finally ready for summer.  And I for one could not be more happy!!!  Hubby and the kiddos really used some major elbow-grease to clean and prep the deck for staining.  I think it B had a grand time with the hose.  Some people might have gotten wetter than the deck!

So now that the deck is all ship-shape, I thought I would give you a little tour....

We use the deck for family dining and a nice spot for Hubby and I to watch the kiddos play in the yard.  It is so sweet to see them running around the yard after dinner and giggling together!

I added a few more colorful potted plants to brighten up the space.  I simply love colorful spaces!

After a long weekend of working on the home I feel so blessed to have a lovely outdoor spot to sit with Hubby and enjoy a nice summer Sunday night.

You can also find me at Savvy Southern Style, No Minimalist Here, From My Front Porch

Yard Work

I don't know about you but I just love a productive weekend!  This weekend we were all over NoVa looking at trees for our backyard.  After much thought and consulting my beloved Southern Living Garden Book we decided to buy two Cryptomeria.  They are an evergreen that will provide us with a much needed "screen" in our backyard.  As soon as they are planted I will be sure to show you...promise!

As we went from nursery to nursery I could not help but tell Hubby that the side of our house was crying for a Peony or two.  And for some reason he said "go for it" or at least that's what I heard.  So I bought two!  Then we spent most of Sunday afternoon digging and planting.

I think that I have mentioned this but we had our house built about seven years ago.  So we have what I call "builders dirt".  And one never knows what they will find when digging in what a builder claims is just top-soil.  Above is just a sample of the crazy things that Hubby dug up yesterday.  I know that one should expect  to unearth rocks but a styrofoam cup, PVC pipe, a nail and those unidentifiable objects seems like too much to me.  What do you think?  After all these years I should not be so surprised but somehow I am always in awe! 

Once Hubby dug the hole and removed the debris I mixed our clay-like soil with leaf mulch to help our new plants settle in to their new home.  Hopefully this is the year that I develop a green thumb!!!