Our House

Okay, so I guess it is time to talk about our house since the weather is getting nice and we will be spending time working on little projects. We moved in the house in Nov of 04. This house was originally my Great Grandparents (My dad's side). Then after one other owner my aunt purchased it, then we became the proud owners of it. I honestly can remember being here as a little child playing in the backyard and inside the house. I really wish I had (or could find) pictures of the house before the 2nd owner renovated it. So when Dave and I moved in there was some TLC needed with the house. Nothing major though, thankfully. The huge projects we have done have been mainly outside the house. But we did completely change all the appliances in the kitchen. I love the look of stainless so we went to stainless.

The outside projects have been as followed:

• removal of window boxes on porch
• addition of railing and columns to porch
• 2 dead trees removed
• tear down of sun porch
• removal of old landscaping
• planting of landscaping
• retaining wall built in back yard to extend patio
• pouring of new patio (in progress)

So we still have lots of things I would like to accomplish. Notice I said "I," well that is because I know Dave thinks we are done..hehe. Little does he know I have lots of other plans in my mind.

Here are just a few just for the front:
Plant some summer and fall annuals (unless I can find something that is a perennial)
paint the porch rail and columns
paint the shutters, if not completely replace
new walkway

I have lots of ideas for the back patio but we are just focusing on getting the cement poured this next month. My online friend Yara has been wonderful with helping me with ideas for planters and giving me some gardening advice. I an totally a novice with all this. But I am really enjoying it. I would like to possibly make a kiddie garden in the back yard or get Chloe her own planter and let her grow something for herself. We are always excepting ideas!

So here are some before and after pictures of the projects we have already completed (Before is the first picture, After is the second one). The plants used where box woods, 2 spruce trees, lots of bulbs (tulips, daffodils, and crocuses), a hydrangea plant, Japanese Maple, and a 5 Fire Bushes (don't remember the real name but it is a cousin of the bamboo plant). I would like to put some annuals where the are for some color during the summer months (unless someone has another idea for bulbs) as well as something colorful for the fall.

Porch

One side

The other Side