Spring

We have been working hard in Papa and Grandmother's backyard for awhile now.  In the past it was literally magazine worthy-simply gorgeous!  Our goal is to get it manageable without having to spend hours each day maintaining it.  We have weeded, transplanted, rearranged, mulched, given away plants and more.  We have pulled more thorny vines and poisin ivy than you can imagine.  Multiple roses, dahlias, fruit trees, crepe myrtles, a cherry tree and other new plants have been added!  We are by no means finished, but we can see the fruits of our labor!  Bulbs that haven't bloomed in years are simply gorgeous this year.  Grandmother's running roses are thriving, and will soon be in full bloom. We will continue to a small degree working on the outside, but we are moving back to work on the inside now. We still need to replace some landscape timbers, and I will be transplanting lots of things from our house there soon.  It will never be what it was in the past, but we are happy and think they would be, too.  Reed is working on the front bathroom now, and we will soon be taking down a wall and redoing the kitchen and dining/living room area. The den is complete, and most of the house has been painted.  We still have work to do in the back bathrooms, although we have started on both.  It's definitely lots of work, but I think will be totally worth it in the end. We are very  blessed that he can do this work himself. I have tried to get him to contract some of the work out, but he truly enjoys it.  

So pretty!

Multiple blooms are fixing to open up!  Most of this stone walkway had been covered in dirt and weeds for years.  I spent many hours on my hands and knees working on it.  My knee wasn't too happy about it, but I love it! The kids love playing hide and go seek back there.  We also added a zip line awhile back that goes from one end of the yard to the other! 

We have lots of happy fish, and have multiple babies this year. 

I'm letting the yellow pansies enjoy life another week or two.  The beds are planted in verbena, Creeping Jenny and sweet potato vine.

I was not at all on board with moving when this adventure started.  However, I am ready to make the move and get settled in.  I think the hardest part will be packing up thirty four years of memories and stuff, and moving it all up the street! Much more to come on the renovation. We are headed east for a soccer game!