last days of summer

It is hard to believe that this week marks the last days of summer for the boys. They have already registered for school (and parking spaces...yikes!) and head back next Tuesday. I always dread this time of year. I love having my boys home! Having two in high school seems impossible. I feel a sinking pit in my stomach when I picture myself waving goodbye as Evan pulls out of the drive, with Graham, to go to school. I'll just put that out of my mind until next Tuesday!

As I have mentioned, I love spending time in my backyard and in my flower beds. This morning I took some pictures of my yard. In 3-4 months I will be so happy that I did because everything will be snow covered by then. Honestly, it just now feels like summer here in Indiana! It has been a wet and unseasonably cool summer.

Enjoy the pictures...I know that I will over and over again!



This is where I spend a lot of my time in the summer. The boys love to swim and use the hot tub at night. Todd designed this backyard space. He also did most of the work on it! Didn't he do a great job?!

He just finished up the screen doors...he literally made the whole door...I love to hear them it slam!

This paver sidewalk was laid by Todd's cousin Kyle. I can't thank him enough because this was something that Todd was not going to do. I just love how it curves and leads you to the pool area. This shows another view of the pavers leading to the detached garage...another one of Todd's designs. God has given him many talents and I love to watch how he makes them come to life!
This is one of my favorite flower beds. The knockout roses bloom all summer as well as the endless summer hydrangea's. The pink dogwood in the center was picked out by my nephew, Tyler, and he and my brother planted it this past spring. It is the perfect shape and I can't wait to see it bloom right outside my kitchen and laundry room windows next spring.

Just look at this beautiful flower! I marvel at God's work and at his creatures that surround it. The butterflies were busy flying around the bush this morning, but it is not unusual to see hummingbirds and bumblebees too.


I just love all of the color that these flowers offer. I look at them and think of the shopping trip with Kyle to pick them out (that goes for all of the landscaping) and how much fun we had. I also think of my niece Becky and my dear friend Julie. Becky carried them in her wedding and Julie had them in her yard when she lived in Anderson. She and I made some beautiful bouquets with them for my niece Kiely's graduation and for Becky's wedding shower.


This is part of a big planting bed on the south side of the house. I love this particular picture because you can see the shrub rose, potted flowers and lilies (which are summer flowers) next to the burning bush which usually starts turning red in the fall. This proves how cool it has been around here. The lilies I dug out of a cutting garden. The garden belonged to the father of my sweet friend, Kim. I always think about him this time of year because he died labor day weekend in 1999. I have other lilies, from his garden, in different shapes and colors and I cherish them all.

Moving around to the front you can see the beautiful Serbian spruce. I love to light it up at Christmastime. The corabell's were given to me from a client. They really attract the hummingbirds and she gave me so many that I have them planted in three different beds.

I love these topiaries...or those "ball things" as Todd would say. I got the topiary plants at Lowe's and planted them in pots that used to be my grandma's. Ever since I can remember she had these heavy cement pots, although they were painted white, by her front door. When she got older, and needed help filling them, I would fill them up for her with bright pink geraniums.




Yeah, another "topiary" or planter that makes it look like one! The Japanese maple in the background has been moved several times and is so beautiful. Because of it being so cool, the Japanese beetles have left it alone this year. The tiki torch, of which I have many around the pool area, I got at True Value. They are great because they are aluminum and hold a lot of oil. I only have to fill them up once for the summer. They also keep the bugs away and the lighting creates a great ambiance while swimming and using the hot tub.


I love these planters! I got these in an antique store when I went to Mississippi to visit my nephew Chad who is in the Air Force. I just have to laugh when I look at them because my boys were so tired of hearing them squeak and rattle in the back of the van, in their ears, all the way back to Indiana. Recently, my father-in-law backed up into them with his truck and it didn't hurt them a bit! They stand in front of three rose of sharon bushes.

This flower bed in on the North side of the house. I love the hemlocks, of which there are three, and the variegated red twig dog wood bushes. This combination looks so pretty in the winter. The red twigs coming out of the snow with the evergreen branches behind them looks so pretty. But we won't talk about snow right now!

And look what little sugar blossom popped up while I was taking pictures! This is my sweet tea cup poodle, Angel. She used to be my mother and father-in-laws but came to live with us 8 years ago. She is 10 years old and is absolutely the best dog EVER!!! I love her so much it hurts:)

I hope you have enjoyed some of the views of my yard. I think the best part about it is how instrumental Todd, his cousin Kyle, me, my nephew Tyler and brother Troy, our neighbors Tom (who has supplied most of the tools and a lot of guidance and labor) and Karen (who has given me daisies and lilies), my mother and father-in-law (for planting trees and shrubs and laying mulch) and friends and clients (who have given me many beautiful plants and advice) have been in the making of a meaningful space. A space to I hope to enjoy for years to come!