I sat out on the screened in porch this morning to have breakfast.
I haven't done that for two years!
As I was sitting there I started thinking about how everything came to be.
I thought about Kyle, Todd's cousin,
and how he almost killed himself on the tractor down by the creek!
And all of the endless hours Todd, me, Paps, my brother and Tom put in to planning~and then finishing the screened in porch, deck railing and veranda because our contractor took our money and ran!
The design is not elaborate or something that belongs in a magazine
rather it's the product of a lot of hard work and
endless laughs with those we love.
I feel so blessed when I'm out here and just wanted to put it in my virtual scrapbook
to remember years later.
So much has changed and grown!
This screened porch area is one of them.
We used to just have pavers
(that now make up the walkway to the detached garage)
in a large square making up our backyard entertaining area
right off of our kitchen doors.
Todd came up with this outdoor space when we decided we wanted to put in a pool
and USE our beautiful backyard!
I didn't want a sun room because I wanted to BE OUTSIDE!
I wanted a room where we could be soakin' wet and still feel like we could use it.
We also didn't want to lose our view so we made sure that we put in tall ceilings.
We tried to keep it maintenance free by putting in a Trex Deck in the screened in porch
and out on the hot tub deck.
I also wanted a little of Fripp in my backyard so the railing mimics the porches in Fripp.
Next, we wanted an outdoor living area.
So, Todd designed this Veranda.
I wanted to have columns on the front of the house but they didn't make the final cut.
But, Todd more than made up for it when he decided to use columns to hold up the ceiling of the Veranda!
I like how it is all compact and how the pool is right off of the veranda :)
It has a gas grill, again Todd's idea, that is placed
perfectly under the ceiling but the back sticks out enough not to smoke the inside.
I grill year round!
And new this year is the fire pit/cocktail table.
We have already had to fill up the propane tank because this
Spring has been so cold!
It's a hit! The boys love it!
The picture below was taken the second year we had the pool
look at the Arborvitae here...
...and now!
If you look at the "tiki torch" you can see how much they have grown.
They still have a long way to go!
I'm sure glad that the MARCH snow didn't hurt them.
They are actually healthier than ever and grew a ton!
I have four Japanese Maples in my landscaping.
One of my favorite trees.
This Japanese Maple was planted 11 years ago and was moved to this spot
when we put the pool in 6 years ago.
Kyle helped me move it on my birthday,
which is in DECEMBER,
and worked patiently with me to get it just right.
The hosta underneath are from my friend Julie's garden when she lived in Anderson.
I love the variegated greens mixed with the purples in the tree and the Purple Palace plants.
The March snow on its branches was so pretty that morning.
I love this view.
I can always remember Kyle putting in this walkway.
These were the pavers that were first used for our back patio.
I love the curves.
This morning's view...
...and this was back in 2009.
Look at how small the Holly's (right) were.
And I am so glad that Tom made me some window boxes.
They really dress it up!
This morning shooting west.
Same view in 2009.
Todd added the little white picket fence two years ago and
again, the window boxes make such a difference!
Coming back up the walk to the deck and pool area.
I have double red knock out roses, a pink dogwood tree,
and hydrangea's.
Speaking of Hydrangea's...look at all of those blooms!!!
2009.
It just takes time for everything to grow.
You have to be patient and give the plants some TLC.
Picture Kiely took during Graham's Open House.
2009
Moving out of the backyard and on to the north side I have added some new plants.
I planted these Ruby Spice Summersweet bushes this year.
They will have rosy pink flowers
(in the shape of a bottle brush)
that are fragrant and will attract hummingbirds.
I used to have variegated red twig dogwoods, but they
only looked good in the spring and always got black spot and lost their leaves in the summer.
I cut them way back last spring and they didn't make it through the winter.
This was back in the winter of 2009.
I did love the color they gave in the blah of wintertime.
Hopefully they will be a better fit for this area.
Just behind them are some more knock out roses that I had planted in my yard at Fripp...
but the deer kept eating them!
This is a picture of them when they were at Fripp.
I brought them home and even let them sit out for awhile until I decided to try to
plant them here.
You simply cannot kill these!
I also have them here...
Just below the hot tub deck.
And...
...on the south side of the house.
These used to be by the mailbox but I transplanted them last Fall.
I also separated and transplanted the lilies you see in the background.
To the backyard woods line.
I just can't part with any of them because they belonged to my friend Kim's Dad.
He passed away a few years ago
and these were planted in his cutting garden.
I gave some to Kim last year when I was splitting and transplanting.
And speaking of splitting and transplanting...
I was given three coral bell plants by a client of mine and now have them all over!
I love how they attract hummingbirds.
We have a set of windows in the basement and while I was sitting on the sofa
I saw a hummingbird feed off of one of the coral bells.
And speaking of basement windows...
I have five windows and an empty window well so of course I had to add flowers!
They add so much color and I love the way they reflect off of the granite island top :)
I'm so glad that it's summer!
And these boys are too!
I hope that you have a great one and make lots of memories.
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