I Love My Yard

There, I said it. I really do love my yard. I have been mourning the loss of my old yard ever since I first saw this new house at the beginning of November. I remember looking at the house, peering in the windows and seeing the potential for what it could be. But the yard, never inspired the same feelings in me. Even after we poured money into some serious pruning, a parking spot and gravel path, and the most beautiful sod you have ever seen. I liked it, it looked much better then I ever thought it would but I did not love it.

My other yard was long and deep and had a giant pine tree right in the middle. It always smelled like the woods to me and reminded me of my grandparents. It didn't matter that the yard was almost always in a state of "white-trash" and that my 80 year old neighbors had a yard 10 times nicer then mine, for a while the renters next door even had a better yard. Every time I walked out the back door I was in love. One of the reasons we bought the house was because it had a hydrangea. I wanted one and when I saw the 60 year old hydrangea in the back yard I was sold. I know I can plant one at my new house but it won't have the same character.

Today I went to my old house for the last time. I left all the keys and locked the doors. When I shut the door for the final time, I admit it, I cried. I stood on the deck one last time and looked at my backyard and was sad. Even though the yard overwhelmed me a good 90% of the time it was still my favorite.

Until this afternoon. When the boys woke up from their nap the sun was actually shining. I quickly put on shoes and hats and out we went. I had no agenda except to kill time but once I got outside and saw the plants I had just bought, I thought I would try to plant them. I went to the Olympic View plant sale for the first time and scored some good buys. The trick is to go at 3:45, in the rain, on Sunday afternoon when they are at the end. The selection isn't as good but they were selling plants for more then half off. I bought annuals, bedding plants, and some good perinnials to fill in my flower beds.I spent an hour outside today and got all my plants planted. I even did some weeding. The whole time I was outside my boys played. Jack ran in the grass while Micah sat on it. They walked in the bark and played on their climbing cube. They even got out their bikes and rode on the cement patio. I was able to move around the yard, planting and weeding with no problem. Well, except for Nemo making a run for it, but the neighbor was kind enough to tell me I had lost my dog again. I stepped back at the end of the hour and looked at my yard. I have established plants that are starting to bloom, 3 huge lilacs that I love, some sort of fruit tree, and now some fresh plants that are favorites of mine. I wasn't overwhelmed or left the yard with a list of things to still do. I have some more plants I would like and some more pots but overall, I have to say, my yard is beautiful.

And I love it, I really do.