Okay, Suzanne, this one's for you! (And About Time!)

So, this is the post about my backyard renovation.
And it's about time!  I know.  

I just don't take time to post.
I *read* lots of other people's posts, but don't take the time to make my own.

Frustrating.

Anyway, we did a major "overhaul" on our backyard this past Summer, and now it is Freakin' Awesome!  =-)  This is gonna be a picture-heavy post, so sit back and enjoy.
Here are some "Before" photos:

"Back in the Day" before we added the porch roof:

 Back before we added the porch roof, looking toward the backdoor:

 Looking from the backyard toward the Art room:

 Looking at my messy garden in front of the shop, 

in it's "full splendor":

I don't have the "just before" pictures that Boyfriend has on his computer, so these "right at the beginning of the work" pictures will have to do...

From the backyard looking at the house 

 From the back door looking toward the shop:

 From the back of the house (outside) looking toward the shop:

From the backyard looking toward the shop: 

 A different angle looking toward the house:

At this point in all of these pictures, the guys had already started hammering out the concrete that we had back there.  That was quite a job.  They used sledge hammers and beat and busted allllll day.  And they were young guys, too!  I'm just glad it wasn't me who had to bust out all that concrete.  It would have taken me a *week*!   =-)

So, now that you have an idea of what my backyard *used* to look like, here are the "After" pictures:

 Looking from the back gate toward the back door:

(and please disregard the furniture...

it's just there 'til we find something nice)

That's Italian marble on the "floor",

and Tennessee Field Stone coming up the side of the house.

Looking from the backyard toward the house:

 Looking from the back door toward the shop/gate:

 Looking from the gate down the side of the shop:

 Looking from the backyard toward the shop:

Those are Knockout Roses on the left, and

a Fragrant Tea Olive on the right.

 Sorry about this one;

the firepit (on the right) isn't quite finished in this photo

but you get the idea...

On the left is the water feature

It and the firepit are made from

Tennessee Field Stone

 Looking from the gate toward the back/side -ish:

 Looking from the back/side fence toward the Art room

(it's much neater now, and the bushes shouldn't get much taller):

The bushes are Azaleas and Hydrangeas

that bloom Spring through Fall.

 Japanese Maple and rock "wall":

 Steps into the shop, and future

bistro table area near the firepit:

And one Night Shot

It's really gorgeous out there at night too

since he put in such wonderful lighting:

We're really not finished.
We need to get some new furniture, and a nice metal sculptural art piece for that big wall space.
But we are really enjoying it.  We go out there quite frequently, especially in the evenings.  Even now, in the chilly weather.  We just turn on the natural gas firepit and enjoy its warmth while we bask in the serenity of our "new" surroundings.  
We are so glad we've done it!  We didn't really go out there much before.  
The environment just "wasn't right".  It wasn't cozy, like it is now.
We love it!!!


I hope you're loving where you are right now!
If not, maybe stop and look around and ask yourself what you can do to help the situation out...

I hope you have a Wonderful Day!

=-)


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