Showing posts with label Backyard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Backyard. Show all posts

Monday, January 14, 2013

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!

=-)


.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

August 2nd, 2012

Hmmm...
I've pondered whether to broach this topic here or not, but, ya know what?
It's *my* blog, right?
So, why not...


I've been having ideas swirling around in my head lately about 
Ceremony
Ritual
Rite of Passage
and the notion that lots of people don't "do" church, so...  Where do they get their "Rituals" now?


For years, I've loved the book series "Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jean M Auel, and in that series, there's one "scene" where a girl was raped, and she "fell into" a deep depression.  The main character, Ayla, and a "Medicine Man"/"Elder" did a "Cleansing Ceremony" for her.
That really stuck with me.
Especially when my daughter confessed to me that she'd been raped...
I offered a "Cleansing Ceremony" to her, but she's never said if she wants one or not...  So i take that as a No.   (no judgement)


But i've still been pondering ceremonies/rituals and such.
I have a friend whose husband recently left her.  That's a whole 'nother story, but in listening to her going through her "trials", it's occurred to me that maybe she would like a "Divorce Ceremony".  
You know, when you get married, all your friends and family are there behind you, showing you support and wishing you well.  But when you get divorced, you're usually all by yourself, and you feel unloved and unlovable, and alone... and maybe ashamed.  
I think a "Divorce Ceremony" would be an uplifting thing, with family and/or friends there if you want.  But with someone "officiating", telling you that you ARE lovable, and you ARE loved, and you ARE worthy, and


You Will Be Alright.
You are still YOU, and you always HAVE you, and you are Someone you can count on.
That what you are feeling is Normal.
That, this too shall pass.
That you're not "a Loser".


Sometimes... LOTS of times, we NEED to hear things from someone ELSE in order for us to really HEAR those things.
Sometimes we're just "too much in our own heads" to really listen to the Wisdom that's inside ourselves, and *that's* when we need someone else to help us through.  *That's* when we need "someone official" to let us know that

Everything Is As It Should Be.


I think i have the "perfect" back yard to hold these "Ceremonies".
And I'm beginning to think i have the Heart to hold these "Rituals".


I don't know any more than the next person, but i DO know that i would love to bring Comfort to others.


Here's what i'm thinking when i say "Ritual" and "Ceremony":
- Coming of Age Ceremony for Girls (and perhaps Boys, if i can "enlist" my husband or another adult male)
- Divorce Ceremony
- Menopause Ceremony
- Cleansing Ritual (in cases of molestation/rape) (And i KNOW this is a realllllly heavy one, and the person also NEEDS counseling, but this may help)
- Breaking Up Ceremony
- Death of a Loved One/Letting Go Ritual (again, counselling is needed here also)


These ceremonies are to mark the passages of certain "times" in our lives.
Something where others will add their Wisdom and Love to help ease you into a transition.




Anyway, that's what's been swirling through my head a lot lately.


What do you think about it?
































...

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

June 5th, 2012

So... Yesterday.


I am now OFFICIALLY a Registered Yoga Teacher!!!  =-)


I took the 200-hour course at Gotta Yoga in Charlotte.  It was Quite a Ride, too.  =-)  Lots of Yoga; lots of emotions; lots of "stuff".  


And i learned some very valuable lessons.
I think the most valuable lesson i learned is that "Girls are Okay!"
I've never had a "group of girlfriends" that i hung out with.  I've never had a special "best friend", other than Boyfriend, but i'm talking about Girls!
Oh, don't get me totally wrong; my daughters are my Best Friends,
and my Sister has ALWAYS been my Best Friend.
But they kinda "hafta" love me.  =-)


I'm talking about someone who started out as a stranger, but ended up as a "Girlfriend" or a "Bestie".
So imagine my delight and surprise when i discovered this group of ladies of all ages who didn't whine about everything,  didn't bitch about little things, didn't talk about each other behind each others' backs, and didn't get moody!  I LOVED IT!!  =-)  It gave me a renewed faith in "Female-kind".  =-)


Anyway...
I had the privilege of auditioning for my Yoga Studio this past Thursday.  =-)
And i did just fine.  =-)
I've been offered a position there!!!
Right now, i'm "merely" on the Sub list, 
but come the Fall, they'll probably offer me a Regular class!  And i'm SO tickled!  =-)




On the HomeFront:
The Landscape Dude is in the back yard right now, hammering and making all kinds of noises as he and his lone helper bust up all the concrete back there.  It's an area of about 14'x26'!  And they're just using one sledge hammer!  I offered them mine so they could each bust the concrete, but he told me it's okay...  Whatever, Dude!  It's gonna be slooow going for ya, but whatever.  =-)




I hope you're having a WONDERFUL Day today!  
(You'd better be; this is the only June 5th, 2012 that you're gonna get!) 




Here's a little "Relaxation Inspiration" for ya!
photo by Boyfriend @ Long Key, FL
June 2011




=-)