Spring…
In my part of the world, Spring often comes in with a flash of warm, sunny weather which drives everyone outdoors after the long, hard winter. In 2021, that long hard winter has been especially difficult due to the pandemic and the restrictions imposed to keep our infection rates low. That meant when that week of gloriously warm, summer-like weather hit, we emerged like butterflies from a cocoon and couldn’t wait to play. I saw people raking, digging, and even heard some lawnmowers!
For me that meant forget the inside work and figure out how to set up the outside furniture! In our pandemic restrictions, I’m allowed to be part of one other household and since I have an incredible mother who lives an hour away, that’s my additional household. She loves planning decor and yard spaces and gardens and she couldn’t wait to get her hands on mine.
When I bought this house, one of the main selling points of its location is the additional “property” beside it, which is my side yard. In terms of financial planning, I can sever that yard; it will never happen. So I basically have two spots: one has my house and driveway and the other is a yard of grass surrounded by trees. Like so much of this house, the yard is very uneven and has unexpected holes to trip you up. I keep telling people you can feel tipsy without ever having a drink at my place! Eventually, I’m going to have to level out the majority of the space.
I have lots of tentative plans and ideas for the outside and they will take years to come to fruition, which likely means they’ll change many times along the way. The kitchen leads out to a gorgeous small, side porch with an old screen door that provides a very satisfying bang as it closes. Red, Adirondack-style chairs with side tables grace this area, perfect for a morning tea while you take in the awakening world. With my mother’s touch it also includes tall planters holding my beautiful hibiscus plants. I’ve been planting them for the summer and digging them up for the fall and bringing them inside for the winter for the last few years. They are absolutely gorgeous and bloom all year long. With the side porch and lovely planters, I think the days of planting and digging are over. I’ll just move the planters in and out of the house according to season.
I love swimming and we have hot enough summers to enjoy outdoor (in my case, unheated) pools. Since my new home didn’t come with one, I’ll be taking some of the large side yard and having one installed this year. [Well, fingers crossed. The pandemic seems to be impacting so much, but I’m hopeful the pool will happen!] The plan is to have a raised deck beside the pool for lounging and sunbathing. Again, this pandemic is impacting so many industries! Lumber prices are through the roof so it may be “standby” on the deck. We’ll see. In the meantime, I have to put my deck furniture somewhere for resting and relaxing. My mom chose the area beside the porch and it looks fantastic. Until the deck is built, this is a gorgeous set up!
The final section of my side yard that we tackled right away is the dining area. My previous home had a lovely pergola that I left behind and I have been searching for the perfect replacement for this home. The dining area is bordered by flowering trees and a large lilac that will scent the whole area once it’s in bloom. I can’t wait - lilac is a favourite scent of mine! I found an old sawhorse-type structure behind one of the sheds and have repurposed it for a small serving table. I found a gorgeous blue/gray that is deep and rich and I can’t wait to start sanding and painting!
Old homes were often built very close to roads. Or the roads, when planned, were built close to the houses. I have only a couple of steps from my front door down to street level and immediately onto the sidewalk. My side yard is the bonus that is necessary for someone like me. I love living in a friendly neighbourhood and this village is incredible. People wave and say hello and always have a smile for you. But, I need my privacy. It’s essential that I can be outside without feeling like the whole world is watching. A corner property can make that difficult. On the front side of the house, there is a stand of evergreens which provide a buffer to that street but as soon as you turn the corner, you have a full view into my yard. I’m very excited to be planting cedars that will give some seclusion without looking unsociable. In one month, they should be in and I’ll start feeling the comfort of sitting on the porch in solitude. By then, early mornings will have a temperature perfect for sitting outside with a cup of tea, sunshine on my face, and the newspaper open to read.
There are still lots of times where I wonder if this whole adventure has been a mistake. My general attitude toward life has always been that if you didn’t get somewhere or something that you wanted, there was a reason for it. You were meant to go down a different path. This particular path is proving to be an interesting challenge. No one forced me to sell my house, move away, or take this chance. It was all my own choice. But when the water has overwhelmed your sump pumps and you’re hearing noises in the night, I think it’s fairly reasonable to question yourself. Certainly I seem to do so regularly. When the sun is shining, or I’ve accomplished some feat (I’ve started installing the main floor bath accessories!), it props up my courage and my confidence enough to not run away. Oh and did I mention? We aren’t the only ones enjoying the yard - we have a cute bunny as a neighbour!
Developing my outdoor space.