We got decked!

I have complete confidence that Sergio could have built it just as beautifully as he finished the other patios. However, he just doesn't have enough free time right now. I prefer that he spend the bits of free time he does have with me. Since we wanted to enjoy the deck THIS Summer, we took the plunge and hired someone based on a friend's recommendation. It turned out amazing. Thanks Diana and Mike for the tip!



Sergio designed it using Google Sketch-up. There was a slight design revision once construction started, but on the whole, I felt the end product was quite faithful to the original idea.



I loooove all the sexy angles and lines.



The back of the house has come a long way since 2009 when we first moved in. There was no sliding glass door at the time as you can see from this old post. Installing that was a huge leap. And now...wow. You would not believe how dramatic the difference is in terms of how we are relating to the backyard. We go outside more often now that we don't have to balance our way down a wonky plastic step stool. You can sorta see the corner of the wretched stool in this picture. The original door opened on the other side where the brick steps are in that photo.

My new favorite luxury is sipping coffee on the bench while watching all the different birds zoom in and out of the trees foraging for their breakfast. It's the most serene way to start a Sunday.





You can see a few more photos here on my flickr account.

Spring

Our front yard is wild. This is what it looked like last Summer.

Our home is on Apartment Therapy!

Well, our backyard. We've been reading Apartment Therapy for years now so this is quite an honor for us. Click here to see the post!



It was such a pleasant surprise when I finally got to my Google feed today.

:)

Thanks Apartment Therapy!!

November feels like...

Vegetable Box (finally)

Sergio's weekend project.


The last time you saw the box (back in May), it looked like this:



We picked up another set of wood and Sergio rearranged it into the new design. Pretty slick, I think.



The strings are meant to keep the stray kitties from, um, getting comfy in the fresh dirt.




Sure, it's way past the major growing season. But I did optimistically put in a few plants and herbs that I hope will be able to eke out a short while based on our intermittent 80+ degree weather. I sprinkled in winter vegetable seeds though. I'm hoping those take! yay!

The Landscaping: Decomposed Granite Patio, check!

Remember when I posted a quick preview a few weeks ago? Well, we've been busy working on it and various other house projects. We're finally ready for the big, bloggity reveal.

BUT WAIT! I know you are as fond of "Before and Afters" as much as I am. And who am I to deny you this pleasure? And really, it's the most effective way to convey massive change.

BEFORE

This is from the day we got our keys to the house!

As time passed, we cultivated many weed plants.

Which we mowed like it was real lawn.

(Yes, he is wearing the exact same shirt in all three photos but rest assured, they were taken at three very different times over the course of two years.)



Drumroll please...!





AFTER






Granted, it's taken a couple years. Keep in mind, Sergio built it all himself, all by hand. And when I say "by hand," I mean this: He broke the concrete with a sledgehammer, cut each board with a handsaw, nailed with a hammer and put in nearly every screw with a screwdriver. Tools powered by Sergio. Literally.

It's not that he likes kickn' it old school in the tool department. We're on an über tight budget and every time we find ourselves perusing the power tool department, there's a cart of supplies with us, patiently waiting to be paid for. After this experience though, I've told him that we must get outfitted with the right POWER tools before he starts on the deck. But that's for another post.






Click here to see posts of the backyard in various stages.

Stay tuned for more info on some of the new patio details, with photos of the fountain actually flowing and nightshots (oooh...très romantique!).




So, when are you coming over to hang out in our new patio?

Psst! There's a little video at the very end of an old post that shows Sergio hard at work. i forgot all about it! We got a chuckle out of it. Click here.

Front Yard

Our front yard looked like this about a year ago.

You can see the post here. Not all the plants made it but most did.

Now it looks like this.


The planter area (blue box) has been in for a while now. But a few weeks ago, I spent all day putting nearly all of these plants into the front area. All in one day. Boy I was sore.








Ok, so it still looks like a mess. Just a mess with more plants. Kind of wild looking. But I sorta love it like that.







It's so different from our back yard. (To be revealed soon!)

The Landscaping: PROGRESS

I apologize for the quality of forthcoming images. All are from the iPhone and I was too tired to try very hard. We've been hard at work all weekend. My feet hurt.



We've been discussing a decomposed granite patio for months now. We finally got cracking this weekend. After spending an excruciating Saturday at Home Depot (that place is like purgatory), we spent Sunday afternoon working on it. And by we I mean Sergio.



BEFORE


DURING


(AFTER ...coming soon! Hopefully we'll have a bit of time to make some progress during the week. I'll keep you posted!)

While Sergio toiled in the back, I performed much needed Rx on my potted plants. I replanted my hurting plant babies in the correct soil and in bigger containers. I hope they perk up soon. (I'm such a bad plant mama.)



And, I finally filled our Circle Pot from Potted! We got this fabulous planter half-off because it has a few blemishes. All the more perfect if you ask me. Cannot wait to put it up!



Oh, and our Japanese Maple is back!! We thought it died. I think it was shocked by being replanted in last summer's intense heat and retreated into early hibernation. We were so sad but now, so happy!


yippeee!!!

Vegetable Box!

I love this photo:

It looks like Sergio is coming out of the ground.





BUT, it's still sitting empty as I type. The beginnings of a trellis that Sergio designed is standing up in it so I guess it's not totally empty. I transplanted the seedlings to a couple of long plastic window boxes where they will live temporarily until we get the box completed. The poor dears had so outgrown of their little starter trays. I must admit, I haven't been a very good farmer so far.

Our calendar is so full though, not sure when we'll find the time to finish. We still need to attached the chicken wire to the bottom of the wooden frame(to keep out those gopher types) and sink it into the ground a little so it's level, and finish the trellis. Not sure if we have enough bags of dirt either. Sigh. Hopefully the baby plants won't all die in waiting.

Happy Earth Day 2011!

Remember those packets I ordered from Seeds of Change? Well, my little vegebabies have sprouted!

Looks like the cukes are most eager.


The eggplant in the middle rows are a little shy.


I'm such a proud vegigarden mama! (I've borrowed a phase from terri planty)


Happy Earth Day everyone. If you know me well, you know I love the planet. In the superhero/alt-universe version of myself, I am an eco-tree-huggin' earth goddess hippie mama. I practice zero-waste lifestyle, live off-grid, and diy everything, including deodorant. So I probably smell. But since I live chemical free and only ingest organic non-processed, non-meat foods, my natural scent is like wildflowers and sage. Bees are my friends.

In reality, I'm a lazy environmentalist. I do a bunch of little things, but am committed to them.

Also, I really do smell like wildflowers and sage. Kinda. If you squint your nose.