Let's Take This Outside!

We have officially and finally made it to Spring! What better way to celebrate than to put our new patio to good use! On the first day of Spring, Tommy and I went over to Home Depot, our home away from home, after some outdoor living-space research and bought our first outdoor patio table and set of chairs. If we can't enjoy eating inside our house right now, why not outside, right?

 Here we are beginning our task of putting the table together before it gets too dark out... we finally finished by flashlight. It just couldn't wait 'till morning for some reason.

And here we are the next day. Much better by daylight.

We also picked up an olive green patio umbrella for the sunny seasons, which in Minne-snow-ta that's all of two weeks it seems. The previous owners had lost the one and only shade tree in the backyard to Dutch Elm's before we moved in, so we figured a little shade would come in handy, for a day or two that is. 

I'm hoping to whip up some nicely colored throw pillows as I have discovered that JoAnn's, an all time favorite, carries outdoor fabric as well! "Whip up"... I'll just add that to my long list of Honey Do's. We'll see at what point I get those done in time to still enjoy them in our outdoor living space. Only time will tell.

We also do not want to mask the fact that we are living in a Jumanji-like house with all sorts of intimidating plant life.

Just the other day Tommy had discovered that this was our house when google maps had uploaded a picture of it sometime when it was warmer out. It also needed a bit of a hair cut... Do you see the Jumanji reference yet? No? Try and jungle-walk your way through the garden they had behind it. It's quite an adventure I tell ya! They had all sorts of growing activity including a vegetable and herb garden, plum tree, cherry tree, shade gardens and the list goes on. Since Tommy and I wouldn't know a weed from a wildflower, I have decided to rule out destroying anything before we even know what's in there. I started raking away all the dead life and little did I know, Spring has already brought on some greenery! If anyone has any interest in helping Tommy and I dig our way out of the backyard, we are extending our most gracious invite to ALL gardeners!!! SOS, we need help! Who knows, we might just send you home with a plant or two as a peace offering.

Courtesy of Google Maps (Before)

Oh and just in case you don't remember the "after" photos of our house, here is a little reminder. Very bare and white, but the trees and bushes were all removed before we moved in. Here they are

I'm really looking forward to our house taking on the Spring and Summer shape, because I'm feeling our front yard is a little bare now. It's not quite balanced out from the looks of our jungle in the back, but soon enough I'll get this whole green thumb thing down.

My motivation is just over the fence, our neighbors have their very own pond with a fountain an' all! Some day we'll get there. Someday. In the meantime, we have only begun to experience the old saying  'keepin' up with the Joneses.