Our Big Blue House: where do I start?

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

where do I start?

So much has happened since we last updated our blog.

I'll start with today.

We went from this...

That big bad boy leaning against the fence is dubbed "the widow maker". It is standing about 4 feet tall and about 2 1/2 feet wide. It weighs about 250 pounds. I shimmied it into place today [mostly] by myself.

To This!

Every Sunday morning over the past few months, we collected rock... TONS of rock. We had stored it in our garage in anticipation for this week. The weather (and our backs) hadn't been cooperative over the past few days. Unfortunately we got a late start getting the stone laid under our pergola.

On Saturday I threw out my back. Bummer. After a few days of light work and rest, mine had improved. I was ready to rock and roll. Today we got up early and tilled the ground under the pergola. Lex bent over to get a stone and BOOM, that's when it happened. His back went out... game over. Straight to the couch for Lex. It didn't deter me. I was on a mission. See the rocks in the picture above? I moved and placed them ALL! That's right... I AM WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR.

At least that's how I felt until I tried to lift some of the really big ones.

Then it sounded more like a meow.

I need help with those. Hopefully after a trip to the chiropractor, Lex will be ready to go tomorrow.

To complete this project, we have to:

Finish about 1/3 of the rock "floor"
Fill in between the stones with dirt
Re-build the fire pit
Plant ground cover
Move the furniture back under the pergola
Re-hang the "chandelier"
Re-hang the decorative windows

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We have also turned an antique water pump into a fountain for our pond.

Pay no attention to the plants, rocks and other craziness around the pond. We are in the process of re-doing the entire area. It was done in the "pre-landscaping school phase". Let's just say... it's not planted so nice and needs (a lot of) help. Over the past few years this pump sat in our native prairie garden. This year we decided to make it functional AND aesthetic. More pictures to come over the next few weeks.

Aw... here they are begging for food. aren't they cute?

This is our native prairie garden. The pump used to be where the antique milk jug is now. I picked up this little number this past weekend at a GARAGE SALE for $10. I love thrifty garden finds!

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Yesterday Lex turned an old sink into a fountain...

I saw this sink at an [overpriced] garden store a few years ago and just had to have it. I knew the perfect place for it. I was so excited to get it home and put it IN THE FRONT YARD.

Are you loving the ugly mirror? GARAGE SALE FIND. $8

Now, I know what you're thinking... CLASSY, this woman has taste.
And to answer your second thought: NO we do not have a toilet with flowers planted in it.

This look [in the front yard] was straight out of Better Homes and Gardens... NOT.

After we came to our senses we decided to move the sink to the backyard. We had no idea what we were going to do with it, but we knew we just couldn't have it in our front yard any longer. So we put this thing in the willow courtyard and hung a mirror over it. It looked better there, but there was always something "a little off" about it. We went through a phase with flowers being planted in the bowl... but I still didn't like it.
Then one day...[light bulb turning on]...it hit me. It has a spigot. YES. We could turn it into a fountain. Now, I LOVE IT. It looks cute. After 3 years, I am finally happy with the "kitchen sink".