LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL: Our Slice of Paradise

If there is one thing we love about living where we do, it is our yard in the Spring and Summer (and Winter and Fall!). There is nothing like opening the back door and feeling like you are in a mountain retreat. Our back porch {dubbed the Picnic Room by Vaughn at age 2} is a great place to eat and entertain for 3 seasons. When the picnic room opens, we know Spring is here.

Would you like a tour? If so, then read on....

I have shown pictures before, but I have many new followers, so I thought I'd share again.

As you come up the drive, you will see in front of you, the gardening house/garage and pool house. They are both in one building. The top of the building acts as a kid's hideout and playroom. In early Spring, this area is lined with tulips which add some pretty color and later this summer the plants on the right will bloom into pretty lilies. All three redish trees bloom in pretty pinks. I should have taken these pictures earlier!

These are the lilies. To the right is the kids' playyard and way to the right is the outside garage.

The garage and pine forest that lines the driveway on the right as you come up.

One of the many flower beds in our yard. This one is beside the kids' play yard.

This is the detached garage. there are two beautiful lilac bushes to the right of this garage. Below that, you see the beginning of the back yard.

As you walk up the sidewalk from the driveway, you will see this on your right.

Another garden full of perennials... lilies, decorative grasses and hosta.

Behind that garden is a small yard and then the pool fence. Along the pool fence is a Japanese Maple, some pretty flowering vines (can't think of what they are called now, but they make beautiful purple multi-layered flowers. Anyone?)

This picture is from last year. Awe. He looks so young. G. is sharing in the tour today. I ♥ him.

Here are the boys last year...standing in the perennial garden beside the walk. You can see the steps leading up to the picnic room behind them and the huge blue spruce which looks like a perfect Christmas tree. If only I could get some lights WAY up to the top. Rent a cherry picker, maybe?

{V. is helping too. Yes, I ♥ him too!}

To the right is the ginko tree. I love that tree! Note all of the pretty Hosta.

This is just past the blue spruce. We love this little pine bush in front of the picnic room. We call it Cousin It. It actually has a space behind it so the kitties from next door can hide under it. It is like a little tent for cats.

Looking out from the picnic room, you see our pool yard and yes, that is a dead tree. It has since these pictures, been cut down, but it used to be the pee tree. {The tree boys pee on when they have to pee while in the pool. Yes, really}

This is on the other side of the picnic room. The deck where we grill wraps around the entire right side of the house.

This is part of the pool yard. We usually have a fire pit here and some cushions on the bench and a few more chairs, but we aren't quite there yet this year.

The back yard from the picnic room....

This is the little tree on the corner of the pool. I love it!

Behind the pool is a secret little area {oops... not so secret now!} where it is nice and shaded and you can read or nap in a hammock.

This is on the other side of the pool facing the house. The balcony off of our bedroom can be seen in the background.

This weird little tree is in the corner under the huge maple. Not sure what it is, but there is a vine that is growing up it. Not sure what the vine is either!

Oops... out of order, but this is the kids' play yard.

Here is my bench just awaiting a coat of paint. Patiently....

The Daisies are so cute, they they spread like wildfire and take over the entire front garden. I really need to weed them out a bit!

My wild roses in front of the front porch.

This is the front of the house. The front garden bushes are going to be trimmed back a bit this year. They are really blocking the front door. Loads of weeding to be done out here.