Outdoor Decorating – Asbery's Echoes

Weekend Project

Saturday morning I ran across a post on Facebook shared by my niece giving instructions on making a DIY Umbrella Stand Planter. Usually I just scroll on past these type of things but this one caught my eye. I then showed it to Joe and next thing I know – we’re spending our weekend making one for our deck! Dad and Mom kept Drew for us for awhile on Saturday while we ran to get supplies and then out for supper at Joe’s favorite restaurant, Bubba-Q’s. It was a much needed “date” for us as we rarely spend time by ourselves.

By the time we got home from Dad and Mom’s after picking up Drew it was after 9:00 p.m. but we decided to go ahead and get started. We got the cement work done so the cement would be set for the next day. Then yesterday we finished the project. After it was finished and put in place, I told Joe I thought rather than use it as a planter it would be more practicle for us to turn it into a table and he jumped right on it! The next thing I knew this is what we had – a DIY Umbrella Stand Table. I love it! Now we can sit out on the deck, in the shade, and not worry about the birds leaving droppings all over us. We have a tree over our deck which works great for shade but the darn birds like to roost in the tree and they sure do leave a mess!

We have had such beautiful weather here the last couple of weeks and last Sunday was no exception. We invited Dad and Mom over for supper on the deck and then after they left we cleaned everyting up and we sat outside under our new umbrella table until dark. I sewed, Joe had his iPad and Drew kept coming and going doing his thing. We had a quiet, relaxing, productive weekend!

Now I have the perfect outside stitching spot!

Almost Done

It took us all weekend but we are finally almost done! We had rain, lots and lots of heat, bugs galore, one minor blood drawing mishap, a few “words”, took a break to go to supper at Belva Deer with Dad and Mom but for the most part everything went pretty smoothly and the fence is up! And it turned out beautifully! We searched in Pinterest until we found something we both liked. Joe sat down and figured out how to build it and here it is! It’s not a very long fence as you can see but it’s going to help tremendously I think with blocking the view from the gravel road although Joe thinks we should extend it onto the end of the deck that butts up to the patio. We’ll live with it for awhile and see how we feel next spring. I’m guessing we’ll end up extending it. Now we just have to wait for the dirt to dry out so we can fill it in and put the blocks back down and then it will be finished. I love the way it turned out and am blessed to have a husband who can envision what I want and then build it for me!

Almost There

This is going to keep us busy this weekend – if it doesn’t rain. We are so close to finally getting our deck/patio/whatever you want to call it done! Earlier this week we trimmed the tree that overhangs this area. It had so many dead branches and branches hanging over the house and hanging so low we had to duck to walk around the patio. That was a job I’m glad is done! There is going to be a decorative fence of some sort here. Right now there’s the driveway and then the old garage is situated between the driveway and the gravel road which gives us a little privacy from the road. Once that comes down it will be wide open – and we will also be able to see the back of the neighbor’s house across the way which means they will be able to see our patio/deck. Not what I want. They are great neighbors but I live in the country for many reasons – and privacy is one of those reasons. (I want to be able to step out my backdoor in my pj’s without being seen!) So – we’re going to put up a decorative fence. I’m hoping we can get it done this weekend. Then if the heat ever breaks and the bugs ever leave – we can sit outside in the evenings and just enjoy this area. Next year I can concentrate on decorating this space and the fence itself – something to dream about and plan over the winter! !

Making Progress

We’re making progress on the deck. Yeah!!! The last two nights when Joe has gotten home from work the weather has been beatufiul and we’ve been able to go out and work away. It’s coming along a lot faster than I thought it would, especially considering we aren’t as young as we once were and we don’t move quite like we used to! All that’s left is to screw the floor in place. Hopefully someday we can put a railing around it but that will have to wait a year or two (or more). I’m just happy to have the deck itself! And I’m looking foward to being able to just spend time enjoying it rather than working on it!

Taking a break to show Drew how to use the drill. This child is so curious – he wants to know how to do everything!

Hot Hot Hot

Oh my goodness did we have a hot weekend. We had near record highs all weekend – extreme heat and humidity. You would sweat just standing still outside. And to top it off, the bugs have come out in full force. We’re having July/August weather in May. Very unusual.

Since Joe worked outside all day Friday he wanted to take a break on Saturday so we took Dad and Mom to look at campers. They bought their camper last year but there’s a couple of things about theirs they aren’t completey happy with and we took them to look at what else is out there. We had a fun day. Nobody came home with a new camper but there sure are a lot of options out there.

(Before the blood, sweat and tears)

(After – looking so much better!)

Then Sunday Joe and I worked outside. Talk about blood, sweat and tears – all of that and more went into this project! Sweat was running off both of us, there were a few “tears” as there always is when we try to work together on something like this – at least I don’t get mad and walk away and leave him to finish on his own. After all these years together we’ve pretty much learned how to work together without it getting to that point! And Joe smashed his finger and cut it open while trying to cut one of the cement blocks so there’s the blood! Nothing major – no trips to the ER or anything like that but he sure has a sore finger. But, we got it done and it’s looking wonderful! It’s so nice to have things finally starting to look nice! Unfortunatley it’s so hot and buggy we can’t really enjoy it yet. But the time will come! We still have to extend the deck to get it where we really want it and to really be able to use it.

Yesterday was a real do nothing day for us. Drew and I slept in. Joe mowed the yard. I worked on a menu for our family camping trip coming up the second weekend in June. Then we ran to Oskaloosa to get groceries – I stocked up. I have somewhat of a menu planned for the next two weeks and the camping weekend and outside of milk, bread and fruit, I should be able to steer clear of grocery stores and any stores for that matter for quite some time. I’m looking forward to just staying home and not running. No running to town twice a day to take Drew to school and bring him home. Maybe I’ll be able to get some things done around here for a change!

Randomness

I love finding these random notes from Drew. You never know when or where you will find one. I found this one posted on the refrigerator door – he knew I would definitely find it there!

Last night we ran to Menards to get supplies for our next outdoor project. I really hate spending the money but we have put these things off for too long and it’s time to get them done. Since Menards is self-serve we rarely have anybody offer to help us and last night was no exception. I’m sure those young male workers got a kick out of watching a 51 year old overweight lady help load up the trailer with 10′ pieces of lumber, 40 pound bags of sand and 53 landscaping blocks. By the time we were done I was dripping with sweat and could hardly move – now that is a workout! And yes, the trailer is sitting beside another project for this summer – one of two buildings that have to come down. The work just never ends!

Making Progress

Yesterday I worked outside – all afternoon and evening. I was sweaty and dirty and absolutely exhausted by the time I came in – but it was a good exhausted! We are finally making progress around here. I should have taken before pictures to show just how bad things were looking. I did just go out and take before pictures of our next project – I’m just not sure that I want them to be seen!

I spent the afternoon working on our little deck that is right off the dining room. I rearranged, planted flowers, swept, and tried to make it a place you would want to go to and enjoy. It didn’t see much use last year due to it being so darn dry and the dust off the gravel road being so bad. Since we’re having the road sprayed next week and we’ve actually had some rain this spring I thought it would be safe to try and spruce things up out there!

Then when Joe got home we worked on putting down landscaping and mulch. Lots and lots of mulch! I still hate that the chickens can’t free range (although it’s a huge relief not worrying about them being on the gravel road or the highway) but these beds looked soooo bad. Not a drop of mulch was left and the black paper we had put down was showing all over the place. It just looked so awful. Then we had never put down anything to contain the mulch around these two sides of the house and we decided it was just time. We used a recycled product that was lightweight and easy to install and is so easy to mow around. We’d used it elsewhere and Joe loved it so we finally finished the rest of the house with it. I love the way everything looks now.

I still have a lot to do – lots of weeding and making things look nice. We need to put a new door on the basement. The house needs power washed and the decks need re-stained. But it’s so nice to have the hard part done. Now it actually looks like the people who live here care – well, that they are finally starting to care! It will really look like we care once we get everything done we have on our to-do list!

Where Did The Weekend Go?

Wow -it’s Monday. I have no idea what happened to the weekend. We had the first nice weekend weather wise in so long and it just flew by. Friday night we ran to Ottumwa to get supplies to build the chicken enclosure and Saturday morning saw us up and outside building the darn thing. Unfortunately we ended up having to make another Ottumwa run and a run to town to our local farm and home store before we could finish and it took us literally the whole day and we’re still not done. But – we were able to get enough done that the chickens are no longer running free all over the yard destroying everything in their paths! I do feel bad – they are some very unhappy chickens right now. And I do miss looking out and seeing them wandering around. And yet – we can’t have them destroying the yard like they were doing. We’ll let them out to free range now and then but not on a daily morning to night basis anymore. And I’m sure they’ll be a little happier when we get everything done and they have more room to run. We didn’t get back in the house Saturday night until after 7:00 so a quick meal of leftovers and we were beat!

Sunday saw us up early working in the yard. Mom had given me a bunch of hostas and I had to get those in the ground. Then I worked on picking up junk in the yard. Where does it all come from? People must just throw their garbage out their windows. I know they do when they turn onto our gravel road because I find beer cans and fast food containers along that side of the house a lot. Grrrr. So, I picked up, organized, got cushions out and on chairs, hung my new wind chime Abby gave me for Christmas (love it!) up on the pergola, pulled out an old rose bush that was just not pretty anymore, checked in on the chickens numerous times to make sure they were okay, then in for a quick lunch and a quick shower and we loaded up the truck with furniture for Aaron. He has been in his apartment for a couple of years now and never had a bed. He just slept on his couch. He finally decided he wanted his old bed and dresser. And Dad and Mom had a recliner to give him. So we loaded it all up and headed to Washington. Got it all unloaded and now this mom feels better knowing her baby has a bed to sleep in – although whether he actually sleeps in it or not remains to be seen!

After all of that we took Aaron out for supper. We had such a nice time. Dad and Mom were with us and Eric and Drew. It was nice to spend time with the boys and watch them interact. They are 26, 19 and 7 – such an age difference – and yet they get along so well and you can just see the love they have for each other! When we pulled back into our driveway around 7:30 Joe asked if I wanted to start putting mulch down. No – I did not. But – yes I took advantage of his offer and we got a start on the flower beds until it got too dark to see. We got just enough done to see we were going to need more mulch. And so spring finally begins – long days spent outside working to get things done that need to be done after a long winter. Lots of late nights and early mornings. But we enjoy it. Today after picking Drew up from school we’ll run to the new greenhouse in town, pick up a handful of flowers and potting soil, run over to Mom’s for some more hosta and back home to get everything planted. We’re supposed to get rain the next few days. I hope we do – we are really needing the rain.

Kindness Is Still Out There

Our local grocery store is running a one day sale today and they are offering bags of mulch five for $10.00. Now that’s a good deal around here, I won’t have to drive out of town and I’m in desperate need of mulch. Not only have we not put any new mulch down the last few years, my beautiful, wonderful chickens have destroyed what was left. (the chickens don’t know it yet but their days of roaming free are coming to an abrupt halt very soon) So, after dropping Drew off at school I made a quick trip to Brother’s Market.

Usually we get our mulch at Menards and I always at least have Joe to help me and usually one or two boys along to help too. But since Joe is out of town, Drew is in school and Eric is home in bed, I was on my own. The store always offers to help carry out groceries, (which I always say no to, I need all the exercise I can get!) and they offered to help load the mulch so for once I agreed to the help. Only to discover that my help was a female clerk older than me. Now I felt guilty making her help me but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. So, we go outside and there is an old friend – his daughter and mine graduated high school together and our families spent many a night sitting together watching a softball game or volleyball game or you name it supporting the girls. (Of course I’ve known him and his wife all my life even though they are a few years older than me. We all grew up here and I see his wife when I sub at school as she is an Associate there. And she used to cut my hair as she used to work as a hairdresser. It’s a small community!) But I hadn’t seen him in years as the girls have been out of school for years now and he travels for work like Joe does. He was loading up a trailer with mulch for his blueberry patch. He immediately asked me how many bags I was wanting and offered to help. I helped him throw a few more bags onto his trailer, he pulled ahead, waited for me to get my truck, and helped me and the store worker fill my truck. During this time a young man I’ve known for years from working at the school walked up, put his stuff off to the side and proceeded to start helping us too. He works at the store so I told him he needed to be sure and go clock in before helping and he informed me he wasn’t working there today. He just saw I needed help and stopped to lend a hand. After getting the truck loaded up and thanking everyone, I left the store with such a good feeling inside. This is why I love living in my small community. People you haven’t seen in years will take time out of their busy day and stop whatever they are doing to lend a hand. A young man, someone who remembers me from years ago when he was just a sweet little boy needing some extra help at school, will go out of his way to help me just because he can. The caring and kindness people show each other on a day to day basis, the small little things they do for each other without wanting anything in return, this is what makes my little community and so many communities in this big old world so special. Those two made my day and they didn’t even know it!

This and That Thursday

Dad and Moms windmill and beautiful clouds.

Oh what a beautiful day we had! After some brutally hot and humid dry days it was so nice to be outside and have no humidity and cooler weather. It’s fair week so we ran into the fair for a little bit to see the animals and the fair projects. Drew thinks he wants to be in Clover Kids and bring something to the fair next year. That is something I can get behind – I’m a firm believer in 4-H and all it has to offer!

Helping dad power wash the camper – in other words an excuse to climb the ladder!

We spent the evening outside – Joe and Drew playing with Joe’s new power washer and me pulling weeds and just enjoying the beautiful evening! My coneflowers are really going crazy this year – they are so full I hardly have to weed this flowerbed! Hoping tomorrow brings more of this beautiful weather!