In my opinion, food always tastes better when you eat it outside. My kids start the daily chant, "Can we eat outside?" as soon as the warm winds blow and we roll out the BBQ from the garage. For me, the warm spring air inspires me to start creating (or recreating... if we didn't move so often) a pretty outside space to dine; sit out with friends and enjoy a glass of wine or beer on a hot night; and a place to light up the outdoor firepit and roast marshmallows with the kids. Sounds idyllic doesn't it? Except you have to add in mosquitoes, husbands re-telling the same old "funny"stories, and me harping at the kids to "stop poking the fire", "be careful with that hot marshmallow", and "stop bugging your brother", etc., etc. All that aside, I still strive to create this outdoor oasis that, in a perfect world, would be, well, perfect!!
My husband and I don't see eye to eye on the need to have all the right outdoor accessories. To him, all you need is one of those plastic tables, a few chairs, and, as he did last year before we (I) bought the firepit, some tree stumps and a dirt patch to light a good fire that he thought was perfectly fine in our suburban neighbourhood ( where our kids were among the only five kids on our street). I'm sure the neighbours loved our outdoor cookouts...they probably had their fingers poised at 911 on their phones...Poor Paul, he is really meant to be in the "country" where we did live for six years and raised chickens and planted Christmas trees. That's another story and I digress...
I have now begun the outdoor decorating process as I have vowed this year to squeeze every last bit out of this summer. We are landscaping, building our pool deck, aiming for a swingset and playhouse for our daughter, and still have some odd jobs left to complete this house which we built last summer. I want our yard and deck to be a place where we can enjoy good friends, good food, roasted marshmallows and the sound of the frogs and pheasants behind our house. I probably (hubby would say definitely) won't be getting my outdoor shower this summer, but I will have lots of fun creating my backyard "beach" with a rustic bar area (that I bought last weekend at a yard sale), hanging my new hammock style swing, painting the kids a checkerboard on an outdoor table, and enjoying my new fountain which I hung last night. I will post pictures as soon as there is something to photograph, but for now I will leave you with some great outdoor spaces for you to drool over.
What does your outdoor haven look like? Even if it's only a dream at the moment, start taking babysteps towards achieving it. Plant beautiful, fragrant flowers in a pretty urn for your patio, buy some fun seat cushions for your outdoor chairs, string up some mini-lights in a tree or along the deck, or paint your picnic table or plastic table with a bright, fun colour. A little imagination and elbow grease can go a long way! Most importantly, gear up for lots of fun, relaxation and time spent with family and friends just enjoying a good, hot summer!!!
That's what it is all about and what I am
truly thankful for...
***this picnic table shot is for a good friend who dreams of the good old-fashioned, classic picnic table of her childhood... I love the outdoor lockers in the pool photo (from Pottery Barn, left). I think they might be next years project...
Well, look at it now, doing serious lifeguard duty:
The handyman was busy, too, building a changing area so wet feet don't have to track through my house. This is the before photo:
Need to see it up close?
I made this little light holder, junk style, because I was trying to copy Ki and her infinite creativity:
Oh, and I gave a make-over to this little beach chair. It used to have Bratz fabric on it (ick!!) so I removed it and sewed up this striped Sunbrella fabric and painted the frame. I also picked up the vintage cooler for $10 at a thrift shop. It is my favourite shade of blue:
