Kid Friendly Backyards to Make You Smile

Being that it's "that time of year" I have been seeing all kinds of fun landscape and backyard ideas.  

When I saw this chess game embedded into a landscape I knew I would have a fun time writing up a post about unique and beautiful backyards.

traditional home.com

You could also make this into a hop scotch pattern or even tic tac toe!  This couple from Virginia said the grand kids just LOVE this garden area!

This was GREAT - The owners obviously made the best use with their sloped backyard landscape and turned it into multi level play area!  People are so resourceful and creative.

Now who said you had to do the traditional hammock?  How about a HAMMOCK BED!  This is a brilliant idea!  

Seriously, can you just imagine softly swinging enjoying the glow of a warm summer evening!?  

This is similar to the chess idea,  but this family used the pattern to add interest to their landscape.  It almost makes the area feel whimsical!  I can just imagine the white bunny from Alice in Wonderland slipping away down that path :-)

There is so much ambiance you can add to a backyard by incorporating landscape lighting also!

Look into that as you create the landscape of your dreams :-)

I'm still working on my OWN backyard - it might resemble one of the photos above in 20 years but for now, I'll just take it one step at a time :-)  Photos to come!

Curly Willow and Wooden Tables - Turning Lemons into Lemonade

This post comes with a story......

The,  How I Turned Lemons into Lemonade story :-)

One day we had a big wind storm.

Not only did I wake up to find my patio table SHATTERED I also realized the wind knocked over both of our curly willow trees!

Can you imagine my frustration cleaning up all that shattered glass?!

And my beautiful curly willow trees blown over! ):

So my wheels got to turning about the table......I didn't really like glass anyway (and let me tell you, a replacement piece of glass was the price of a new table!)

So how about WOOD!  Yes, we have a friend who works with wood, I'll ask him if he could inset a wooden top.

Oh my word!!! So much nicer!!!!

Now for that curly willow.  I LOVE LOVE curly willow and I was NOT about to just throw out the entire tree because it blew over.

My thought was, how about potting it!

YES!  Potting it worked great!  I just put it in a bucket and poured mixed cement in the bucket.  I really only needed to fill it up 1/3 of the way because cement is SO HEAVY and I could hardly lift it with how much I used!

Once the cement hardened I moved it into a pot and covered the top with moss.

So...... you want to see it in our new house??

What do you think!?

The table below turns into a fire pit if we want to roast marshmallows or just enjoy a fire.

It looks as if we ALL know how to relax in this family!  :-)  

So before you decide to throw out a blown over tree or give up on a glass table top - think again!!

  Maybe you can re purpose it and enjoy it even MORE than you did previously?

Hey, FREE LEMONS!

Flowers and String Lights on the Pergola - Summer Project!

YEA for SUMMER!  

It's finally here (at least over in Idaho!)  Today is the LAST day of school for my kids.   Summer break has officially started and I'm totally ready to go camping and just relax and enjoy the sunshine.

I am very excited that my next Summer Project will be glamorizing my pergola.  I want to add lots of flowers and hanging outdoor string lights!  

I just got the most BEAUTIFUL hanging flowers and put them up which was all the motivation I needed.  

(Now I just need the money to design what's in this head of mine- ha!)  

EDIT:  Come check out my completed dream pergola!  I spent HOURS researching the best (and coolest looking) PATIO STRING LIGHTS.

I found this delightful inspirational photo - I couldn't believe how much the set up was already like mine.  

Seasonal Living

Of course, adding lights will really add ambiance.  I just love how lively and yet cozy this set up is!

real simple

Or how about adding some paper lanterns?  Wouldn't that be fun!

Luna Bazaar

ENOUGH DREAMING :-)

So here is phase ONE......there will probably be 10 phases of the process but I'm hoping it's dreamy by the end of the summer

The fountain has officially been turned on and we just sit outside now - have I mentioned I love the summer?  

So, the flowers are up......next I'm going to buy patio string lights.  

Updated photo!  See my Best Patio String Lights Post!

(can you tell I'm a little excited about them - hee,hee) 

Till the next installment......I will let you know it has something to do with a Curly Willow tree which is also on my backyard patio :-)

Enjoy your week!

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My Favorite Summer BBQ, Potluck and ICY recipes

Is there any one else that loves the fact that summer brings on a whole new set of BBQ and yummy drink recipes?

I was recently looking through my blog posts and realized that there are a few SUPER FUN summer recipes that needed to be brought to attention.  :-)

First off is this fabulous WATERMELON ICY!  Yes please, all summer long!

Watermelon Icy (inspired by Pie Birds)

3-4 cups FROZEN watermelon cubes

1 banana (frozen or non frozen is OK)

1-2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. agave nectar (or sugar, maple syrup etc.)

1/2 cup water

Second is the best Coconut Ginger BBQ chicken recipe you'll ever find.  (That is, if you enjoy a little spicy and a lot of flavor!)

I love all the seasonal summer fruit so knowing how to cut up a mango EASILY is a summer must in my mind :-)

Where we live, rhubarb grows like a WEED in the early summer and this is by FAR my most favorite recipe using rhubarb!  It has the best dense texture - I promise you'll be making this over and over.

Rhubarb Strudel Cake with Coconut Flakes 

(I added a gluten free option too)

And lastly, I decided to add a great potluck dish that is EASY, healthy and absolutely delicous.

Broccoli Grape Salad–easy potluck dish

ENJOY MY FRIENDS!

~ Selina