The Back Yard:


new french doors and porch  for the bedroomMy new french doors and little porch off the bedroom. This was just about the last, but certainly not least, step of the renovation. This picture was taken in late April 2000. You can see the apple tree (upper left) is still in bloom. The garden along the wall is at least two feet taller. The calla lily (this side of the sink) has just begun to bloom (this week of June 5).

view from the porch across the garden towards bernie Now looking from the porch towards the driveway end of bernie you can see the new gravel path and pond! Near the far end of bernie is my new peach tree. The pond - outline in red with a blue plastic box upside down in it - is a child's (mickey mouse) swimming pool dug into the ground. At this stage I was covering the pots holding the water lily because it seemed there were raccoons marrauding through the yard. At the base of the apple tree my big half barrel is full of daffodils,  a few red tulips and a money plant in full bloom (purple).

Now (early June), I have freed the lilies from the containers and they are thriving. The iris (their pot is in the pond, the leaves seem to be coming straight up from the end of the bench) are just coming to the end of their bloom. Two stalks of bright yellow flowers have been quite a thrill. The peach tree is carrying at least a dozen peaches and has grown about three times in lushness.
 

view from the porch across the sitorium towards next door Pivoting on the porch, you can see the new "sitorium" - a place for sitting under the cherry tree. Notice the fan trellis Michael made for me. There is a very small honeycycl just getting started at the base of the trellis. A sad looking camillia is behind the chair, the comfrey has not yet grown up to engulf it! In the lower left of the picture see my concrete dragon - proceeds of our last garage sale. I have been trying to get some moss to feel at home on him - but that spot seems to get too much sun!