Exterior Upgrades

Since moving into our 1947 home nearly 2 1/2 years ago, most of our time has been spent updating the interior.  While we did update the exterior stucco last fall, the yard has been…quite another story.  It’s by no means finished, especially the back, but we made some huge strides when my mom visited a few weeks ago. 

Before…



In progress…





After…



We realized that in order to make progress in the front yard, we really needed to be ruthless.  As in, we had to eliminate much of what was growing in the huge front beds—because there was a LOT growing, but unfortunately, it lacked continuity and instead was a mass of confusion. 

After digging and cutting away, we planted several common boxwoods, along with some feathered grasses for height.  With some help from my dad, we added mulch.  In addition to the beds, we added sod to a bare patch in the front lawn.  As it turns out, that spot has always competed with our maple tree, plus we realized that our sprinkler system was skipping over that section, so it wasn’t receiving adequate water.  Dad and Matt adjusted the sprinklers, which allowed Matt to take a much needed break from watering it manually.  The sod seems to be taking great, and it looks fairly integrated with the rest of our lawn.  Let’s hope we can keep it alive!

The best part though, is that we added an Adirondack chair to the front stoop, so now we have a place to soak in the sun while sipping mimosas. 



Well, at least that’s my morning fantasy.  Haha.  Hasn’t happened yet… Mom also insisted on buying us some potted flowers, which add a nice bit of cheer and color.  Thanks, Mom! 

Now, if only I had a great DIY solution for those blasted railings.  I need to do some research on how to either replace or temporarily fix them.  While much of my frustration lies in their appearance, they’re also a liability.  Our 89 year old neighbor came over yesterday, and when she climbed our stairs, I feared she would fall as she clung to those rickety rails!  Yipes!  Note to any and all visitors: DO NOT USE THE BRAHAM’S RAILINGS!  THEY ARE A HAZARD AND NOT A HELP. 

Has anyone else been enjoying the great weather and working outside?  As a brown thumb, I’m always intimidated by the prospect of working outside, so I really appreciate all the work my hubbie and parents put in while I hung out with Liam.  Speaking of the little guy, here are few recent photos.  How about those smooshy lips, eh?  Enjoy!