A Freshened-Up Space

On the last day of amazing spring-like weather it was unanimously decided that some attention should be given to the little gingerbread house in the back yard. The big, haphazardly-placed rock at the door was not a very good step- or so they said- and they wanted to start working on their own landscaping.

I had been thinking the exact same thing, and I'd actually started eyeing a little pallet in the garage that had come with our fireplace insert.

Since my solo carpentry skills are a little remedial the idea of simply lifting, leveling, and attaching something already made felt juuuuuust right for us, and we went for it.

Once the 'front porch' was finished and stained to match the house, we loaded the wheelbarrow with rocks from the yard and got to work on what will eventually become a perennial bed of kid-friendly flowers, herbs, and strawberries...

The kids did a great job digging up weeds and roots, then chopping up the top soil. A wheelbarrow full of composted horse manure later and the bed was ready to settle and wait for planting.

As the sun set on the last day of warm, sunny weather (for a while, anyway), I sat back and watched as the Littles settled right in to their freshened-up space- Henry making diner and Audrey decorating their new porch. I could hear them chatting, fully absorbed in their play. While the birds around us sang their evening songs and the wind began to chill I just soaked it all in, and across the backyard floated Audrey's sweet voice: "Henny, I love you and I love our house. Let's live here forever. You're my best Bubba."

*sigh*