The Kitchen Window View

The first two years I lived in our house, our tiny backyard was basically a cracked concrete patio and gravel. In 2005 I tore out the concrete (or rather, Matt tore out the concrete and I married him as payment). In 2006 we had a beautiful patch of dirt while I saved up. In 2007 we put down lovely stone pavers (I love them so much I might take them when we move) and planted a few things. In 2008 I finished planting and this year I'm just enjoying it all.

Here's the view from my kitchen window. I took the pictures through the screen, so they look a little wonky.

I love the mirror on my back fence. It's always dirty, but somehow, outside, it looks like it was meant to be dirty. The vine on the back fence is a concord grape planted right after moving in. We got our first crop last year--just enough to eat a few and make a batch of grape jam.

We've had dinner on our little table quite a few times this year.

Here's the view of my kitchen window from the back fence.

Ignore my pokey little pole bean frames. I was too impatient to make them look good.

The kitchen faces south, so the back yard gets baked by the sun. In fact, my thermometer always reads 5-10 degrees warmer than the National Weather Service weather station just a couple of miles away. In past years, I've planted gorgeous window boxes, only to have them die in the hottest days of July/August. This year, I decided that rather trying the impossible again, I'd just plant Moss Roses. They aren't my first choice for the window box, but I love their bright colors and they'll look a lot better than dead plants in a few months. I planted a living wreath with moss roses as well. It will be ready to hang-up this weekend. Yea!

Here we have my espaliered apple tree. Okay, it's not exactly cooperating, as it keeps insisting on growing new branches in places I don't want them. I didn't do enough homework on espaliers before I started this one, but I think it still looks lovely. Next year we should get some apples, too.

I just realized that I didn't even take a picture of my favorite part of the yard! Behind the shed we have a glider. This glider, actually. And boy am I glad we bought it last year because it's more than twice as much this year. Even so, it was a pretty expensive piece of the yard. Expensive, but what's the point of a yard if there's no reason to be in it? The glider fits into the space like a glove and it's a great little nook to curl up in.